A nurse is conducting an hourly neurological assessment on a post-stroke male patient. Upon assessment, the patient only moans and withdraws to pain without opening his eyes. What is his total score in the Glasgow coma scale?

Explanation

• Glasgow Coma Scale scores range from 3-15. Categories are: eye opening response, verbal response, and motor response 

This patient only moans (2 pts) and withdraws to pain (4 pts) without opening his eyes (1 pt). What is his total score in the Glasgow coma scale? 7 pts - severe cognitive deficits

Scoring is calculated as follows (correct scoring for this patient are bolded): 

• Eye opening response: spontaneous -4 pts, opens to verbal command-3 pts, opens to pain-2 pts, no response-1 pt 

• Verbal response: oriented-5 pts, confused conversation but able to answer questions-4 pts, inappropriate responses-3 pts, incomprehensible speech-2 pts,
no response-1 pt 

• Motor response: obeys commands for movement-6 pts, purposeful movement to painful stimulus-5 pts, withdraws from pain-4 pts, abnormal
(spastic) flexion or decorticate posture- 3 pts, Extensor (rigid) response or decerebrate posture-2 pts, no response-1 pt 

Overall Score:
• 8 or less, severe cognitive deficits
• 9-12, moderate cognitive deficits
• 13-15, mild cognitive deficits

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