Question

The nurse is performing the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) on a patient who was injured in an automobile accident. The nurse documents a score of 12, reflecting that:

Options:
A) The patient is in a deep coma
B) The patient is fully conscious and oriented
C) The patient has severe neurological impairment
D) The patient is in a moderate state of impairment

Answer 1

A score of 12 on the Glasgow Coma Scale indicates a moderate state of impairment. The patient is not fully conscious and oriented but is also not in a deep coma.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is used to assess the level of consciousness and neurological function in patients. A score of 12 on the GCS indicates a moderate state of impairment. This means that the patient is not fully conscious and oriented, but they are also not in a deep coma.

The GCS evaluates three aspects of neurological function: eye-opening response, motor response, and verbal response. Each category is assigned a score, and the scores are added together to obtain a total GCS score. A score of 12 suggests that the patient's neurological function is moderately impaired.

In this case, the nurse should continue to monitor the patient's condition and provide appropriate care based on their GCS score.