Sample Test Questions

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Sample Questions

These sample questions apply to all exams taken on or after October 25, 2014.

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 17-year-old patient with anorexia nervosa has just been released from the hospital. To facilitate recovery at home, the psychiatric-mental health nurse instructs the family to:

discourage the patient from sneaking food between meals, by unobtrusively reducing access to the kitchen.
encourage the patient's interest in menu planning, food magazines, and cooking lessons, by leaving information and materials around the house.
permit the patient to eat her meals privately to discourage family preoccupation with meals.
recommend that the patient joins in routine family meals and clears the dishes after dinner, even if they do not eat.

2. A patient is admitted to the inpatient unit with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. The patient has had episodes of school absenteeism, withdrawal from friends, and bizarre behavior, including talking to his or her "keeper." The psychiatric-mental health nurse's most appropriate response is to:

acknowledge that the patient's perceptions seem real to him or her, and refocus the patient's attention on a task or activity.
encourage the patient to express his or her thoughts, to determine the meaning they have for the patient.
ignore the patient's bizarre behavior, because it will diminish after he or she has been given the correct medication.
inform the patient that his or her perceptions of reality have become distorted because of the illness.

3. A supervisor observes inconsistency in the psychiatric-mental health nurse's behavior toward a patient; the nurse is unreasonably concerned, overly kind, or irrationally hostile. The most appropriate explanation is that the nurse is displaying:

countertransference.
empathic resonance.
splitting behavior.
transference.

4. The first step in the treatment of incest is to:

believe the child who reports the activity.
notify the proper authorities.
objectively confront the accused family member.
remove the child from the home.

5. A couple in counseling reports fighting with their child when they are angry with each other. This behavior typifies:

coalition.
indirect communication.
transference.
triangulation.

6. The severe feeling of restlessness produced by some psychotropic medications, which is often misinterpreted by patients as anxiety or a recurrence of psychiatric symptoms, is known as:

akathisia.
akinesia.
bradykinesia.
dystonia.

7. During an initial patient interview, the psychiatric-mental health nurse begins by asking the patient to describe their:

current situation.
feelings about the current situation.
personal history.
thoughts about the current situation.

8. The management of nausea as a side effect of lithium carbonate (Eskalith) includes instructing the patient to take the medication:

after meals.
between meals.
with a carbonated beverage.
with a large glass of water.

9. A patient reports an intense, overwhelming fear of driving a car. The fear has disrupted all elements of the patient's life. The patient does not go to the grocery store unless driven by someone else, has relinquished their job, and has few social contacts. The patient's treatment plan includes:

assertiveness training.
biofeedback.
stress management assistance.
systematic desensitization.

10. When coping with a patient's inappropriate expression of anger, a psychiatric-mental health nurse's initial action is to identify the:

appropriate limit-setting techniques.
nurse's own response to the anger.
patient's specific defense mechanisms.
systems theory for effecting change.

11. A short-term goal for a patient with Alzheimer disease is:

improved functioning in the least restrictive environment.
improved problem solving in activities of daily living.
increased self-esteem and improved self-concept.
regained sensory perception and cognitive function.

12. Older adults have reached Erikson's developmental stage of ego integrity when they:

acknowledge that one cannot get everything one wants in life.
assess their lives and identify actions that had value and purpose.
express a wish that life could be relived differently.
feel that they are being punished for things they did not do.

13. A patient states that unit staff members have been avoiding them since an attempt to self-mutilate. The psychiatric-mental health nurse's most appropriate response is to:

apologize for the staff's behavior.
explain that feelings of rejection are typical after self-mutilation.
listen, redirect the patient to their feelings, and explore the issue with the staff.
report the matter to the nurse manager.

14. When planning inpatient psychotherapeutic activities for a patient who has antisocial personality disorder, the psychiatric-mental health nurse:

focuses on group, rather than individual, therapy.
provides a permissive atmosphere, so the patient feels a sense of control.
provides an organized, structured environment.
recognizes that the disorder is characterized by social withdrawal.

