Brief Alcohol Withdrawal Scale (BAWS)

Estimates alcohol-withdrawal symptom severity by summing 5 bedside assessment domains.

Tremors?*

No tremor0

Not visible, but can be felt+1

Moderate, with arms extended+2

At rest, without arms extended+3

Diaphoresis/sweats?*

No sweats0

Mild, barely visible+1

Beads of sweat+2

Drenching sweats+3

Agitation (RASS)?*

Alert and calm (RASS is 0)0

Restless, anxious, apprehensive, movements not aggressive (RASS is 1)+1

Agitated, frequent non-purposeful movement (RASS is 2)+2

Very agitated or combative, violent (RASS is 3 or 4)+3

Confusion/orientation?*

Oriented to person, place, time0

Disoriented to time or place, but not both+1

Disoriented to time and place+2

Disoriented to person+3

Hallucinations?*

None0

Mild (vague report, reality testing intact)+1

Moderate (more defined hallucinations)+2

Severe (obviously responding to internal stimuli, poor reality testing)+3