North Carolina EMT State Practice Exam

Which GCS verbal rating corresponds to confused conversation?

1. 5

2. 4

3. 3

4. 2

The correct answer is: 4

The Glascow Coma Scale (GCS) is utilized to assess a patient's level of consciousness based on verbal response, motor response, and eye-opening response. In the context of verbal ratings, a score of 4 categorizes a patient as having “confused conversation.” This indicates that while the patient is able to speak and respond, their responses may be disoriented or lack coherence, reflecting a moderate disturbance in cognitive processing. A score of 5 is designated for an oriented conversation, where the patient is fully aware and able to answer questions correctly. A score of 3 indicates inappropriate words or responses that do not make sense in the given context. A score of 2 refers to incomprehensible sounds, such as moaning without discernible speech. Each of these scores provides critical insights into the patient's neurological status, with a score of 4 specifically denoting confusion in conversation as a clearer indication of cognitive impairment compared to the other ratings.