In the head injury vignette, which combination yields a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 14/15?

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Multiple Choice

In the head injury vignette, which combination yields a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 14/15?

Explanation:
Glasgow Coma Scale totals come from adding Eye Opening (E), Verbal Response (V), and Motor Response (M) scores. The highest possible is 15, achieved with E4, V5, and M6. To get 14, you need a total one point below perfect, and in this vignette the described responses line up as eye opening spontaneously (E4), verbal response oriented (V5), and motor response that localizes pain (M5). That sum is 4 + 5 + 5 = 14, so E4 V5 M5 fits. Why the other combinations don’t fit: one option shows a motor score of 7, which isn’t on the scale (max is 6). Another option would give 14 only if Verbal were 4, but the vignette indicates Verbal 5, so it wouldn’t match. Lastly, the combination that would yield 15 (E4 V5 M6) is not the target 14.

Glasgow Coma Scale totals come from adding Eye Opening (E), Verbal Response (V), and Motor Response (M) scores. The highest possible is 15, achieved with E4, V5, and M6. To get 14, you need a total one point below perfect, and in this vignette the described responses line up as eye opening spontaneously (E4), verbal response oriented (V5), and motor response that localizes pain (M5). That sum is 4 + 5 + 5 = 14, so E4 V5 M5 fits.

Why the other combinations don’t fit: one option shows a motor score of 7, which isn’t on the scale (max is 6). Another option would give 14 only if Verbal were 4, but the vignette indicates Verbal 5, so it wouldn’t match. Lastly, the combination that would yield 15 (E4 V5 M6) is not the target 14.

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