Using Glasgow coma scale what score is given to patient for eye opening to verbal command?

Appeared in: UPPSC 2022

Explanation

The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is a standardized tool to assess a patient's level of consciousness.
The eye-opening response is one of the three components evaluated, along with verbal and motor responses.
A score of 3 is specifically assigned when the patient opens their eyes in response to a verbal command, such as being asked to open their eyes.
This indicates a higher level of consciousness than responding only to pain but less than spontaneous eye opening.

Option A: A score of 4 is for spontaneous eye opening, where the patient's eyes are open without any external stimuli.
Option B: A score of 2 is for eye opening in response to a painful stimulus.
Option C: A score of 1 indicates no eye-opening response at all.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) assessment to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
Accurate GCS scoring is critical for monitoring changes in a patient's neurological status. A drop in the GCS score can be an early sign of deterioration, such as increasing intracranial pressure.
A GCS score of 8 or less is a critical finding, often indicating a severe brain injury and the need for intubation to protect the airway.
What if? If the patient opens their eyes only after a sternal rub is applied, the score would change from 3 to 2, indicating a significant decline in their level of consciousness that requires immediate medical attention.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core concept of the question, which is the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and its scoring system.
Recall the three components of the GCS: Eye Opening, Verbal Response, and Motor Response.
Focus on the specific component mentioned: 'eye opening'.
Recall the specific stimulus mentioned: 'to verbal command'.
Mentally review or visualize the scoring for the eye-opening response: 4-Spontaneous, 3-To speech, 2-To pain, 1-None.
Match the stimulus ('verbal command') to its corresponding score (3) and select the correct option.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Guide to Mental Health & PSYCHIATRIC NURSING R Sreevani— Part 2 (pp 290-564 of 579) p. 196-198

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Taylor p. 412-414

Practise the full UPPSC 2022

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