CAISS Certification Exam 2026/2027 • Certified Abbreviated Injury Scale Specialist • Unofficial Study Aid
CAISS Certification Exam 2026/2027 – Latest Updated
Practice Questions, Correct Answers & Rationales
Certified Abbreviated Injury Scale Specialist — 90 Practice Questions with Rationales (AAAM AIS 2015/2020
Update)
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: This is an independent, original PRACTICE exam aligned to current CAISS standards, AAAM Abbreviated
Injury Scale (AIS) dictionary, and National Trauma Data Standard (NTDS) for 2026/2027. It is NOT affiliated with, endorsed by, or
sourced from AAAM or any certifying body, and does NOT contain actual CAISS exam questions. Use solely for study and self-assessment.
Verify current AIS dictionary and NTDS Data Dictionary from official sources.
The CAISS certification validates expertise in Abbreviated Injury Scale coding, Injury Severity Scoring, and
trauma registry management per AAAM and NTDS. This 2026/2027 updated practice exam mirrors CAISS
difficulty with scenarios requiring AIS dictionary application, ISS/NISS calculation, and registry quality
management to focus your preparation.
Instructions: Select the single best answer. The correct answer is highlighted in bold cyan. Each rationale cites AIS coding
rules, injury scoring principles, or NTDS/trauma registry standards and explains why distractors are incorrect. Simulate
CAISS exam conditions (timed, no aids) and review rationales thoroughly.
Section 1: Introduction
Section 2: The Complete Exam
Domains covered: AIS Anatomy & Coding • Injury Severity Scoring (ISS/NISS) • Trauma Registry Management (NTDS/ICD) • Anatomy &
Pathophysiology • Clinical Documentation • Quality Improvement & Research • Trauma System Standards (ACS/National) | Time:
Simulate 2.5 hours (1.5 min/Q) | Guidance: Review rationales citing AIS dictionary & NTDS Data Dictionary, not just scores.
1. The Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) severity codes range from:
A. 0 to 5 only
B. 1 to 3 only
C. No severity scale
D. 1 (Minor) to 6 (Maximal, currently untreatable/virtually unsurvivable)
Rationale: AIS severity is 1-Minor, 2-Moderate, 3-Serious, 4-Severe, 5-Critical, 6-Maximal. 0-5/1-
3/no scale miss the definition, and 9 is used for unknown/unspecified, not severity.
2. AIS code structure: The 7-digit AIS code (e.g., 854000.3) includes:
A. Only severity digit
B. Only body region
C. No structure
D. Body region, type, anatomic structure, specific lesion, and severity (with dot), plus
descriptors
Rationale: AIS code digit 1=region, 2=type, 3-4=structure, 5-6=specific lesion, dot+severity. Severity-
only/body-only/no structure are incomplete.
Confidential Study Use Only — Not Affiliated with or Endorsed by AAAM/ACS — Does Not Contain Actual Exam Content — Verify Current AIS/NTDS
, CAISS Certification Exam 2026/2027 • Certified Abbreviated Injury Scale Specialist • Unofficial Study Aid
3. If an injury description is not precise enough to determine severity per AIS dictionary, the coder
should assign:
A. Always assign severity 6
B. The code with severity 9 (unknown) is not assigned severity; instead code the less
specific injury that can be coded or use NFS (not further specified) per AIS rules and
query
C. Assign severity 1 arbitrarily
D. No code assigned
Rationale: AIS instructs to use NFS/not further specified codes or query for more detail, not
arbitrary 1/6 or no code. AIS 9 denominator is for unspecified severity in older versions but current
dictionary uses distinct NFS codes.
4. AIS coding rule: 'Code the most severe injury' means when multiple injuries exist:
A. Only code one injury total
B. No coding of multiple injuries
C. Code each distinct injury separately per AIS, then score severity individually – do not
combine into one code
D. Average severities into one code
Rationale: Each distinct diagnosable injury gets its own AIS code/severity; later ISS/NISS
summarize. Only one/average/no multiple violates AIS multiple injury coding rule.
5. Which body region has its own AIS chapter separate from 'Head' and 'Face'?
A. Only extremities
B. Neck (including cervical spine)
C. No separate region
D. Only external
Rationale: AAAM AIS chapters are Head, Face, Neck, Thorax, Abdomen/Pelvic Contents, Spine, Upper
Extremity, Lower Extremity, External. Neck is distinct from head/face. External/extremities-only/no
separate miss.
6. A 2-cm laceration of the scalp without skull fracture is coded in AIS in:
A. Spine
B. Thorax
C. Abdomen
D. External or Face/Scalp chapter per AIS external vs scalp distinction – most correctly
Head/External with specific code, not thorax
Rationale: Scalp laceration is Head/External region, not thorax/abdomen/spine. Region assignment
is critical for ISS/NISS.
