NURS 656-ANCC PMHNP Test-2022
Sample Test Questions
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Sample Questions
The following sample questions are similar to those on the examination but do not
represent the full range of content or levels of difficulty. The answers to the sample
questions are provided after the last question. Please note: Taking these or any sample
question(s) is not a requirement to sit for an actual certification examination. Completion
of these or any other sample question(s) does not imply eligibility for certification or
successful performance on any certification examination.
To respond to the sample questions, first enter your first and last names in the boxes
below (this information will not be recorded; it is strictly for purposes of identifying your
results). Then click the button corresponding to the best answer for each question.
When you are finished, click the "Evaluate" button at the bottom of the page. A new
browser window will open, displaying your results, which you may print, if you wish.
This practice exam is not timed, and you may take it as many times as you wish. Good
luck!
First name: Last name:
1. A 14-year-old patient has nonspecific complaints about pain in his or her legs. The physical examination is
unremarkable. Laboratory results are within normal limits except for a markedly elevated alkaline phosphatase level.
The psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner:
interprets the findings as normally occurring during a rapid adolescent growth spurt.
obtains a rheumatoid profile because elevated alkaline phosphatase is a sign of early rheumatic fever.
orders a repeat blood test.
suspects that the patient has acute pancreatitis.
2. Laboratory findings for a patient with an alcohol use disorder indicate increased liver function values and:
a decreased mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and normal triglyceride levels.
elevated potassium and chloride levels.
increased MCV and elevated triglyceride levels.
increased urine and serum creatinine levels.
, 3. A new patient arrives at the office for treatment for depression. The patient reports taking simvastatin (Zocor) and
lisinopril (Zestril). When selecting an antidepressant, the psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner eliminates
fluoxetine (Prozac), based on the knowledge that the combination can lead to increased plasma levels of the statin,
resulting in an increased risk of muscle damage and rhabdomyolysis. The nurse practitioner's reason is that:
both medications are CYP450 3A4 inhibitors.
both medications are CYP450 3A4 substrates.
one medication is a CYP450 3A4 substrate and one is a CYP450 3A4 inducer.
one medication is a CYP450 3A4 substrate and one is a CYP450 3A4 inhibitor.
4. During a mental status examination, an 18-year-old patient reports feeling bugs crawling under the skin. The
psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner documents this statement as:
a developmental disorder, and suspects cocaine use.
a hypnagogic hallucination, and suspects schizophrenia.
a hypnopompic hallucination, and suspects schizophrenia.
a perceptual disturbance, and suspects the use of cocaine.
5. The psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner is responsible for initiating quality improvement at a community
mental health clinic. The effective strategy for evaluating the clinic's services is to:
analyze the data from epidemiological studies.
conduct a root cause analysis.
interview patient families.
use a survey to elicit patient satisfaction responses.
6. The psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner evaluates a new adult patient via telemedicine. The patient has
questions about a new medication that he or she recently started. The nurse practitioner decides to provide
psychoeducation and to:
e-mail drug information and resources.
encourage the patient to seek information on the internet.
have a phone conference with a family member.
refer patient to a local primary care provider.
Sample Test Questions
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Sample Questions
The following sample questions are similar to those on the examination but do not
represent the full range of content or levels of difficulty. The answers to the sample
questions are provided after the last question. Please note: Taking these or any sample
question(s) is not a requirement to sit for an actual certification examination. Completion
of these or any other sample question(s) does not imply eligibility for certification or
successful performance on any certification examination.
To respond to the sample questions, first enter your first and last names in the boxes
below (this information will not be recorded; it is strictly for purposes of identifying your
results). Then click the button corresponding to the best answer for each question.
When you are finished, click the "Evaluate" button at the bottom of the page. A new
browser window will open, displaying your results, which you may print, if you wish.
This practice exam is not timed, and you may take it as many times as you wish. Good
luck!
First name: Last name:
1. A 14-year-old patient has nonspecific complaints about pain in his or her legs. The physical examination is
unremarkable. Laboratory results are within normal limits except for a markedly elevated alkaline phosphatase level.
The psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner:
interprets the findings as normally occurring during a rapid adolescent growth spurt.
obtains a rheumatoid profile because elevated alkaline phosphatase is a sign of early rheumatic fever.
orders a repeat blood test.
suspects that the patient has acute pancreatitis.
2. Laboratory findings for a patient with an alcohol use disorder indicate increased liver function values and:
a decreased mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and normal triglyceride levels.
elevated potassium and chloride levels.
increased MCV and elevated triglyceride levels.
increased urine and serum creatinine levels.
, 3. A new patient arrives at the office for treatment for depression. The patient reports taking simvastatin (Zocor) and
lisinopril (Zestril). When selecting an antidepressant, the psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner eliminates
fluoxetine (Prozac), based on the knowledge that the combination can lead to increased plasma levels of the statin,
resulting in an increased risk of muscle damage and rhabdomyolysis. The nurse practitioner's reason is that:
both medications are CYP450 3A4 inhibitors.
both medications are CYP450 3A4 substrates.
one medication is a CYP450 3A4 substrate and one is a CYP450 3A4 inducer.
one medication is a CYP450 3A4 substrate and one is a CYP450 3A4 inhibitor.
4. During a mental status examination, an 18-year-old patient reports feeling bugs crawling under the skin. The
psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner documents this statement as:
a developmental disorder, and suspects cocaine use.
a hypnagogic hallucination, and suspects schizophrenia.
a hypnopompic hallucination, and suspects schizophrenia.
a perceptual disturbance, and suspects the use of cocaine.
5. The psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner is responsible for initiating quality improvement at a community
mental health clinic. The effective strategy for evaluating the clinic's services is to:
analyze the data from epidemiological studies.
conduct a root cause analysis.
interview patient families.
use a survey to elicit patient satisfaction responses.
6. The psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner evaluates a new adult patient via telemedicine. The patient has
questions about a new medication that he or she recently started. The nurse practitioner decides to provide
psychoeducation and to:
e-mail drug information and resources.
encourage the patient to seek information on the internet.
have a phone conference with a family member.
refer patient to a local primary care provider.
