Which among the following is the wrong match regarding the scoring of the Glasgow Coma Scale?

Appeared in: AIIMS Delhi NO-2016

Explanation

The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) assesses consciousness across three components: Eye Opening, Verbal Response, and Motor Response.
The Eye Opening component is scored on a scale of 1 to 4, with 4 being the maximum score for spontaneous eye opening.
The statement 'Eye opening – 6 points' is incorrect because a score of 6 is impossible for this category. A score of 6 is the maximum for the Motor Response component.

Option B: This is a correct match. A score of 3 in the Verbal Response category is a valid score.
Option C: This is a correct match. A score of 2 in the Motor Response category is a valid score.
Option D: This is a correct match. A score of 4 in the Verbal Response category is a valid score.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) Scoring as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Accurate GCS scoring is a fundamental nursing skill for monitoring a patient's neurological status, especially after head trauma or in critical care settings.
A drop of 2 or more points in a patient's GCS score is a clinically significant finding that indicates neurological deterioration and requires immediate reporting to the physician for urgent re-evaluation.
What if the patient is intubated and cannot speak? The verbal response cannot be assessed. The score is then documented with a 'T' suffix (e.g., GCS 7T) to indicate the presence of an endotracheal tube, making the maximum possible score 10T.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify that the question asks for the 'wrong match'. This means you are looking for the statement that is factually incorrect.
Recall the three components of the Glasgow Coma Scale: Eye Opening (E), Verbal Response (V), and Motor Response (M).
Remember the maximum score for each component. A simple mnemonic is E-V-M, 4-5-6: Eye max is 4, Verbal max is 5, and Motor max is 6.
Systematically evaluate each option against these known maximum scores.
Option A states 'Eye opening – 6 points'. This immediately contradicts the maximum score of 4 for the eye component.
Briefly check the other options to confirm they represent plausible scores within their respective categories (Verbal score of 3 and 4 are possible; Motor score of 2 is possible).

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Nursing Fundamentals Taylor p. 412-414

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

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