7. Bilateral injuries (e.g., bilateral tibia fractures) are coded as:
Confidential Study Use Only — Not Affiliated with or Endorsed by AAAM/ACS — Does Not Contain Actual Exam Content — Verify Current AIS/NTDS
, CAISS Certification Exam 2026/2027 • Certified Abbreviated Injury Scale Specialist • Unofficial Study Aid
A. One code total with no side distinction
B. Two separate AIS codes (one for each side) per AIS bilateral coding rule
C. No code for second side
D. Only code one side and double severity
Rationale: AIS instructs to code bilateral separately per side. Single/double severity/no second code
undercount injuries and affect NISS.
8. AIS 2015 update change for concussion coding emphasizes:
A. Only skull fracture matters
B. Clinical criteria with loss of consciousness duration and imaging findings per AIS
concussion codes
C. Only LOC without imaging matters
D. No concussion codes exist
Rationale: AIS 2015 refines concussion severity based on LOC duration and imaging. No codes/skull-
only/LOC-only miss the current definitions.
9. Aortic laceration with major hemorrhage is typically AIS severity:
A. 4 or 5 (Severe to Critical) depending on extent and containment (e.g., 5 for major
laceration with hemorrhage)
B. Only AIS 1 minor
C. Only AIS 2
D. No severity assigned
Rationale: Major vessel laceration with hemorrhage is high severity 4-5. AIS 1/2/no severity grossly
underestimate.
10. Rib fractures: Three unilateral rib fractures without flail is typically AIS:
A. No code for ribs
B. Only AIS 1
C. 3 (Serious) for multiple rib fractures
D. Only AIS 6
Rationale: Multiple (≥3) rib fractures is AIS 3 (Serious). AIS 1/6/no code misstate. Flail chest is
higher (4).
11. Flail chest with pulmonary contusion is coded as:
A. Two separate injuries: flail (AIS 4) and contusion coded separately – do not combine
B. Only contusion code
C. No contusion code needed
D. One combined code only
Rationale: Each diagnosable injury is coded separately per AIS rule. Combined/single/missing
contusion undercount severity and affect NISS.
Confidential Study Use Only — Not Affiliated with or Endorsed by AAAM/ACS — Does Not Contain Actual Exam Content — Verify Current AIS/NTDS
CAISS Certification Exam 2026/2027 – Latest Updated
Practice Questions, Correct Answers & Rationales
Certified Abbreviated Injury Scale Specialist — 90 Practice Questions with Rationales (AAAM AIS 2015/2020
Update)
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: This is an independent, original PRACTICE exam aligned to current CAISS standards, AAAM Abbreviated
Injury Scale (AIS) dictionary, and National Trauma Data Standard (NTDS) for 2026/2027. It is NOT affiliated with, endorsed by, or
sourced from AAAM or any certifying body, and does NOT contain actual CAISS exam questions. Use solely for study and self-assessment.
Verify current AIS dictionary and NTDS Data Dictionary from official sources.
The CAISS certification validates expertise in Abbreviated Injury Scale coding, Injury Severity Scoring, and
trauma registry management per AAAM and NTDS. This 2026/2027 updated practice exam mirrors CAISS
difficulty with scenarios requiring AIS dictionary application, ISS/NISS calculation, and registry quality
management to focus your preparation.
Instructions: Select the single best answer. The correct answer is highlighted in bold cyan. Each rationale cites AIS coding
rules, injury scoring principles, or NTDS/trauma registry standards and explains why distractors are incorrect. Simulate
CAISS exam conditions (timed, no aids) and review rationales thoroughly.
Section 1: Introduction
Section 2: The Complete Exam
Domains covered: AIS Anatomy & Coding • Injury Severity Scoring (ISS/NISS) • Trauma Registry Management (NTDS/ICD) • Anatomy &
Pathophysiology • Clinical Documentation • Quality Improvement & Research • Trauma System Standards (ACS/National) | Time:
Simulate 2.5 hours (1.5 min/Q) | Guidance: Review rationales citing AIS dictionary & NTDS Data Dictionary, not just scores.
1. The Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) severity codes range from:
A. 0 to 5 only
B. 1 to 3 only
C. No severity scale
D. 1 (Minor) to 6 (Maximal, currently untreatable/virtually unsurvivable)
Rationale: AIS severity is 1-Minor, 2-Moderate, 3-Serious, 4-Severe, 5-Critical, 6-Maximal. 0-5/1-
3/no scale miss the definition, and 9 is used for unknown/unspecified, not severity.
