The PALOC-s: the Post-Acute Consciousness Scale, for determining the level of consciousness in people with acquired brain injury.
van de Wiel, M., & Eilander, H.J.
1 December 2005Abstract
This article describes the development of the PALOCs (Postacute Level of Consciousness scale). This scale is intended to map the level of consciousness of patients with a non-congenital brain injury as adequately as possible. The aim is to monitor the eventual recovery of patients from coma to full consciousness, so that misdiagnoses are prevented as much as possible.
The PALOC-s is an eight-point ordinal scale: coma, three vegetative states, three low-conscious states, and the conscious state. It is a reliable and valid scale with prognostic value to assess levels of consciousness from the post-acute phase to the final phase. The following applies to the use of the PALOC-s
conditions:
1. a minimum age of two years;
2. Repeated collection is required in combination with a standard test;
3. the collection must be carried out by qualified persons;
4. training in the use of the PALOCs.