PMHNP ANCC Review Exam
Questions and Answers Latest
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Question>> 1
Mrs. Shea has come to the mental health center seeking
treatment for depression. She has a history of a suicide
attempt by overdose 1 month ago. She was started on
imipramine (tricyclic antidepressant [TCA]) after that event
but stopped taking the medication 1 week later because it
"did no good." The PMHNP meets with Mrs. Shea to plan
care with her. Which of the following is the most appropriate
initial action?
a. Asking Mrs. Shea how to help her
b. Providing client teaching about the long time frame for
TCAs to work
c. Contracting with Mrs. Shea for 6 sessions of individual
therapy
d. Providing Mrs. Shea with feedback about how suicide
might affect her family
Answer>>
A. Asking the client how to help is an aspect of
assessment—all other answers are aspects of interventions,
which are not initial actions of the PMHNP.
Page 1 of 82
,Question>> 2
Sarah presents for her initial intake appointment with
complaints of depression. She is being treated for
hypertension and asthma by her primary care provider.
Knowing that certain medications can cause or exacerbate
depression, you obtain a complete medication history. Which
of the following medications is known to exacerbate or cause
depression?
a. Omeprazole
b. Propranolol
c. Levothyroxine
d. Clarithromycin
Answer>>
B. Beta blockers can cause or exacerbate depression.
Question>> 3
Which of the following best describes homeostasis in a
family system?
a. Choices a family makes to keep the peace
b. Balance or stability that the family returns to despite its
dysfunction
c. Need for change and balance in a family
d. Calm in a family that returns after a crisis
Answer>>
B. Homeostasis is balance or stability that the family returns
to despite its dysfunction.
Question>> 4
You are treating a client with schizophrenia who takes
Page 2 of 82
,clozapine. What laboratory values will indicate the client
needs to discontinue treatment?
a. White blood cell count of less than 1,800/mm3 and
absolute neutrophil count of less than 1,200/mm3
b. Absolute neutrophil count of less than 1,000/uL
c. White blood cell count of less than 1,200/mm3
d. Absolute neutrophil count of less than 2,000/uL
Answer>>
B. The recent change in monitoring clozapine clients using
the risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) indicates
persons treated on clozapine need to have absolute
neutrophil count monitored and, if it drops below 1,000/uL,
treatment must be interrupted and can be resumed once the
absolute neutrophil count normalizes above 1,000/uL.
Question>> 5
The trend in legal rulings on cases involving mental illness
over the past 25 years has been to
a. Encourage juries to find defendants not guilty by reason
of insanity
b. Protect the person's freedoms or rights when he or she
is committed to a mental hospital
c. Place increasing trust in mental health professionals to
make good and ethical decisions
d. Decrease the "red tape" associated with commitments
so that commitments are faster and easier
Answer>>
B. Identifies the trend of ensuring the protection of individual
civil liberties for psychiatric clients.
Page 3 of 82
, Question>> 6
A PMHNP who is working on the consult liaison service is
referred to a patient in the medical intensive care unit by the
attending hospitalist. The consult note read "Evaluate the
patient for competency to make independent medical
decisions and
consent for a surgical procedure." Based on the scope of
practice of a PMHNP, which response would be most
appropriate?
a. Complete the patient assessment and write up the
findings in the patient's medical record.
b. Complete a patient assessment, including the mini
mental status examination and family collateral data to
determine competency.
c. Call the hospitalist and provide education that
competency is a legal concept and explain that you can
assess the patient for the capacity to make medical
decisions.
d. Refuse the consult and inform the hospitalist that this is
outside your scope of practice.
Answer>>
C. The legal system makes determination whether a person is
competent; practitioners can assess and make a
determination about a person's capacity to make medical
decisions.