2. AIS code structure: The 7-digit AIS code (e.g., 854000.3) includes:
A. Only severity digit
B. Only body region
C. No structure
D. Body region, type, anatomic structure, specific lesion, and severity (with dot), plus
descriptors
Rationale: AIS code digit 1=region, 2=type, 3-4=structure, 5-6=specific lesion, dot+severity. Severity-
only/body-only/no structure are incomplete.
Confidential Study Use Only — Not Affiliated with or Endorsed by AAAM/ACS — Does Not Contain Actual Exam Content — Verify Current AIS/NTDS
, CAISS Certification Exam 2026/2027 • Certified Abbreviated Injury Scale Specialist • Unofficial Study Aid
3. If an injury description is not precise enough to determine severity per AIS dictionary, the coder
should assign:
A. Always assign severity 6
B. The code with severity 9 (unknown) is not assigned severity; instead code the less
specific injury that can be coded or use NFS (not further specified) per AIS rules and
query
C. Assign severity 1 arbitrarily
D. No code assigned
Rationale: AIS instructs to use NFS/not further specified codes or query for more detail, not
arbitrary 1/6 or no code. AIS 9 denominator is for unspecified severity in older versions but current
dictionary uses distinct NFS codes.
4. AIS coding rule: 'Code the most severe injury' means when multiple injuries exist:
A. Only code one injury total
B. No coding of multiple injuries
C. Code each distinct injury separately per AIS, then score severity individually – do not
combine into one code
D. Average severities into one code
Rationale: Each distinct diagnosable injury gets its own AIS code/severity; later ISS/NISS
summarize. Only one/average/no multiple violates AIS multiple injury coding rule.
5. Which body region has its own AIS chapter separate from 'Head' and 'Face'?
A. Only extremities
B. Neck (including cervical spine)
C. No separate region
D. Only external
Rationale: AAAM AIS chapters are Head, Face, Neck, Thorax, Abdomen/Pelvic Contents, Spine, Upper
Extremity, Lower Extremity, External. Neck is distinct from head/face. External/extremities-only/no
separate miss.
6. A 2-cm laceration of the scalp without skull fracture is coded in AIS in:
A. Spine
B. Thorax
C. Abdomen
D. External or Face/Scalp chapter per AIS external vs scalp distinction – most correctly
Head/External with specific code, not thorax
Rationale: Scalp laceration is Head/External region, not thorax/abdomen/spine. Region assignment
is critical for ISS/NISS.
7. Bilateral injuries (e.g., bilateral tibia fractures) are coded as:
Confidential Study Use Only — Not Affiliated with or Endorsed by AAAM/ACS — Does Not Contain Actual Exam Content — Verify Current AIS/NTDS
, CAISS Certification Exam 2026/2027 • Certified Abbreviated Injury Scale Specialist • Unofficial Study Aid
A. One code total with no side distinction
B. Two separate AIS codes (one for each side) per AIS bilateral coding rule
C. No code for second side
D. Only code one side and double severity
Rationale: AIS instructs to code bilateral separately per side. Single/double severity/no second code
undercount injuries and affect NISS.
8. AIS 2015 update change for concussion coding emphasizes:
A. Only skull fracture matters
B. Clinical criteria with loss of consciousness duration and imaging findings per AIS
concussion codes
C. Only LOC without imaging matters
D. No concussion codes exist
Rationale: AIS 2015 refines concussion severity based on LOC duration and imaging. No codes/skull-
only/LOC-only miss the current definitions.
9. Aortic laceration with major hemorrhage is typically AIS severity:
A. 4 or 5 (Severe to Critical) depending on extent and containment (e.g., 5 for major
laceration with hemorrhage)
B. Only AIS 1 minor
C. Only AIS 2
D. No severity assigned
Rationale: Major vessel laceration with hemorrhage is high severity 4-5. AIS 1/2/no severity grossly
underestimate.
10. Rib fractures: Three unilateral rib fractures without flail is typically AIS:
A. No code for ribs
B. Only AIS 1
C. 3 (Serious) for multiple rib fractures
D. Only AIS 6
Rationale: Multiple (≥3) rib fractures is AIS 3 (Serious). AIS 1/6/no code misstate. Flail chest is
higher (4).
11. Flail chest with pulmonary contusion is coded as:
A. Two separate injuries: flail (AIS 4) and contusion coded separately – do not combine
B. Only contusion code
C. No contusion code needed
D. One combined code only
Rationale: Each diagnosable injury is coded separately per AIS rule. Combined/single/missing
contusion undercount severity and affect NISS.
Confidential Study Use Only — Not Affiliated with or Endorsed by AAAM/ACS — Does Not Contain Actual Exam Content — Verify Current AIS/NTDS
