NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) Answer Key 2025 | Groups A–F, Patients 1–6 | Linked to Official NIH Booklet

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NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) Answer Key 2025 | Groups A–
F, Patients 1–6 | Linked to Official NIH Booklet




NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS)
The NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) is a standardized tool used by healthcare
professionals to objectively quantify the severity of a stroke. It assesses 15
items, with scores for each item ranging from 0 (normal) to 2, 3, or 4 (severe
impairment). The total score ranges from 0 to 42, with a higher score
indicating more severe neurological deficit.




Item Category Instruction Scoring
Criteria
1a Level of Assess the 0 = Alert.
Consciousnes patient's 1 = Not alert,
s level of but arousable
arousal. with minor
stimulation.
2 = Not alert,
requires
repeated
stimulation.
3=
Unarousable,
comatose.
1b LOC Ask the 0 = Answers
Questions patient, 'How both correctly.
old are you?' 1 = Answers
and 'What one correctly.
month is it?' 2 = Answers
neither
correctly.