Podcast · Learning

PMHNP Certification Q & A

by Fitzgerald Health Education Associates · English · Learning

This podcast is for NP students studying to pass their PMHNP certification exam. Expert Fitzgerald faculty clinicians share their knowledge and experience to help you dissect the anatomy of a test question so you can better understand how to arrive at the correct test answer.

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 7 min
Latest: 7 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

7 Oct 2026 · 6 min

OCD Symptom Recurrence Assessment

The PMHNP is seeing a 11-year-old patient who is being managed for obsessive-compulsive disorder. The patient has been in exposure response therapy for almost one year and has been taking fluoxetine 40 mg daily. For the last six months the patient was in an acceptable remission, but today he reports that his obsessive thought processes and compulsive hygiene behaviors have started to become intrusive and are making it difficult for him to manage his day appropriately. Additional assessment to...

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

S1 · E140 · 30 Sep 2026 · 8 min
Initial Psychiatric Evaluation
An initial psychiatric evaluation should include a comprehensive risk assessment across the lifespan. Which of the following should be part of the initial intake for all patients aged 8 to 24 as part of that risk evaluation? A. The CAGE questionnaire B. The ASQ tool C. The SCARED tool D. The MCHAT-R questionnaire --- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jB53p074Ze0&list=PLf0PFEPBXfq5HGfNV-GbOlYHtDwd35OeG&index=140
S1 · E139 · 23 Sep 2026 · 9 min
Mental Status Examination Findings
The PMHNP is performing a follow-up visit on a 32-year-old male. He is being treated with sertraline 100 mg daily for a major depressive episode that began when he started having serious marital problems. His depressive symptoms have much improved, and he currently denies depressed mood, anhedonia, hopelessness, worthlessness, guilt or irritability. Even sleep has improved, and he is currently satisfied with his response to pharmacotherapy. During the visit, the PMHNP notes that the patient r...
S1 · E138 · 16 Sep 2026 · 10 min
Pediatric Developmental Assessment
A 5-year-old child presents for evaluation with her mother. The mother is concerned that the child might have autism spectrum disorder and asks for a comprehensive evaluation. As part of a developmentally appropriate assessment, the PMHNP recognizes that which of the following is the appropriate approach to assessing the child’s affect, coordination and motor skills, speech, attention span, capacity for complex thinking and interaction? A. Playing with the child on the floor B. Administ...
S1 · E137 · 9 Sep 2026 · 7 min
Therapeutic Alliance in a Court-Ordered Patient
The PMHNP is seeing a 22-year-old male patient for his initial evaluation. The appointment is court ordered and the patient seems very uncomfortable being there and answers direct questions with one-word responses. According to information provided by the court, the patient comes from a very dysfunctional upbringing, has been homeless for an indeterminate time period, and did not adapt well during his brief period of incarceration. The PMHNP is very open about all information that she h...
S1 · E136 · 2 Sep 2026 · 6 min
Adverse Drug Effects in Psychiatric Treatment
The PMHNP is evaluating a patient new to the practice. He is a 27-year-old male with a long history of bipolar depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and a remote history of substance use disorder for which he has been in remission for over 6 years. While discussing his medication history the patient reports that over the years he has been treated with a number of different medication to help with his symptoms. He denies any medication allergies but reports that one of the medications made...
S1 · E135 · 26 Aug 2026 · 5 min
Social Determinants of Health Domains
Social determinants of health (SDOH) are recognized by the World Health Organization as non-medical conditions that can often outweigh genetic or clinical medical access in determining overall health. Addressing SDOH is endorsed as a priority with respect to improving population health. They are categorized in five major domains. Discrimination or systemic bias is an example of which domain? A. Economic stability B. Social and community context C. Neighborhood and built envi...
S1 · E134 · 19 Aug 2026 · 7 min
Therapeutic Modalities for Depressive Symptoms
The PMHNP is working with a patient who is struggling with significant depressive symptoms. The patient is a 34-year-old female who is lives alone and works in a job that “pays the bills” but not much else. The patient has no close connections, she remains friendly with a few friends from college, but she feels “alone in the world.” At present her options are limited. She is not financially able to make major life changes, but she feels as if she is spiraling down and wants to feel better. In...
S1 · E133 · 12 Aug 2026 · 6 min
Treatment Considerations for Bipolar Depression
The PMHNP is managing a patient with bipolar disorder. While the patient has had manic episodes historically, the dominant pole of his disorder is depression. He is currently being treated with valproic acid and olanzapine. Today his depressive symptoms have exacerbated and he admits to increasing suicidal ideation. He is not acutely suicidal, but his ideation is more frequent, and twice in the last month he has called the suicide and crisis hotline at 988. Which of the following medic...
S1 · E132 · 5 Aug 2026 · 8 min
Adverse Effects of Olanzapine Therapy
The PMHNP is seeing a patient in follow-up. The patient has a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder and has been taking the second-generation antipsychotic olanzapine for 2 months. The patient appears to be experiencing a distinct improvement in both the positive symptoms of schizophrenia as well as depressive symptoms of major depressive disorder. The NP evaluates for which of the following common adverse drug effects of this medication? A. Weight gain B. Insomnia C. ...
