How Do You Perform The Glasgow Coma Scale?
The Glasgow Coma Scale, or GCS, is a tool nurses use to assess a patient’s level of consciousness. The scale rates three areas, eye opening, verbal response and motor response. It is taught in nursing school as a basic physical assessment tool. The possible range of scores is 3-15. The higher the number, the more alert the patient. Lower numbers indicate coma. Assess the patient’s eye opening. A total of 4 points may be given for eye opening. A patient who opens their eyes spontaneously, such as an alert patient sitting in a chair, would be scored a 4. If the patient is asleep or lying with eyes closed, but opens them upon command, a 3 is awarded. If the patient only opens their eyes to painful stimulus, such as running the tip of blunt scissors along the bottom of the foot, or a pinch, the patient is scored a 2. A patient who does not open their eyes no matter what is given a 1. Some patients may rouse if a very bright penlight is held a few inches from their eyes in order to induce a
