PMHNP ANCC Exam Study Guide –
Practice Questions with Verified
Answers. GRADED A+. Latest
2026/2027 Update
, lOMoARcPSD|65953097
Conrad, a 26-year-old male, is being treated for cuts after being arrested for
breaking the windows in the home of his girlfriend, who has just told him that
they are through. He has a history of having been physically abused by his
father, setting fires as a child, treatment for substance abuse, and arrest for
stealing a car. Which of the following personality disorders might the clinician
consider?
Question 1 options:
a) Narcissistic
b) Paranoid
c) Antisocial
d) Histrionic Antisocial
In a biopsychosocial case formulation, social contributions would be considered
to be:
a) Genetic influences and adverse circumstances of birth
b) Substance use and medical disorders
c) Cognitive deficits and dysregulation of emotions
d) Religious/cultural factors and living situations Religious/cultural factors and
living situations
Which of the following criteria would preclude the use of brief dynamic
therapy? a) Adequate ego strengths
b) Psychological problems in multiple domains
c) Use of mature defense mechanisms
d) Adequate ability to process information
Use of mature defense mechanisms
In treatment of the acute phase of mania, the focus is on:
a) Protecting the patient's biopsychosocial safety
b) Educating the patient about social rhythms theory
c) Interventions that address impairment of vocational functioning
d) Interventions for self-management of finance
Protecting the patient's biopsychosocial safety
During an initial assessment, the relevant features of communication are its
ability to:
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, lOMoARcPSD|65953097
a)Promote a therapeutic alliance and increase understanding.
b) Prompt a disclosure of past successes and failures.
c) Bring about changes in behavior.
d) Educate the patient about what is important to disclose.
Symptoms of anxiety and panic are associated with a low level of
which neurotransmitter? a)Cortisol
b) Dopamine
c) Gamma-aminobutyric acid
d) Glutamate
Gamma-aminobutyric acid
Which class of antidepressants has the most anticholinergic side effects? a)
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
b) Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
c) Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)
d) Serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)
A 16-year-old male patient is hospitalized for depression after attempting
suicide by overdose. Several days later, the patient reports feeling less
depressed and having fewer suicidal thoughts, but begins to threaten suicide "if
things do not work out." Nursing staff members report feeling resentful and
manipulated, but fear for the patient's safety. The adult psychiatric and mental
health nurse practitioner's intervention is to
a) assist the staff in developing a treatment plan that limits contact with
the patient to one person per shift.
b) develop a "no suicide" pact with the patient to decrease his
helplessness and increase his feelings of control.
c) encourage the patient to express his fears of improving and being
abandoned or of leaving the safe environment.
d) increase supervision and restrict milieu participation to decrease the
secondary gain from manipulation. encourage the patient to express his fears
of improving and being abandoned or of leaving the safe environment.
A female client complains of an intense, overwhelming fear of driving a car. The
fear has
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, lOMoARcPSD|65953097
disrupted all elements of her life. She does not go to the grocery store unless
someone
transports her, has relinquished her job, and has few social contacts.
Her treatment plan includes:
a) assertiveness training.
b) biofeedback.
c) stress management assistance.
d) systematic desensitization.
A patient with borderline personality disorder experiences intense anxiety
when an adult psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner goes on
vacation. The best explanation for this reaction is that the patient: a. has
failed to develop clear ego boundaries.
b) has failed to master object constancy.
c) is employing primitive idealization.
d) is employing projective identification.
An outpatient mental health clinic-based adult psychiatric and mental health
nurse practitioner treats a 32-year-old patient who has diabetes and a major
depressive disorder. The patient reports an improved and stable mood on a
trial of duloxetine (Cymbalta), but experiences continued neuropathic pain. The
nurse practitioner's initial intervention is to: add gabapentin (Neurontin) to the
treatment regimen.
b)
conduct additional diagnostic tests.
c)
contact the patient's endocrinologist.
d)
3 | Page
Practice Questions with Verified
Answers. GRADED A+. Latest
2026/2027 Update
, lOMoARcPSD|65953097
Conrad, a 26-year-old male, is being treated for cuts after being arrested for
breaking the windows in the home of his girlfriend, who has just told him that
they are through. He has a history of having been physically abused by his
father, setting fires as a child, treatment for substance abuse, and arrest for
stealing a car. Which of the following personality disorders might the clinician
consider?
