For anyone involved in pre-hospital or emergency care, the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is a critical tool. It provides a rapid and reliable way to assess a patient’s level of consciousness following trauma, helping to prioritise care, make treatment decisions, and communicate effectively across teams.
Despite its importance, GCS training is often outdated and uninspiring, relying on plastic cards, printed symptom prompts, or verbal descriptions to simulate patient responses. This method is far from realistic – and that’s a problem when real-world accuracy is essential to saving lives.
But now, a new solution is changing the game. Introducing RL360 – a mixed reality platform that overlays a responsive digital “skin” onto any adult Ruth Lee manikin, allowing users to interact with a virtual patient in real-time.
What Is the Glasgow Coma Scale?
The GCS is a clinical scale used to assess and record a person’s level of consciousness after a head injury. It’s scored based on three criteria:
- Eye Opening (E)
- Verbal Response (V)
- Motor Response (M)
Each element has its own set of responses, scored individually and then summed for a final score ranging from 3 (deep unconsciousness) to 15 (fully alert and oriented).
Accurate GCS scoring requires keen observation and experience – it’s not just about memorisation, but practising real assessments in varied, sometimes subtle, scenarios.
How GCS Is Typically Taught
Traditionally, GCS is introduced via lectures and reinforced using flashcards or written scenarios. Instructors might describe a patient’s condition (“The patient opens eyes to pain, moans incomprehensibly and withdraws from pain”) while learners calculate the score.
While this method can work as an introduction, it falls short in preparing learners for real-life assessments:
- There’s no visual feedback – learners don’t see the patient’s responses.
- It’s not immersive – the scenarios lack emotional and situational context.
- It’s too passive – students aren’t doing, they’re guessing.
Enter RL360: A New Era in GCS Training
RL360 flips the script on traditional training by offering a fully immersive, interactive learning experience.
Using mixed reality software, RL360 overlays a highly detailed digital patient onto a physical manikin, creating a visually and aurally responsive subject for GCS assessment.
With the new GCS skill-testing mode introduced in Version 1.1.0, learners can now:
✅ Approach and assess a digital patient that reacts in real-time to stimuli
✅ Interact through speech – ask questions and receive verbal responses
✅ Observe subtle differences in eye movement, motor responses, and speech
✅ Test their skills without prompts or hints, simulating a real emergency call-out
✅ Receive instant performance feedback to identify knowledge gaps
From Confidence to Competence
By simulating real patient responses in a safe and controlled environment, RL360 provides a space where paramedic students and new responders can build genuine confidence. They’re not just memorising symptoms – they’re learning how to assess, think critically, and act fast.
This hands-on, blended learning experience is what modern medical education needs. Not only does RL360 support clinical skill development, but it also elevates retention and decision-making under pressure – two essential elements in emergency care.
Want to See It in Action?
RL360 is already being used by training centres, universities and emergency services to take airway assessment, trauma response and now GCS training to the next level.
We’d love to show you what it can do.
📩 Request a free demo, ask for a brochure, or just reply to chat—no pressure, we’re happy to help!
👉 www.ruthlee.com/ruth-lee-360