Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) has all, Except?

Appeared in: HPSSC - 2015

Explanation

The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) does not include an assessment of sensory function.
Sensory impairment is evaluated as a separate part of a complete neurological examination, which tests responses to touch, pain, and vibration.
The GCS is specifically designed to objectively measure a person's level of consciousness by assessing eye, verbal, and motor responses.

Option A: Eye opening is the 'E' component of the GCS and is a fundamental part of the assessment.
Option B: Verbal response is the 'V' component of the GCS, assessing orientation and coherence.
Option C: Motor response is the 'M' component of the GCS and is the most significant predictor of outcome.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Components of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses use the GCS for rapid, standardized, and serial neurological assessments to detect changes in a patient's level of consciousness, especially after head trauma or in critical care.
A drop of 2 or more points on the GCS is a critical finding that requires immediate notification of the physician, as it may indicate worsening neurological status, such as increasing intracranial pressure.
What if? If a patient is intubated, they cannot provide a verbal response. The score is then recorded with a 'T' (e.g., GCS 7T), and the verbal component is omitted from the total, highlighting the importance of assessing the eye and motor responses accurately.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core subject of the question: the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS).
Note the keyword 'Except'. This means you are looking for the option that is NOT a part of the GCS.
Recall the three components of the GCS: Eye opening, Verbal response, and Motor response.
Systematically evaluate each option against the known components.
Options A, B, and C (Eye opening, Verbal response, Motor response) are the established parts of the scale.
The remaining option, 'Sensory impairment', is the one that does not belong and is therefore the correct answer to this 'Except' question.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Nursing Fundamentals Taylor p. 412-414

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

E6 Nursing Brunner Adult Health 3SA Vol 2 Part 2 p. 86-88

Practise the full HPSSC - 2015

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.