title: Nursing students' understanding of the Glasgow Coma Scale.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore third year nursing students' understanding of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS).
  
  
  METHODS
  An explorative survey using a semi-structured questionnaire was used. A convenience sample of 65 third year nursing students was selected from a university faculty of nursing in Scotland. Of 65 questionnaires distributed, 39 were returned, giving a 60 per cent response rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most respondents (n= 24, 62 per cent) were not confident in practical use of the GCS. However, they wanted to improve their theoretical knowledge as well as their practical skills.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A short training course is needed to make sure that students are able to use the GCS effectively while minimising errors.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh. nshoqirat@qmuc.ac.uk
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shoqirat
mesh_terms: D004506:Education, Nursing; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom