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Updated: Jul 20, 2025

SECONDs Administration Guidelines: A Fast Tool to Assess Consciousness in Brain-injured Patients
Published on: February 6, 2021
Assessing Patients With Altered Level of Consciousness
Michelle Hill1, Melissa Moreda2, Jacqueline Navarro3
1Michelle Hill is the Comprehensive Stroke Program coordinator, OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus, Ohio.
Abstract:
Patients with alterations in level of consciousness are among the most difficult to assess, so knowledge of how to assess these patients is important for tracking trends and identifying changes. This article discusses methods used to assess patients admitted with an altered level of consciousness and describes the neurological assessment of and potential causes for altered level of consciousness. Identifying and understanding certain examination findings enable faster recognition and intervention for life-threatening neurological events, directly impacting outcomes for neurologically compromised individuals.
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