Exam by body system

How to score the Glasgow Coma Scale

Other platforms explain it with text and video. In VMS you practice it on the patient.

MD / DOPANursing (NCLEX)EMS (NREMT)
Practice it in VR with Blocky

The GCS describes consciousness in three parts. Record each part, not just the total.

Step by step

  1. Check

    Hearing, language, sedation, injuries that limit a response. [1]

  2. Observe

    See what the patient does without stimulation. [1]

  3. Stimulate

    Speak, then raise your voice, then apply pressure (fingertip, trapezius or above the eye). [1]

  4. Eyes (1 to 4)

    Spontaneous 4, to voice 3, to pressure 2, none 1. [1]

  5. Verbal (1 to 5)

    Oriented 5, confused 4, words 3, sounds 2, none 1. [1]

  6. Motor (1 to 6)

    Obeys 6, localizes 5, normal flexion 4, abnormal flexion 3, extension 2, none 1. [1]

  7. Record

    For example E3 V4 M6 = 13. A total of 8 or less often needs airway protection. [1]

Common errors

Practice it in VMS

In VMS you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.

VMS cases that train this skill

11 VMS cases train this skill: open the case library

Sources

  1. Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College) (CC BY 4.0)
  2. NCCPA PANCE Content Blueprint
  3. Stanford Medicine 25 (bedside exam)

Steps adapted from Open RN, Nursing Skills 2e (Chippewa Valley Technical College), licensed under CC BY 4.0. Facts and steps also follow NCCPA PANCE Content Blueprint; Stanford Medicine 25 (bedside exam). VMS is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.