Question

When assessing a 13-year-old male patient after a suspected concussion in a football game, you use the Glasgow Coma Scale. The patient's eyes open on verbal command, but are closed otherwise. He is able to talk, but the words don't go together or make sense. He grabs at his arm when you attempt to start an IV. What is this patient's GCS?

Answer 1

The 13-year-old patient has a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 11, based on his responses to verbal commands (E3), his incoherent speech (V3), and his motor response by localizing pain (M5).

Step-by-step explanation:

Glasgow Coma Scale Assessment

In assessing the 13-year-old male patient with a suspected concussion, we look at the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) components to evaluate his condition. The GCS consists of three parameters: eye response, verbal response, and motor response. The patient's eye-opening response is to verbal command which scores a 3 on the GCS. His verbal responses are incoherent, indicating confusion, which scores a 3. His motor response is localizing pain, meaning he pulls away or grabs at his arm when an attempt to start an IV is made, which scores a 5. Therefore, adding these scores together, the patient's GCS is 11 (E3 + V3 + M5).