CAISS CERTIFICATION STUDY
GUIDE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Origins of AIS (3) - (correct answer) -1) Standardized system
2) Classify type/severity of injury from MVC
3) Consensus
Injury descriptors are organized _________________________ ? - (correct answer)
-Anatomically
Injury severity is ranked relative to its importance to _______________? -
(correct answer) -The whole body
AIS reflects severity of single injuries and are unaffected by what three
things? - (correct answer) -1) time
2) sequela
3) outcome
What type of scale does AIS use? - (correct answer) -6 point ordinal scale
Which type of measurement is more variable? Anatomic or Physiologic? -
(correct answer) -Physiologic
Is clinical training necessary for collecting injury data? - (correct answer) -
NO
AIS is based on what three (3) factors? - (correct answer) -1) anatomically-
based
2) consensus driven
3) global
Severity is NOT contingent upon what two (2) factors? - (correct answer) -
1) Outcome
2) time
,Numerical ranking of severity: 1 - (correct answer) -minor
Numerical ranking of severity: 2 - (correct answer) -moderate
Numerical ranking of severity: 3 - (correct answer) -serious
Numerical ranking of severity: 4 - (correct answer) -severe
Numerical ranking of severity: 5 - (correct answer) -critical
Numerical ranking of severity: 6 - (correct answer) -maximum (currently
untreatable)
Is mortality a sole determinant of AIS severity? - (correct answer) -NO
Are all AIS data comparable from year to year? - (correct answer) -NO
(updates)
Is "DEATH" part of the severity scale? - (correct answer) -NO
Is a patient who dies automatically assigned the highest AIS severity of 6?
- (correct answer) -NO (patients w/ minor injuries can die)
Does a linear relationship exist between AIS severity codes? - (correct
answer) -NO (AIS 4 is more, NOT twice as severe as AIS 2)
Are all injuries within the same AIS code strictly compatible? - (correct
answer) -NO (tibia fx & alveolar ridge are both AIS - 2, although one may
be worse than the other, both are considered 'moderate')
What AIS code is assigned to a patient with inadequate information
regarding an injury? - (correct answer) -9
How many chapters are in the AIS dictionary? - (correct answer) -9 (not
the same as body regions)
AIS single digit severity codes are based on what type of patient? -
(correct answer) -Average
What four (4) things define the "average" patient? - (correct answer) -1)
25-40 yrs old
2) no pre-existing conditions
3) no tx complications
4) received timely/appropriate care
Approximately how many injury descriptors are included in AIS? - (correct
answer) -2000
, What part of the AIS code is considered the "Pre-Dot Code?" - (correct
answer) -6 digits BEFORE the decimal point (left)
What part of the AIS code is considered the "AIS Severity Number?" -
(correct answer) -single digit after the decimal (right)
(T/F) The 6 digit pre-dot codes are unique and allow for more specificity
and accurate coding? - (correct answer) -TRUE
The first digit in the pre-dot code corresponds to what? - (correct answer)
-Body Region
The second digit in the pre-dot code corresponds to what? - (correct
answer) -Type of anatomic structure (skeletal, solid organ)
The third/fourth digits in the pre-dot code correspond to what? - (correct
answer) -Specific anatomic structure (femur)
The fifth/sixth digits in the pre-dot code correspond to what? - (correct
answer) -Level of injury within the specific body region and anatomic
structure (NFS, minor, major)
Parenthesis in the AIS dictionary indicate what? - (correct answer) -
synonyms or definitions for injury types
Brackets in the AIS dictionary indicate what? - (correct answer) -
inclusionary/exclusionary info, OIS Grades
Boxed bold type in the AIS dictionary indicates what? - (correct answer) -
directives to assist coder in appropriate use of specific description
Semicolons in the AIS dictionary indicate what? - (correct answer) -
separate injury descriptors that are comparable in severity
Italics in the AIS dictionary indicate what? - (correct answer) -proper-
named injuries/structures, OIS grades
Does AIS assess the severity of multiple injuries? - (correct answer) -NO
(single injury severity only)
The injury Severity Score (ISS) is defined as what? - (correct answer) -Sum
of the squares of highest AIS in each of 3 most severely injured ISS body
regions.
