Glasgow Coma Scale

Match the GCS to its range: Eye opening

1-4

How is the eye opening section of the assessment scored?

1-4 1. Nil 2. To pain 3. To speech 4. Spontaneously

Match the GCS to its range: verbal response

1-5

How is the verbal response section of the assessment score?

1-5 1. Nil 2. incomprehensible 3. inappropriate 4. confused 5. oriented

Match the GCS to its range: Motor response

1-6

How is the motor response section of the assessment scored?

1-6 1. Nil 2. Extensor response 3. Flexor response 4. Withdraws 5. Localizes pain 6. Obeys commands

What is the GCS score based off of?

1. eye opening 2. verbal response 3. motor response

Score that is associated with a mild brain injury

13-15

What is the maximum score of the GCS

15

Score that is associated with a moderate brain injury

9-12

Score that is associated with a severe brain injury

</= 8

Which of the following Glasgow Coma Scale scores indicates severe brain injury? a. 7 b. 9 c. 11 d. 14

A Scores less than or equal to 8 on the Glasgow Coma Scale indicate severe brain injury. Options 2 and 3 represent moderate injury and Option 4 represents mild injury.

A score of 5 on the Glasgow Coma Scale indicates: a. severe head injury b. severe spasticity c. moderate head injury d. moderate spasticity

A The Glasgow Coma Scale is a reliable, objective assessment of the conscious state of a person. The scale is graded from 3-15 with 3 being the lowest possible score and 15 being the highest possible score. A score of 8 or less is indicative of a severe head injury.

Which patient response in the motor component of the Glasgow Coma Scale would receive the largest score? a. extensor response b. follows motor commands c. localizes d. withdraws

B Scoring in the motor component of the Glasgow Coma Scale: follows motor commands = 6, localizes = 5, withdraws = 4, abnormal flexion = 3, extensor response = 2, no response = 1.

What is the Glasgow Coma Scale score of a patient who withdraws from pain, converses but is confused, and opens his eyes spontaneously? a. 6 b. 9 c. 12 d. 15

C A patient who withdraws from pain scores 4 out of 6 points on the motor response scale. A patient who is able to carry on a conversation but is confused scores 4 out of 5 on the verbal response scale. Spontaneous eye-opening earns 4 out of 4 points on the eye-opening scale. Added together, this patient scores 12 out of 15. The patient is probably not in acute danger, but should be monitored.

What three categories does the Glasgow Coma Scale evaluate? a. tone, breathing, reflexes b. motor, verbal, respiratory c. eye opening, motor, verbal d. eye opening, verbal, tone

C The Glasgow Coma Scale is a neurological assessment tool used initially after injury to determine arousal and cerebral cortex function. A total score of eight or less correlates to severe brain injury and coma in 90% of patients.

Which parameter is not assessed as part of the Glasgow Coma Scale? a. eye opening b. motor response c. reflex response d. verbal response

C The Glasgow Coma Scale is a neurological assessment tool used initially after injury to determine arousal and cerebral cortex function. The assessment tool examines eye opening, motor response, and verbal response.

What is the highest attainable score on the Glasgow Coma Scale? a. 6 b. 12 c. 15 d. 18

C The Glasgow Coma Scale is a neurological assessment tool used initially after injury to determine arousal and cerebral cortex function. The assessment tool utilizes an ordinal scale ranging from 3-15 with a higher score representing a greater level of consciousness.

Which of the following scores on a Glasgow Coma Scale is indicative of a moderate brain injury? a. 6 b. 8 c. 10 d. 13

C The Glasgow Coma scale is utilized to measure brain injury severity. According to the scale, a moderate brain injury is associated with a score between 9-12. The minimum score on the scale is 3 and the maximum score is 15.

Spontaneous eye opening on the Glasgow Coma Scale would receive a score of: a. 1 b. 2 c. 3 d. 4

D Scoring in the eye opening component of the Glasgow Coma Scale: spontaneous = 4, to speech = 3, to pain = 2, no response = 1.

What is the minimum score obtainable on the Glasgow Coma Scale? a. 0 b. 1 c. 2 d. 3

D The Glasgow Coma Scale is a neurological assessment tool used initially after injury to determine arousal and cerebral cortex function. The minimum score on the Glasgow Coma Scale is 3 and the maximum score is 15.

T or F: The lowest score on the GCS is 0/15

FALSE 3/15

T or F: coma is uncommon in patients who score 3-8 on the GCS

FALSE common in 90% of pts.

Sequence the following verbal responses from lowest to highest score: - incomprehensible - inappropriate - oriented - confused - nil

Nil incomprehensible Inappropriate confused oriented

T or F: the GCS is often used during an initial assessment following TBI

TRUE

T or F: the first step in administering the GCS is to observe the patient

TRUE

Function of the GCS

a neurological assessment tool used initially after injury to determine arousal and cerebral cortex function

Identify the two categories that are not included in the GCS - motor - generalized response - eye opening - cognitive response - verbal

generalized cognitive