Question>> 7
What differentiates atypical antipsychotic medications from
first-generation or typical antipsychotic medications?
a. 5HT2a receptor antagonist properties
b. 5HT2a receptor agonist properties
Page 4 of 82
Questions and Answers Latest
Version Top Rated
Question>> 1
Mrs. Shea has come to the mental health center seeking
treatment for depression. She has a history of a suicide
attempt by overdose 1 month ago. She was started on
imipramine (tricyclic antidepressant [TCA]) after that event
but stopped taking the medication 1 week later because it
"did no good." The PMHNP meets with Mrs. Shea to plan
care with her. Which of the following is the most appropriate
initial action?
a. Asking Mrs. Shea how to help her
b. Providing client teaching about the long time frame for
TCAs to work
c. Contracting with Mrs. Shea for 6 sessions of individual
therapy
d. Providing Mrs. Shea with feedback about how suicide
might affect her family
Answer>>
A. Asking the client how to help is an aspect of
assessment—all other answers are aspects of interventions,
which are not initial actions of the PMHNP.
Page 1 of 82
,Question>> 2
Sarah presents for her initial intake appointment with
complaints of depression. She is being treated for
hypertension and asthma by her primary care provider.
Knowing that certain medications can cause or exacerbate
depression, you obtain a complete medication history. Which
of the following medications is known to exacerbate or cause
depression?
a. Omeprazole
b. Propranolol
c. Levothyroxine
d. Clarithromycin
Answer>>
B. Beta blockers can cause or exacerbate depression.
Question>> 3
Which of the following best describes homeostasis in a
family system?
a. Choices a family makes to keep the peace
b. Balance or stability that the family returns to despite its
dysfunction
c. Need for change and balance in a family
d. Calm in a family that returns after a crisis
Answer>>
B. Homeostasis is balance or stability that the family returns
to despite its dysfunction.
Question>> 4
You are treating a client with schizophrenia who takes
Page 2 of 82
,clozapine. What laboratory values will indicate the client
needs to discontinue treatment?
a. White blood cell count of less than 1,800/mm3 and
absolute neutrophil count of less than 1,200/mm3
b. Absolute neutrophil count of less than 1,000/uL
c. White blood cell count of less than 1,200/mm3
d. Absolute neutrophil count of less than 2,000/uL
Answer>>
B. The recent change in monitoring clozapine clients using
the risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) indicates
persons treated on clozapine need to have absolute
neutrophil count monitored and, if it drops below 1,000/uL,
treatment must be interrupted and can be resumed once the
absolute neutrophil count normalizes above 1,000/uL.
Question>> 5
The trend in legal rulings on cases involving mental illness
over the past 25 years has been to
a. Encourage juries to find defendants not guilty by reason
of insanity
b. Protect the person's freedoms or rights when he or she
is committed to a mental hospital
c. Place increasing trust in mental health professionals to
make good and ethical decisions
d. Decrease the "red tape" associated with commitments
so that commitments are faster and easier
Answer>>
B. Identifies the trend of ensuring the protection of individual
civil liberties for psychiatric clients.
Page 3 of 82
, Question>> 6
A PMHNP who is working on the consult liaison service is
referred to a patient in the medical intensive care unit by the
attending hospitalist. The consult note read "Evaluate the
patient for competency to make independent medical
decisions and
consent for a surgical procedure." Based on the scope of
practice of a PMHNP, which response would be most
appropriate?
a. Complete the patient assessment and write up the
findings in the patient's medical record.
b. Complete a patient assessment, including the mini
mental status examination and family collateral data to
determine competency.
c. Call the hospitalist and provide education that
competency is a legal concept and explain that you can
assess the patient for the capacity to make medical
decisions.
d. Refuse the consult and inform the hospitalist that this is
outside your scope of practice.
Answer>>
C. The legal system makes determination whether a person is
competent; practitioners can assess and make a
determination about a person's capacity to make medical
decisions.
Question>> 7
What differentiates atypical antipsychotic medications from
first-generation or typical antipsychotic medications?
a. 5HT2a receptor antagonist properties
b. 5HT2a receptor agonist properties
Page 4 of 82
