Which statement about Glasgow Coma Scale is correct?

• A. GCS severity is not used in planning care.
• B. GCS is only used for research.
• C. GCS categories define mild 13-15, moderate 9-12, severe ≤8 and guide nursing care.
• D. GCS relies on blood pressure.

Answer: (C)

Glasgow Coma Scale is a bedside tool that quantifies level of consciousness after brain injury by scoring eye opening, verbal response, and motor response. The total score ranges from 3 to 15, and standard categories classify injury as mild (13–15), moderate (9–12), or severe (≤8). This categorization aids nursing care by guiding decisions about airway protection, frequency of neuro checks, level of observation, and when to escalate intervention, making it practical for planning care and monitoring trends. It's not based on blood pressure, and it's not exclusively a research instrument; the scale is used repeatedly at the bedside to assess changes in status. In intubated patients, the verbal score may be recorded as not testable, but the motor and eye scores still provide actionable information.