Mrs. Mehta tells her friend that she is having fever, cough, muscle aches and will not go to work but rest at home. Her illness behavior is at the level of

1. A

   Assuming a sick role

2. B

   Becoming a patient

3. C

   Achieving Recovery

4. D

   Experiencing symptoms

Appeared in: GMCH - 2015

Explanation

• The scenario describes a person who has recognized her symptoms and has taken the next step of altering her social role.
• By informing her friend, she is seeking social validation and confirmation of her sick status.
• By deciding to stay home from work, she is temporarily relinquishing her normal responsibilities, a key component of the sick role.
• This combination of self-definition as sick, social validation, and withdrawal from usual roles squarely fits Stage 2 of Suchman's model.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option B: This stage involves seeking professional medical advice and becoming dependent on a healthcare provider. Mrs. Mehta has not yet contacted a doctor or nurse.
• Option C: This is the final stage of illness, where the person is recovering and resuming their normal life roles. Mrs. Mehta is at the beginning of her illness.
• Option D: This is the first stage, where a person simply recognizes symptoms. Mrs. Mehta's actions go beyond just feeling sick; she has acted on it by changing her behavior and telling others.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Suchman's Stages of Illness Behavior as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
• Understanding the stages of illness behavior helps nurses anticipate patient needs and provide appropriate support at each stage.
• A patient in the 'sick role' stage may need validation, information about self-care, and guidance on when to seek professional help.
• Nurses can educate patients and families about the legitimacy of taking time to recover, which reinforces the sick role and can prevent complications from returning to normal activities too soon.

How to Approach the Question

• First, read the clinical scenario and identify the patient's specific feelings and actions. Mrs. Mehta feels sick (fever, cough) and acts on it (tells a friend, stays home from work).
• Next, recall the theoretical model mentioned or implied by the question, which is Suchman's Stages of Illness Behavior.
• Systematically compare the patient's actions to the definitions of each stage.
• Stage 1 (Experiencing Symptoms): She has symptoms, so this is a possibility.
• Stage 2 (Assuming the Sick Role): She tells a friend (seeks validation) and stays home (gives up normal activities). This is a strong match.
• Stage 3, 4, 5: She has not sought medical care, become dependent, or started recovering. These are incorrect.

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: Suchman's Stages of Illness Behavior
• Stem keywords: fever, cough, muscle aches, rest at home, not go to work, illness behavior
• Lead-in keywords: level of
• Clinical cues: The care setting changes urgency, monitoring level, and the expected nursing action.
• Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

Qoc_767PxFJzPbfWbC7htr

Copy ID

Reference Book

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Taylor p. 39-41