What is the highest score possible on the GCS scale?

The highest possible score on the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is 15. This scale is used to assess a person's consciousness and neurological function, typically after a head injury or in situations of diminished responsiveness. The GCS evaluates three aspects of a patient's responsiveness: eye opening, verbal response, and motor response. Each category is scored, with the maximum score for each being:

• Eye opening: 4 points (spontaneous opening)

• Verbal response: 5 points (oriented and converses coherently)

• Motor response: 6 points (obeys commands)

When you sum these highest individual scores (4 + 5 + 6), you arrive at the total score of 15. This signifies a fully responsive individual. Scores lower than 15 indicate varying levels of consciousness impairment, with lower total scores reflecting more severe impairment. Therefore, a score of 15 is indicative of a person who is fully alert and responsive.