S1 · E131 · 29 Jul 2026 · 6 min
Considerations for Self-Disclosure
The PMHNP is considering the case of a patient who is struggling with significant depressive symptoms following a difficult divorce. The symptoms are having a direct impact on her life, and she has even had written warnings at work about excessive lateness and calling in sick. The patient is very resistant to medication. The NP realizes that the patient’s situation is remarkably similar to what she herself experienced during her divorce five years ago. She considers sharing her experience wit...
S1 · E130 · 22 Jul 2026 · 9 min
Managing Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia
The PMHNP is managing a patient with treatment-resistant schizophrenia who continues to have positive symptoms despite appropriate trials with two different antipsychotic regimens. When considering initiation of clozapine, the NP considers that which of the following apply? A. The absolute neutrophil count must be > 1000/mm3 to start treatment B. The first 2-3 doses should be administered in a closely monitored setting with vital signs monitored regularly C. The medication mus...
S1 · E129 · 15 Jul 2026 · 8 min
Laboratory Abnormalities in a Patient With Anorexia Nervosa
The PMHNP has just accepted a position at an eating disorders clinic which offers a multi-disciplinary approach to the management of eating disorders, including psychiatric comorbidities and physical health deviations. In preparing for the role, the NP reviews strategies for managing which of the following laboratory abnormalities common in patients with anorexia nervosa? A. Hypercholesterolemia, leukopenia, low TSH B. Anemia, hyperkalemia, low T3. C. Hypokalemia, hypocholesterole...
S1 · E128 · 8 Jul 2026 · 9 min
Adolescent Insomnia in a Patient With Generalized Anxiety Disorder
A 14-year-old patient is being managed for generalized anxiety disorder and has been responding well to fluoxetine. However, both the patient and his mother report that he has chronic difficulty falling asleep. He denies any racing thoughts at bedtime; he just cannot seem to fall asleep. His mother has been giving him melatonin gummies purchased over the counter from the pharmacy and reports that there is some improvement but would like to know what else can be done. The PMHNP advises w...
S1 · E127 · 1 Jul 2026 · 9 min
Reactive Attachment Disorder in a 5-Year-Old Child
A 5-year-old child is accompanied by the foster mother for evaluation of behavioral problems. The foster mother is experienced and has been very successful with children, but this child is very concerning. He has frequent, unexpected episodes of mood and reaction extremes including irritability, sadness, and fearfulness that are disproportionate to the situation. Suspecting reactive attachment disorder, the PMHNP anticipates which of the following to be reported by the foster mother? A....
S1 · E126 · 24 Jun 2026 · 7 min
Pharmacotherapeutic Pattern Recognition
Jennifer is a 27-year-old female who has been in psychiatric care for several months for a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. She has not responded to three different pharmacotherapeutic approaches and as a result she is now being evaluated by a new PMHNP provider. She maintains that she has always taken all medications as prescribed but all they do is make her tired. Further she is emphatic that the last provider “did not know what he was doing” but she has heard that the new NP is “really...
S1 · E125 · 17 Jun 2026 · 5 min
Treatment Resistance Presentation
A patient is mandated to care by court for evaluation and treatment of substance use disorder. He has a history of polysubstance abuse including ETOH, benzodiazepines, and marijuana. He is very resistant to the interview, sits with arms crossed, avoids eye contact, and only offers minimal verbal responses. The PMHNP asks the patient why he doesn’t want to talk about why he is there. The patient responds, “You are just going judge me and blame me, what’s the point?” The PMHNP recog...
S1 · E124 · 10 Jun 2026 · 7 min
Situational Insomnia Management
A 39-year-old male patient presents asking for pharmacotherapy to help with difficulty falling asleep. He denies any psychiatric history and is in good health. He is currently struggling with sleep because he is going through a difficult divorce and while he acknowledges that he has to work through it, the difficulty sleeping is so profound right now that it is making it difficult for him to be effective at work. The patient agrees to have an evaluation with a therapist, and the PMHNP agrees ...
S1 · E123 · 3 Jun 2026 · 8 min
Naloxone Allergy Verification
The PMHNP has assumed care of a 32-year-old patient who is being managed for opioid use disorder with buprenorphine-naloxone 8.2 mg films t.i.d. The patient’s previous provider has moved out of state and no records are immediately available, the only information available is from the prescription monitoring program. The patient request to be treated with a buprenorphine-only formulation because he says that the he is allergic to naloxone. The NP considers which of the following? Choose ...
S1 · E122 · 27 May 2026 · 7 min
Postural Intention Tremor Evaluation
A 27-year-old female patient presents for a follow-up appointment for generalized anxiety disorder. She has a complex history including polysubstance use disorder and borderline personality disorder, but she had been doing well. She achieved remission of her symptoms over one year ago and has been well managed on escitalopram 10 mg daily. She has been substance free for over one year, and is in therapy for her personality disorder. Today she is not feeling well. She reports some major psychos...