What are the six body regions used in the ISS? - (correct answer) -1) head
& neck
2) face
GUIDE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Origins of AIS (3) - (correct answer) -1) Standardized system
2) Classify type/severity of injury from MVC
3) Consensus
Injury descriptors are organized _________________________ ? - (correct answer)
-Anatomically
Injury severity is ranked relative to its importance to _______________? -
(correct answer) -The whole body
AIS reflects severity of single injuries and are unaffected by what three
things? - (correct answer) -1) time
2) sequela
3) outcome
What type of scale does AIS use? - (correct answer) -6 point ordinal scale
Which type of measurement is more variable? Anatomic or Physiologic? -
(correct answer) -Physiologic
Is clinical training necessary for collecting injury data? - (correct answer) -
NO
AIS is based on what three (3) factors? - (correct answer) -1) anatomically-
based
2) consensus driven
3) global
Severity is NOT contingent upon what two (2) factors? - (correct answer) -
1) Outcome
2) time
,Numerical ranking of severity: 1 - (correct answer) -minor
Numerical ranking of severity: 2 - (correct answer) -moderate
Numerical ranking of severity: 3 - (correct answer) -serious
Numerical ranking of severity: 4 - (correct answer) -severe
Numerical ranking of severity: 5 - (correct answer) -critical
Numerical ranking of severity: 6 - (correct answer) -maximum (currently
untreatable)
Is mortality a sole determinant of AIS severity? - (correct answer) -NO
Are all AIS data comparable from year to year? - (correct answer) -NO
(updates)
Is "DEATH" part of the severity scale? - (correct answer) -NO
Is a patient who dies automatically assigned the highest AIS severity of 6?
- (correct answer) -NO (patients w/ minor injuries can die)
Does a linear relationship exist between AIS severity codes? - (correct
answer) -NO (AIS 4 is more, NOT twice as severe as AIS 2)
Are all injuries within the same AIS code strictly compatible? - (correct
answer) -NO (tibia fx & alveolar ridge are both AIS - 2, although one may
be worse than the other, both are considered 'moderate')
What AIS code is assigned to a patient with inadequate information
regarding an injury? - (correct answer) -9
How many chapters are in the AIS dictionary? - (correct answer) -9 (not
the same as body regions)
AIS single digit severity codes are based on what type of patient? -
(correct answer) -Average
What four (4) things define the "average" patient? - (correct answer) -1)
25-40 yrs old
2) no pre-existing conditions
3) no tx complications
4) received timely/appropriate care
Approximately how many injury descriptors are included in AIS? - (correct
answer) -2000
, What part of the AIS code is considered the "Pre-Dot Code?" - (correct
answer) -6 digits BEFORE the decimal point (left)
What part of the AIS code is considered the "AIS Severity Number?" -
(correct answer) -single digit after the decimal (right)
(T/F) The 6 digit pre-dot codes are unique and allow for more specificity
and accurate coding? - (correct answer) -TRUE
The first digit in the pre-dot code corresponds to what? - (correct answer)
-Body Region
The second digit in the pre-dot code corresponds to what? - (correct
answer) -Type of anatomic structure (skeletal, solid organ)
The third/fourth digits in the pre-dot code correspond to what? - (correct
answer) -Specific anatomic structure (femur)
The fifth/sixth digits in the pre-dot code correspond to what? - (correct
answer) -Level of injury within the specific body region and anatomic
structure (NFS, minor, major)
Parenthesis in the AIS dictionary indicate what? - (correct answer) -
synonyms or definitions for injury types
Brackets in the AIS dictionary indicate what? - (correct answer) -
inclusionary/exclusionary info, OIS Grades
Boxed bold type in the AIS dictionary indicates what? - (correct answer) -
directives to assist coder in appropriate use of specific description
Semicolons in the AIS dictionary indicate what? - (correct answer) -
separate injury descriptors that are comparable in severity
Italics in the AIS dictionary indicate what? - (correct answer) -proper-
named injuries/structures, OIS grades
Does AIS assess the severity of multiple injuries? - (correct answer) -NO
(single injury severity only)
The injury Severity Score (ISS) is defined as what? - (correct answer) -Sum
of the squares of highest AIS in each of 3 most severely injured ISS body
regions.
What are the six body regions used in the ISS? - (correct answer) -1) head
& neck
2) face