The Wicked Doctor

68: Glasgow Coma Scale

The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is a which aims to give a reliable and objective way of recording the state of a person's for initial as well as subsequent assessment. A person is assessed against the criteria of the scale, and the resulting points give a person's score between 3 (indicating deep unconsciousness) and either 14 (original scale) or 15 (more widely used, modified or revised scale). GCS was used to assess a person's after a , and the scale is now used by , , and as being applicable to all acute medical and trauma patients. In hospitals, it is also used in monitoring patients in units.

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"Ibaba mo" Tinignan lang nila ako.

"Ang sabi ko kanina external rotation. Is the traction-counter traction the only method you know?" I groaned and pulled my hair. Guess I got my work cut out for me. Madalas nilang pinapainit ang ulo ko.

"That's it. Go for a break and grab yourselves some kitkats." I rolled my eyes and slammed my ass on the swivel chair. 

Isang cup ng  frappe and naglanding sa mesa sa harapan ko kaya napaangat naman ako ng tinigin. It was Terrence and he was sipping on a cup of Iced coffee. Inginuso niya ang frappe na ibinaba niya sa mesa kaya naman hindi na ako tumanggi. 

"You gotta teach those kids, Terrence. You've got way more patience than me. I don't know how the hell they managed to get to  fourth year if they can't do simple things like shoulder reduction." I said before sipping on the caffeine-infused goodness in my hands. 

"Relax. Kaya nila yan, takot lang sila sayo kaya frozen on the spot sila. You're notorious, hindi mo ba alam yun?. Unang araw mo daw dito nun you already terrorized the juniors. To think na wala ka pang isang taon dito." He smirked. I glared and threw a pen at him. 

The sound of the ambulance roaring through the emergency room made us stop drinking and we automatically rushed to the doors. It was a man in his early twenties if I am not mistaken and he had gashes on his face and abrasions on one arm. 

Traffic accident? Maybe. 

He was conscious, alright. But he looked groggy to me. 

"Wag kang gagalaw. Tignan mo lang tong hintuturo ko. Ano'ng pangalan mo?" Terrence asked while flashing a pen on his eyes. 

"Alam mo ba kung nasaan ka? Anong araw ngayon?" He asked a series of question as I did a full body assessment on the patient, noting all of the wounds and bruises as I narrated to the staff nurse who followed my orders and noted down the details on a piece of paper. 

"Ngayon itaas mo ang dalawang kamay mo, itulak mo 'tong kamay ko. Ngayon itong mga paa mo naman, iangat mo kung kaya mo at labanan mo yung tulak ng kamay ko." Lumingon siya sa akin at tumango. Sakto naman ang pagdating ng mga medical student na ngayon ay nanonood kung paano namin gamutin ang pasyente. 

"Pupils equally reactive to light and accomodation. Normal strength for both upper limbs and right lower limb, mild weakness on left lower limb. E4 V4 M6 GCS 14.  Tanya, patawag naman ako ng mga neanderthal sa ortho." 

"You kids are late." Terrence chastised them and I sneered. "Do the honors, An." 

"Jerome Lacierda, nasa ER ka ng Bethesda. It's November 9, Saturday Afternoon. Tinawagan na namin yung family mo at parating na sila dito. Dislocated ang balikat mo. Kailangan kang dalhin sa CT scan at X-ray room but before that, pumapayag ka ba sa treatment? I need your verbal go signal." I waited for him to respond and he responded with a very weak yes. 

"Terrence, the back is yours. Let's go?" I nodded at him and he smirked back at me. He raised the head of the bed into a sitting position as I held the patients arm forward with my right hand. I placed my left hand on his upper chest, right on his clavicle.