S1 · E121 · 20 May 2026 · 6 min
Carbamazepine Prescribing Risks
The PMHNP is managing a patient of Chinese ancestry with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. The patient is currently experiencing some symptoms consistent with an early manic episode. When considering prescribing carbamazepine, the NP considers that this patient is at particular risk for which of the following adverse effects? A. Drug-induced hepatitis B. Pancreatitis C. Hypothyroidism D. Toxic epidermal necrolysis --- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MaEx...
S1 · E120 · 13 May 2026 · 7 min
Antipsychotic Adverse Reactions
The PMHNP is called to the emergency department to evaluate a patient with an acute onset mental status change. The patient has a long history of schizophrenia and has been managed on a variety of antipsychotic therapies that have had some success, but the patient has not ever really achieved goal remission. Most recently he was started on a first generation antipsychotic along with benztropine (Cogentin). Today the patient is in the ED with confusion and muscle stiffness. Which o...
S1 · E119 · 6 May 2026 · 8 min
Major Neurocognitive Disorder Causes
The PMHNP is evaluating a 73-year-old patient who has just been discharged from the hospital after being treated for a urinary tract infection with associated delirium. She has a baseline major neurocognitive disorder and the spouse has been told in the past that the patient cannot take antipsychotics. However, while she was hospitalized she was given an antipsychotic for delirium and it seemed to help a lot. The spouse wants to know why the patient cannot take an antipsychotic for her chroni...
S1 · E118 · 29 Apr 2026 · 8 min
Autism Spectrum Evaluation
A 3-year-old child is being seen because the daycare facility staff have suggested to the parents that the child is having difficulty interacting with other children. Additionally, the staff have observed that when the child seems to become anxious or upset, he always becomes fixated on stacking building blocks one on top of the other to the extent that he will not acknowledge anyone or anything else. When the parents ask if their child has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the PMHNP advi...
S1 · E117 · 22 Apr 2026 · 7 min
Serial 7s Assessment
The PMHNP is performing a new patient assessment on a 41-year-old patient referred from primary care for depressive disorder refractory to SSRIs. During the mental status examination, the patient is unable to successfully perform a serial 7’s backward count. The NP documents an abnormal finding in the area of: A. Speech B. Thought process C. Judgment D. Cognition --- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQYdcEqFBLc&list=PLf0PFEPBXfq5HGfNV-GbOlYHtDwd35OeG&in...
S1 · E116 · 15 Apr 2026 · 8 min
Neurocognitive Domain Identification
Patients with a deficit in one of six neurocognitive domains to the extent that it represents a deterioration of function from their baseline and makes it impossible for them to live independently are diagnosed with major neurocognitive disorder. Which of the following is not one of the six neurocognitive domains? A. Learning and memory B. Language C. Perceptual motor D. Cognition and emotion --- YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9166JUmJLg&list=PLf0PF...
S1 · E115 · 8 Apr 2026 · 6 min
Suicide Risk Evaluation
The PMHNP is evaluating a new patient who has been referred by his employer for evaluation. His supervisor is concerned about his mental health and his safety. The NP evaluates the patient and does not find criteria consistent with major depressive disorder, but identifies which of the following as particularly concerning for risk of suicide? A. Anhedonia B. Hopelessness C. Depressed mood D. Weight loss --- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNlBelJr92M&amp...
S1 · E114 · 1 Apr 2026 · 6 min
Social Detachment Treatment Approach
The PMHNP is called to consult on a patient in the emergency department who has been admitted following a traumatic motor vehicle/pedestrian accident. He was walking across the street when a speeding driver crashed into him at high speed. The patient remarkably does not have serious injuries, the staff noted that he seemed a bit “odd” and decided to call for a mental health consult. The patient lives alone, has no close friends or family members to call, and appears disinterested in any...
S1 · E113 · 25 Mar 2026 · 7 min
Laboratory Abnormalities Analysis
Which of the following laboratory abnormalities is not consistent with a female patient who drinks more than 3 alcoholic drinks daily? A. Elevated high density lipoprotein B. Elevated macrocytosis C. Elevated transaminases D. Elevated triglycerides --- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XL6auWRfup8&list=PLf0PFEPBXfq5HGfNV-GbOlYHtDwd35OeG&index=113
S1 · E112 · 18 Mar 2026 · 6 min
Reward Neurotransmitter Recognition
The PMHNP is counseling a patient who wants to enter treatment for a substance use disorder. The patient has been using methamphetamine for over one year and freely acknowledges how much he likes the way it makes him feel. However, he is realizing that it is destroying his marriage, his professional reputation, and his health. He genuinely wants to stop using it, and is willing to do whatever he has to do, but admit that he has tried twice before and relapsed. Both he and his significant othe...

About PMHNP Certification Q & A

PMHNP Certification Q & A is a English learning podcast from Fitzgerald Health Education Associates. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Fitzgerald Health Education Associates
Language: English
Category: Learning
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 7 min
Latest episode: 7 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1728311904

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