As per the Glasgow coma scale which of the following score indicates COMA in an adult patient?

RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2018

Medical Surgical Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2018

Explanation

The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is used to assess a patient's level of consciousness after a brain injury.
A score is given in three categories: eye opening, verbal response, and motor response. The total score ranges from 3 (deep coma) to 15 (fully awake).
A GCS score of 8 or less is universally accepted as the definition of a coma or severe brain injury.
The option '5' is the only score provided that falls within the severe brain injury range (3-8).

Option A: A score of 0 is not possible on the Glasgow Coma Scale. The minimum score is 3, which is assigned when a patient shows no response in any of the three categories (eye, verbal, or motor).
Option C: A GCS score of 9 indicates a moderate brain injury, not a coma. Patients in this range are typically able to follow some commands but may be confused or somnolent.
Option D: Similar to a score of 9, a GCS score of 12 also signifies a moderate brain injury. It is at the higher end of the moderate range, indicating a better neurological status than a score of 9, but it is not classified as a coma.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Interpretation of Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores for assessing level of consciousness and brain injury severity to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
The GCS is a critical tool for nurses to objectively track changes in a patient's neurological status and communicate these findings effectively to the healthcare team.
A GCS score of 8 or less (the 'coma score') is a critical threshold. It often triggers specific nursing interventions, most importantly airway protection, as the patient may lose their protective gag and cough reflexes.
Nurses perform serial GCS assessments to detect neurological deterioration (e.g., a drop in score) or improvement, which guides medical and surgical management.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core concept of the question, which is the interpretation of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, specifically the score that defines a coma.
Recall the standard GCS score ranges for classifying brain injury severity.
The key range to remember is that a score of 8 or less indicates a severe brain injury or coma.
Evaluate each option against this knowledge.
Option '0' is an invalid score; the minimum is 3.
Options '9' and '12' fall into the 'moderate' injury category (9-12).

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Interpretation of Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores for assessing level of consciousness and brain injury severity.
Stem keywords: Glasgow coma scale, GCS, score, COMA, adult patient
Lead-in keywords: which of the following

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