Deep coma indicate if score on Glasgow coma scale is?

Appeared in: PGIMER Chandigarh NO - 2015

Explanation

The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is a neurological assessment tool used to measure a person's level of consciousness after a brain injury.
The scale ranges from 3 to 15, calculated by summing the scores for eye, verbal, and motor responses.
A score of 3 is the lowest possible score on the GCS. It indicates that the patient has no eye, verbal, or motor response, signifying a state of deep coma or total unresponsiveness.

Option A: A GCS score of 8 is classified as a severe brain injury and indicates a coma, but it is not the lowest possible score representing the deepest level of coma.
Option B: A GCS score of 15 is the highest possible score, indicating that a person is fully awake, alert, and oriented.
Option D: A GCS score of 12 falls within the range of a moderate brain injury (9-12). The patient is conscious but may be confused or have other neurological deficits.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Interpretation of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
A GCS score of 8 or less is a critical indicator for nurses, often prompting immediate intervention to protect the patient's airway, such as preparing for intubation, as the patient's ability to maintain their own airway is compromised.
Nurses perform serial GCS assessments to monitor for changes in a patient's neurological status. A decrease in the GCS score is a significant finding that must be reported to the physician immediately as it may indicate worsening of the brain injury.
What if? If a patient's GCS score drops from 10 to 7, the nurse's priority action changes from monitoring to urgent intervention. The patient has moved from a moderate to a severe injury classification, and the risk of airway compromise is now critical, necessitating immediate airway management.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core concept of the question, which is the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and its relation to the level of consciousness.
Recall the scoring range of the GCS, which is from 3 (lowest) to 15 (highest).
Understand the meaning of the extreme scores. A score of 15 means fully alert, while the lowest score indicates the most severe state.
The question asks for the score indicating 'deep coma'. This corresponds to the lowest possible level of responsiveness.
Therefore, the lowest score on the GCS, which is 3, represents the deepest coma.
Evaluate the given options: 8 (severe injury/coma), 15 (fully alert), 3 (deep coma), and 12 (moderate injury). Select the option that best fits the definition of deep coma.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Nursing Fundamentals Taylor p. 412-414

E6 Medicine Harrison 22e Part 2 p. 1475-1477

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