Alarm, resistance, and exhaustion are concepts related to?

GMCH Chandigarh - 2019

Nursing Foundation

Easy

Appeared in: GMCH Chandigarh - 2019

Explanation

The General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), developed by Hans Selye, is the correct model that describes the body's physiological response to stress.
This model consists of three distinct stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion.
The alarm stage is the initial 'fight-or-flight' reaction where the body mobilizes resources.
The resistance stage involves the body attempting to adapt and cope with the ongoing stressor.
The exhaustion stage occurs when the body's resources are depleted from prolonged stress, leading to burnout and illness.

Option A: The Health Belief Model is a psychosocial model that explains and predicts health behaviors based on an individual's beliefs about a health threat, not the body's physiological response to stress.
Option B: The Transtheoretical Model (Stages of Change) outlines the process of intentional behavior change (precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance). It is not related to the physiological stress cascade.
Option C: The Health Promotion Model focuses on identifying factors that influence individuals to pursue health-promoting behaviors. It is a behavioral model, not a physiological stress response model.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) and Stress Response as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses use the GAS model to understand how chronic stress can lead to physical illnesses like hypertension, impaired wound healing, and weakened immunity.
Recognizing which stage of GAS a patient is in can guide nursing interventions, such as teaching stress management techniques (e.g., mindfulness, deep breathing) during the resistance stage to prevent progression to exhaustion.
What if? - If a patient in a high-stress job complains of chronic fatigue, frequent colds, and new-onset hypertension, the nurse should recognize these as signs of the exhaustion stage. The priority would shift from simple stress management to assessing for complications and advocating for significant changes to reduce the allostatic load, possibly including a medical leave.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the keywords in the question: 'Alarm,' 'resistance,' and 'exhaustion.'
Recognize these three terms as the classic stages of a specific physiological model related to stress.
Scan the options to find the model that specifically describes the body's response to stressors.
General Adaptation Syndrome directly relates to how the body adapts to stress.
Eliminate the other options, as they are psychosocial models that describe health beliefs, behavior change, and health promotion, not the direct physiological stress response.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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