Is the hospital sick role a barrier to patient participation?

The sick role is a complex behaviour that allows a person who is ill to depend on carers. This article discusses the parameters of the sick role, explains how it is prompted by admission to hospital and asks whether it can act as a barrier to patients' participation in decisions on their care. It considers why some patients are reluctant to relinquish the sick role and suggests ways for nurses to help these patients to play an active part in their own recovery.