AVPU

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The AVPU scale is a system by which a First aider, Ambulance crew or other suitably trained person, can measure and record the consciousness level of a patient.

It is a simplification of the Glasgow Coma Scale, which assesses a patient response in three measures - Eyes, Voice and Motor skills. The AVPU scale should be assessed using these three identifiable traits, looking for the best response of each.

The AVPU scale has only 4 possible outcomes for recording (as opposed to the 12 possible outcomes on the Glasgow Coma Scale). The four possible recordable outcomes are:

• Alert - a fully awake (although not necessarily orientated) patient. This patient will have spontaneously open eyes, will respond to voice (although may be confused) and will have bodily motor function.
• Voice - the patient makes some kind of response when you talk to them, which could be in any of the three component measures of Eyes, Voice or Motor - e.g. patient's eyes open on being asked "are you okay?!". The response could be as little as a grunt, moan, or slight move of a limb when prompted by the voice of the rescuer.
• Pain - the patient makes a response on any of the three component measures when pain stimulus is used on them. Recognised methods for causing the pain stimulus include a Sternal rub, where the rescuers knuckles are firmly rubbed on the breastbone of the patient, pinching the patient's ear and pressing a pen (or similar) on the bed of the patient's nail. Normal responses would be withdrawal from pain.
• Unresponsive - Sometimes seen noted as 'Unconscious', this outcome is recorded if the patient does not give any Eye, Voice or Motor response to voice or pain.

In first aid, an AVPU score of anything other than A is often considered an indication to call an ambulance, as they are likely to be in need of the next level of Definitive car. In hospital, or long term healthcare facilities such as nursing homes, the AVPU scale may form part of the routine observations, and may persist in being at a level other than alert.

In some EMS Protocols, Alert can reported from a x 1 to 4 scale, in which 1,2,3 or 4 is the number of alert attributes (Time, Person, Place and Events) the patient exhibits.

Ambulance crews may make an AVPU assessment initially, to be followed by a GCS assessment if it is below 'A'

The scale is not suitable for long-term neurological observation of the patient - for that, the Glasgow coma scale is used.