EMT: Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) Practice

When you apply a sternal rub, the patient extends her arms and legs, but shows no other response. What is her GCS ?

4

A 56 year old male is found unconscious in bed. He does not respond to verbal or painful stimulus and has decorticate posturing. What is his GCS ?

5

A 30 year old male was found on the sidewalk outside a homeless shelter. When you apply painful stimuli, he opens his eyes, tells you to go away, and then pushes your hand away. What is his GCS?

12

A 37 year old female is intoxicated and has fractured her leg. When you apply a splint, she looks at you and withdraws her leg then grunts in pain. What is her GCS?

8

An 81 year old male is pulseless and apneic. He is lying supine in bed . What is his GCS ?

3

An 85 year old male in a nursing home is walking around his room and greets you when you enter. He speaks clearly but his answers are confusing and rambling. What is his GCS ?

14

A 6 year old male fell 6 feet from a tree. He is awake and has the ability to move all of his extremities. When you ask what happened, he tells you that he "fell" and then begins to tell you about his pet dog. What is his GCS?

15

A 28 year old female with a closed head injury moans and bends her arms towards her chest. She points her toes forward when you attempt to splint upper extremity fracture. What is her GCS?

6

A 64 year old male looks at you when you speak to him. When you ask him the date, he says, "Tinkerbell." He has left-sided weakness when he grips your fingers. What is his GCS?

12

A 21 year old male is extremely intoxicated. When you attempt to insert a nasal airway he slaps your hand away, curses at you, and then sits up. When you remove the airway, he lies back down on the stretcher. What is his GCS?

12

A 44 year old female fell off a roof. She answers your commands with what sounds like a moan. When you pinch her trapezius, her eyes do not open but she moves her legs. What is her GCS?

7

A 17 year old male overdosed on narcotics. He looks around with an unfocused gaze, mumbles when you ask him questions, and pulls away from painful stimulus. What is his GCS ?

10

A 24 year old female overdosed on an unknown substance. She is staring off into space, writhing. and babbling. When you apply painful stimulus, she cries out incomprehensibly but does not pull away. What is her GCS ?

9

A 23 year old female eyes are open. She is speaking normally and is able to answer your questions. She shows two fingers when asked. What is her GCS?

15

You find a 31 year old male with eyes closed. He groans when pinched on the shoulder and attempts to push away your hand. What is his GCS?

8

You arrive to find a young male eyes open and anxiously looking around. He can not answer any questions at all. You pinch him and he groans, but you do not recognizable any of the words. He cannot follow commands and when touched, he grabs your hand and will not easily let go. What is his GCS?

11

Your patient does not open her eyes. She makes no sounds and withdraws from pain. What is her GCS?

6

Your patient only opens his eyes to pain, moans and withdraws. What is his GCS?

8

Your patient only opens his eyes to pain, makes no sounds and stiffens and extends his extremities. What is his GCS?

5

Your patient only opens his eyes to pain, curses and extends his extremities. What is his GCS?

7

Your patient opens his eyes spontaneously, doesn't know his name or location but follows commands. What is his GCS?

14

Your patient opens his eyes spontaneously, know his name and location and follows commands. What is his GCS?

15

Decerebrate posturing

abnormal body posture that involves the arms and legs being held straight out, the toes being pointed downward, and the head and neck being arched backward,

Decorticate Posturing

abnormal posturing in which a person is stiff with bent arms, clenched fists, and legs held out straight. The arms are bent in toward the body and the wrists and fingers are bent and held on the chest.