Question 1 options:
a) Narcissistic
b) Paranoid
c) Antisocial
d) Histrionic Antisocial
In a biopsychosocial case formulation, social contributions would be considered
to be:
a) Genetic influences and adverse circumstances of birth
b) Substance use and medical disorders
c) Cognitive deficits and dysregulation of emotions
d) Religious/cultural factors and living situations Religious/cultural factors and
living situations
Which of the following criteria would preclude the use of brief dynamic
therapy? a) Adequate ego strengths
b) Psychological problems in multiple domains
c) Use of mature defense mechanisms
d) Adequate ability to process information
Use of mature defense mechanisms
In treatment of the acute phase of mania, the focus is on:
a) Protecting the patient's biopsychosocial safety
b) Educating the patient about social rhythms theory
c) Interventions that address impairment of vocational functioning
d) Interventions for self-management of finance
Protecting the patient's biopsychosocial safety
During an initial assessment, the relevant features of communication are its
ability to:
1 | Page
, lOMoARcPSD|65953097
a)Promote a therapeutic alliance and increase understanding.
b) Prompt a disclosure of past successes and failures.
c) Bring about changes in behavior.
d) Educate the patient about what is important to disclose.
Symptoms of anxiety and panic are associated with a low level of
which neurotransmitter? a)Cortisol
b) Dopamine
c) Gamma-aminobutyric acid
d) Glutamate
Gamma-aminobutyric acid
Which class of antidepressants has the most anticholinergic side effects? a)
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
b) Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
c) Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)
d) Serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)
Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)
A 16-year-old male patient is hospitalized for depression after attempting
suicide by overdose. Several days later, the patient reports feeling less
depressed and having fewer suicidal thoughts, but begins to threaten suicide "if
things do not work out." Nursing staff members report feeling resentful and
manipulated, but fear for the patient's safety. The adult psychiatric and mental
health nurse practitioner's intervention is to
a) assist the staff in developing a treatment plan that limits contact with
the patient to one person per shift.
b) develop a "no suicide" pact with the patient to decrease his
helplessness and increase his feelings of control.
c) encourage the patient to express his fears of improving and being
abandoned or of leaving the safe environment.
d) increase supervision and restrict milieu participation to decrease the
secondary gain from manipulation. encourage the patient to express his fears
of improving and being abandoned or of leaving the safe environment.
A female client complains of an intense, overwhelming fear of driving a car. The
fear has
2 | Page
, lOMoARcPSD|65953097
disrupted all elements of her life. She does not go to the grocery store unless
someone
transports her, has relinquished her job, and has few social contacts.
Her treatment plan includes:
a) assertiveness training.
b) biofeedback.
c) stress management assistance.
d) systematic desensitization.
A patient with borderline personality disorder experiences intense anxiety
when an adult psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner goes on
vacation. The best explanation for this reaction is that the patient: a. has
failed to develop clear ego boundaries.
b) has failed to master object constancy.
c) is employing primitive idealization.
d) is employing projective identification.
An outpatient mental health clinic-based adult psychiatric and mental health
nurse practitioner treats a 32-year-old patient who has diabetes and a major
depressive disorder. The patient reports an improved and stable mood on a
trial of duloxetine (Cymbalta), but experiences continued neuropathic pain. The
nurse practitioner's initial intervention is to: add gabapentin (Neurontin) to the
treatment regimen.
b)
conduct additional diagnostic tests.
c)
contact the patient's endocrinologist.
d)
3 | Page