15. A 16-year-old female patient who is Chinese American is admitted to the unit with reports of sadness and suicidal ideation. The patient is accompanied by many family members, including her mother and father. The patient and her family emigrated from mainland China five years ago. Regarding the family, the psychiatric-mental health nurse:

encourages the patient to communicate her need for privacy to her family.
gently asks the family members to leave the room.
privately asks the mother for her assistance in clearing the room.
provides care for the patient while the family members are present.

16. According to family systems theory, removing the "identified patient" from the environment most likely causes the:

patient to decompensate, due to the loss of their support system.
patient to significantly improve, often with minimal or no additional therapy.
remaining family members to decompensate, as evidenced by new dysfunctional behavior.
remaining family members to lose motivation and withdraw from therapy.

17. The psychiatric-mental health nurse, who is teaching a patient's parents how to use positive reinforcement techniques with the patient, recommends:

agreeing with the child's statements, whether negative or positive, and simply restating the child's statements without other comment.
controlling the child's behavior, so there is no chance of negative behavior.
removing adverse consequences to produce positive results.
rewarding positive behaviors to promote their recurrence.

18. A common nursing diagnosis for a patient with antisocial personality disorder is:

chronic low self-esteem, related to poor self-image and excessive fear of failure.
disturbed thought processes, related to sensory-perceptual alterations.
impaired social interaction, related to manipulative behaviors.
social isolation, related to anxiety in social situations.

19. A patient who is admitted to the psychiatric unit with a diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder spends a significant amount of time during the day and night washing their hands. On the third hospital day, the patient reports feeling better and more comfortable with the staff and other patients. The psychiatric-mental health nurse knows that the most appropriate nursing intervention is to:

acknowledge the ritualistic behavior each time and point out that it is inappropriate.
allow the patient to carry out the ritualistic behavior, since it is helping them.
collaborate with the patient to reduce the amount of time they engage in ritualistic behavior.
ignore the ritualistic behaviors, and the behaviors will be eliminated due to lack of reinforcement.

20. To evaluate whether patient teaching for coping skills has been effective, the psychiatric-mental health nurse asks an adolescent patient to:

consider the outcomes objectively.
keep a written journal.
perform a return demonstration.
set measurable goals.

21. The psychiatric-mental health nurse knows that the patient's spouse clearly understands the adverse effects of lithium carbonate (Eskalith), when they say,:

"I should call the doctor if my spouse shakes badly."
"I should make sure my spouse drinks as much water as possible."
"My spouse must remain on a salt-free diet."
"When the lithium level is 1.6 mEq/L, my spouse can go back to work."

22. A school-aged patient with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is displaying disruptive behaviors at home. The psychiatric-mental health nurse modifies the treatment plan for the social domain, by advising the patient's parents to:

establish eye contact before giving directions.
initiate a point system, to reward the patient for appropriate behavior.
instruct the patient to work on one homework assignment at a time.
maintain a predictable environment in the home.

23. After taking an antidepressant for about a week, a patient reports constipation and blurred vision, with no improvement in mood. The psychiatric-mental health nurse informs the patient,:

"It takes approximately two to four weeks for depression to lessen, and side effects usually diminish over time."
"Stop the medication immediately and contact your primary care physician."
"You should contact your doctor. The doctor may need to change your medication."
"You should schedule an appointment with your ophthalmologist."

24. A patient is being discharged after spending six days in the hospital due to depression with suicidal ideation. The psychiatric-mental health nurse knows that an important outcome has been met when the patient states,:

"I can't wait to get home and forget that this ever happened."
"I feel so much better. If I continue to feel this way, I can probably stop taking my medications soon."
"I have a list of support groups and a crisis line that I can call, if I feel suicidal."
"I have to leave here soon, if I want to catch the next bus home."

25. When screening families for post-traumatic stress disorder following a major natural disaster, psychiatric-mental health nurses are practicing which type of disease prevention?

Primary.
Secondary.
Tertiary.
Universal.

Sample Test Questions

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Sample Questions

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