(ŭn-kŏn′shŭs-nĕs)
[Pronunciation]
[AS. un, not, + L. conscius, aware]

The state of being partly or completely unaware of external stimuli.
Unconsciousness occurs normally in sleep, and pathologically, in such conditions as syncope (fainting), shock, unperfused cardiac dysrhythmias, and intoxications.
See: coma; Glasgow Coma ScaleNursing Diagnoses Appendix