If a patient shows signs of decreased consciousness after head trauma, what should you assess immediately?

When assessing a patient with decreased consciousness after head trauma, measuring their level of consciousness is crucial. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is a standardized tool that provides a systematic approach to evaluating a patient's responsiveness. It assesses three components: eye opening, verbal response, and motor response. By scoring these elements, you can determine the severity of the brain injury and monitor changes in the patient's condition over time.

A lower GCS score indicates a more severely altered level of consciousness, which can help guide immediate medical interventions and the urgency of transporting the patient to a medical facility. Since head trauma can lead to changes in consciousness, it is imperative to evaluate this as soon as possible to understand the patient's neurological status and potential complications.

While other assessments, such as monitoring blood pressure, pupil reaction, and motor responses, are important, they follow the evaluation of consciousness as pivotal indicators of the brain's functioning and overall condition post-injury. Thus, the use of the Glasgow Coma Scale is the primary tool in this scenario.