Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the PRIMARY purpose of the Glasgow Coma Scale?
What is the PRIMARY purpose of the Glasgow Coma Scale?
- To assess a person's physical strength after an injury.
- To evaluate a patient's respiratory function.
- To determine the presence of infection in the brain.
- To measure a person's level of consciousness after a neurological event. (correct)
Which of the behaviors are assessed for the three elements of the Glasgow Coma Scale?
Which of the behaviors are assessed for the three elements of the Glasgow Coma Scale?
- Pupil dilation, skin sensitivity, and muscle tone.
- Breathing patterns, heart rate, and blood pressure.
- Reflexes, pain tolerance, and memory.
- Eye movements, verbal responses, and motor responses. (correct)
What does a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 3 indicate?
What does a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 3 indicate?
- The person is responsive.
- The person is in a confused state.
- The person has a mild head injury.
- The person is completely unresponsive. (correct)
In assessing eye-opening response within the Glasgow Coma Scale, what score is assigned when a patient opens their eyes spontaneously?
In assessing eye-opening response within the Glasgow Coma Scale, what score is assigned when a patient opens their eyes spontaneously?
During a verbal response assessment using the Glasgow Coma Scale, what score would a patient receive if they are having a confused conversation but are still able to answer questions?
During a verbal response assessment using the Glasgow Coma Scale, what score would a patient receive if they are having a confused conversation but are still able to answer questions?
When evaluating motor response according to the Glasgow Coma Scale, what score indicates that a patient obeys commands for movement?
When evaluating motor response according to the Glasgow Coma Scale, what score indicates that a patient obeys commands for movement?
What is the lowest possible score that can be achieved on the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)?
What is the lowest possible score that can be achieved on the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)?
A patient only opens their eyes when a painful stimulus is applied, what is the appropriate GCS eye-opening score?
A patient only opens their eyes when a painful stimulus is applied, what is the appropriate GCS eye-opening score?
What clinical scenario would warrant the use of the Glasgow Coma Scale?
What clinical scenario would warrant the use of the Glasgow Coma Scale?
If a patient demonstrates decerebrate posturing in response to pain, what score should be assigned for motor response according to the Glasgow Coma Scale?
If a patient demonstrates decerebrate posturing in response to pain, what score should be assigned for motor response according to the Glasgow Coma Scale?
Flashcards
Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)
Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)
A clinical scale that assesses a person's level of consciousness after events like brain injury or stroke.
Three Elements of GCS
Three Elements of GCS
Eye movements, verbal responses, and motor responses
GCS Score Range
GCS Score Range
Ranges from completely unresponsive to fully responsive.
GCS Components
GCS Components
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GCS Criteria
GCS Criteria
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Eye-Opening: Spontaneous
Eye-Opening: Spontaneous
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Verbal Response: Oriented
Verbal Response: Oriented
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Motor Response: Obeys Commands
Motor Response: Obeys Commands
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Study Notes
- The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is a clinical scale used to measure a person's level of consciousness after a brain injury, stroke, cardiac arrest, toxic injections (drug overdoses), or coma.
- It assesses a person based on their ability to perform eye movements, speak, and move their body.
- Eye, verbal, and motor behaviors make up the three elements of the scale.
- A person's GCS score can range from 3, indicating complete unresponsiveness, to 15, indicating responsiveness.
- The GCS score guides immediate medical care after a brain injury, such as from a car accident.
- It is also used to monitor hospitalized patients and track their level of consciousness.
- It is furthermore used in long-term care (LTC) facilities, assisted living (A/L), and home care settings.
- This is because residents are at risk for falling anywhere and possibly sustaining a head injury or concussion.
- Rates conscience level according to 3 components.
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- Best EYE response is related to what their eyes are seeing, which indicates whether the arousal mechanisms in the brainstem are active.
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- Best VERBAL response is related to what they are saying, which is considered the most common definition of the end of a coma, or the recovery of consciousness
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- Best MOTOR response is related to what they can do with their muscles, thought to be associated with central nervous system functioning.
- Spinal injury is assessed this way.
GCS Criteria and Scoring
- Each component splits into separate criteria, and scores are assigned to each criterion.
- There exist 4 Criteria for eyes, 5 Criteria for Verbal response, and 6 Criteria for Motor response.
- A normal response will have the highest or best number Lowest Response = no response
- The best score to which one can achieve is 15, while the lowest is 3.
- A GCS score can never be 0.
Measuring eye activity
- Eye Opening Responses entail a spontaneous opening with blinking at baseline earns 4 points.
- To verbal stimuli, command, speech earns 3 points.
- An eye response is to pain only (not applied to face) earns 2 points.
- With no eye response, the patient earns 1 point.
Measuring verbal response
- An oriented verbal response earns 5 points.
- A confused conversation where the person can answer questions earns 4 points.
- Inappropriate words earn 3 points.
- Incomprehensible speech earns 2 points.
- No verbal response earns 1 point.
Measuring motor response
- Obeying commands for movement earns 6 points.
- Purposeful movement toward painful stimulus earns 5 points.
- Withdrawing in response to pain earns 4 points.
- Flexion in response to pain (decorticate posturing) earns 3 points.
- The extension response in response to pain (decerebrate posturing) earns 2 points.
- No motor response earns 1 point.
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