CAISS STUDY GUIDE 2026 QUESTIONS WITH
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
◉ Injury descriptors are organized _________________________ ? Answer:
Anatomically
◉ Injury severity is ranked relative to its importance to
_______________? Answer: The whole body
◉ AIS reflects severity of single injuries and are unaffected by what
three things? Answer: 1) time
2) sequela
3) outcome
◉ What type of scale does AIS use? Answer: 6 point ordinal scale
◉ Which type of measurement is more variable? Anatomic or
Physiologic? Answer: Physiologic
◉ Is clinical training necessary for collecting injury data? Answer:
NO
,◉ AIS is based on what three (3) factors? Answer: 1) anatomically-
based
2) consensus driven
3) global
◉ Severity is NOT contingent upon what two (2) factors? Answer: 1)
Outcome
2) time
◉ Numerical ranking of severity: 1 Answer: minor
◉ Numerical ranking of severity: 2 Answer: moderate
◉ Numerical ranking of severity: 3 Answer: serious
◉ Numerical ranking of severity: 4 Answer: severe
◉ Numerical ranking of severity: 5 Answer: critical
◉ Numerical ranking of severity: 6 Answer: maximum (currently
untreatable)
,◉ Is mortality a sole determinant of AIS severity? Answer: NO
◉ Are all AIS data comparable from year to year? Answer: NO
(updates)
◉ Is "DEATH" part of the severity scale? Answer: NO
◉ Is a patient who dies automatically assigned the highest AIS
severity of 6? Answer: NO (patients w/ minor injuries can die)
◉ Does a linear relationship exist between AIS severity codes?
Answer: NO (AIS 4 is more, NOT twice as severe as AIS 2)
◉ Are all injuries within the same AIS code strictly compatible?
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? Answer: 9
◉ AIS single digit severity codes are based on what type of patient?
Answer: Average
, ◉ What four (4) things define the "average" patient? 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?
Answer: 2000
◉ What part of the AIS code is considered the "Pre-Dot Code?"
Answer: 6 digits BEFORE the decimal point (left)
◉ What part of the AIS code is considered the "AIS Severity
Number?" 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? Answer: TRUE
◉ The first digit in the pre-dot code corresponds to what? Answer:
Body Region
◉ The second digit in the pre-dot code corresponds to what?
Answer: Type of anatomic structure (skeletal, solid organ)
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
◉ Injury descriptors are organized _________________________ ? Answer:
Anatomically
◉ Injury severity is ranked relative to its importance to
_______________? Answer: The whole body
◉ AIS reflects severity of single injuries and are unaffected by what
three things? Answer: 1) time
2) sequela
3) outcome
◉ What type of scale does AIS use? Answer: 6 point ordinal scale
◉ Which type of measurement is more variable? Anatomic or
Physiologic? Answer: Physiologic
◉ Is clinical training necessary for collecting injury data? Answer:
NO
,◉ AIS is based on what three (3) factors? Answer: 1) anatomically-
based
2) consensus driven
3) global
◉ Severity is NOT contingent upon what two (2) factors? Answer: 1)
Outcome
2) time
◉ Numerical ranking of severity: 1 Answer: minor
◉ Numerical ranking of severity: 2 Answer: moderate
◉ Numerical ranking of severity: 3 Answer: serious
◉ Numerical ranking of severity: 4 Answer: severe
◉ Numerical ranking of severity: 5 Answer: critical
◉ Numerical ranking of severity: 6 Answer: maximum (currently
untreatable)
,◉ Is mortality a sole determinant of AIS severity? Answer: NO
◉ Are all AIS data comparable from year to year? Answer: NO
(updates)
◉ Is "DEATH" part of the severity scale? Answer: NO
◉ Is a patient who dies automatically assigned the highest AIS
severity of 6? Answer: NO (patients w/ minor injuries can die)
◉ Does a linear relationship exist between AIS severity codes?
Answer: NO (AIS 4 is more, NOT twice as severe as AIS 2)
◉ Are all injuries within the same AIS code strictly compatible?
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? Answer: 9
◉ AIS single digit severity codes are based on what type of patient?
Answer: Average
, ◉ What four (4) things define the "average" patient? 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?
Answer: 2000
◉ What part of the AIS code is considered the "Pre-Dot Code?"
Answer: 6 digits BEFORE the decimal point (left)
◉ What part of the AIS code is considered the "AIS Severity
Number?" 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? Answer: TRUE
◉ The first digit in the pre-dot code corresponds to what? Answer:
Body Region
◉ The second digit in the pre-dot code corresponds to what?
Answer: Type of anatomic structure (skeletal, solid organ)
