CAISS FINAL EXAM BANK | COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE
200 EXAM QUESTIONS WITH RATIONALES
1. What is the primary purpose of the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS)?
A. To determine hospital reimbursement rates
B. To classify and describe the severity of injuries
C. To predict patient mortality only
D. To replace all other injury coding systems
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The AIS is an anatomical-based coding system designed to classify and
describe injury severity. It provides a standardized method for ranking injuries by
severity, which is essential for trauma research, outcome prediction, and quality
improvement.
2. Which of the following is NOT a component of the AIS dictionary structure?
A. Code number
B. Injury description
C. Hospital length of stay
D. Severity score
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The AIS dictionary structure includes code numbers, injury descriptions,
and severity scores (1-6). Hospital length of stay is not part of the AIS dictionary
but may be used in other trauma scoring systems.
3. What is the severity scale range used in AIS coding?
A. 0 to 5
B. 1 to 6
,C. 1 to 10
D. 0 to 10
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: AIS uses a 6-point severity scale where 1 = minor, 2 = moderate, 3 =
serious, 4 = severe, 5 = critical, and 6 = unsurvivable. This scale is consistent across
all body regions.
4. An AIS code with a severity level of 6 indicates what?
A. Minor injury
B. Moderate injury
C. Severe injury with permanent disability
D. Unsurvivable injury
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: A severity level of 6 in the AIS scale represents an unsurvivable injury.
This designation is used for injuries that are considered fatal in virtually all cases,
such as complete transection of the brainstem or massive aortic disruption.
5. The Injury Severity Score (ISS) is calculated from what?
A. The total number of injuries
B. The sum of all AIS scores
C. The sum of squares of the highest AIS score in each of three body regions
D. The average of all AIS scores
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The ISS is calculated by taking the highest AIS score in each of the three
most severely injured body regions (Head/Neck, Face, Chest, Abdomen,
Extremities/Pelvis, External), squaring these scores, and summing them. The
maximum ISS is 75.
6. Which body regions are used in the ISS calculation?
A. Head, Chest, Abdomen only
,B. Head/Neck, Face, Chest, Abdomen, Extremities/Pelvis, External
C. Head, Neck, Chest, Abdomen, Extremities
D. Brain, Thorax, Abdomen, Skeleton
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The ISS uses six body regions: Head/Neck, Face, Chest, Abdomen/Pelvic
Contents, Extremities/Pelvic Girdle, and External. Each region's highest AIS score is
used in the calculation, but only the three highest regional scores are included.
7. What is the maximum possible ISS score?
A. 100
B. 75
C. 50
D. 90
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The maximum ISS is 75. This occurs when a patient has three body
regions with an AIS of 5 each (25 + 25 + 25 = 75), or when any injury has an AIS of
6, which automatically results in an ISS of 75.
8. In AIS coding, what does "NFS" stand for?
A. Not Further Specified
B. Near Fatal Severity
C. Non-Fatal Syndrome
D. Normal Functional Status
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: NFS stands for "Not Further Specified" and is used when there is
insufficient information to assign a more specific AIS code. This is common in
cases where diagnostic testing was not completed or autopsy was not performed.
9. An AIS code with a severity level of 1 represents what type of injury?
A. Minor injury
, B. Moderate injury
C. Serious injury
D. Severe injury
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: AIS severity level 1 indicates a minor injury. Examples include
superficial abrasions, contusions, or minor sprains that typically do not require
significant medical intervention and have minimal long-term consequences.
10. What is the primary difference between AIS 4 and AIS 5 severity levels?
A. AIS 4 is survivable with treatment, AIS 5 may be life-threatening despite
treatment
B. AIS 4 requires ICU admission, AIS 5 requires surgery
C. AIS 4 is always fatal, AIS 5 is always non-fatal
D. There is no significant difference between AIS 4 and AIS 5
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: AIS 4 (severe) injuries are survivable with appropriate treatment, while
AIS 5 (critical) injuries are often life-threatening even with optimal treatment. AIS
5 injuries have a significant risk of mortality and typically require intensive care.
11. Which of the following is an example of an AIS 6 injury?
A. Moderate liver laceration
B. Complete transection of the brainstem
C. Simple rib fracture
D. Femur fracture
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Complete transection of the brainstem is an unsurvivable injury (AIS 6).
Liver lacerations typically range from AIS 2-4, simple rib fractures are AIS 1-2, and
femur fractures are AIS 3. These are all survivable with appropriate care.
200 EXAM QUESTIONS WITH RATIONALES
1. What is the primary purpose of the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS)?
A. To determine hospital reimbursement rates
B. To classify and describe the severity of injuries
C. To predict patient mortality only
D. To replace all other injury coding systems
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The AIS is an anatomical-based coding system designed to classify and
describe injury severity. It provides a standardized method for ranking injuries by
severity, which is essential for trauma research, outcome prediction, and quality
improvement.
2. Which of the following is NOT a component of the AIS dictionary structure?
A. Code number
B. Injury description
C. Hospital length of stay
D. Severity score
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The AIS dictionary structure includes code numbers, injury descriptions,
and severity scores (1-6). Hospital length of stay is not part of the AIS dictionary
but may be used in other trauma scoring systems.
3. What is the severity scale range used in AIS coding?
A. 0 to 5
B. 1 to 6
,C. 1 to 10
D. 0 to 10
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: AIS uses a 6-point severity scale where 1 = minor, 2 = moderate, 3 =
serious, 4 = severe, 5 = critical, and 6 = unsurvivable. This scale is consistent across
all body regions.
4. An AIS code with a severity level of 6 indicates what?
A. Minor injury
B. Moderate injury
C. Severe injury with permanent disability
D. Unsurvivable injury
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: A severity level of 6 in the AIS scale represents an unsurvivable injury.
This designation is used for injuries that are considered fatal in virtually all cases,
such as complete transection of the brainstem or massive aortic disruption.
5. The Injury Severity Score (ISS) is calculated from what?
A. The total number of injuries
B. The sum of all AIS scores
C. The sum of squares of the highest AIS score in each of three body regions
D. The average of all AIS scores
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The ISS is calculated by taking the highest AIS score in each of the three
most severely injured body regions (Head/Neck, Face, Chest, Abdomen,
Extremities/Pelvis, External), squaring these scores, and summing them. The
maximum ISS is 75.
6. Which body regions are used in the ISS calculation?
A. Head, Chest, Abdomen only
,B. Head/Neck, Face, Chest, Abdomen, Extremities/Pelvis, External
C. Head, Neck, Chest, Abdomen, Extremities
D. Brain, Thorax, Abdomen, Skeleton
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The ISS uses six body regions: Head/Neck, Face, Chest, Abdomen/Pelvic
Contents, Extremities/Pelvic Girdle, and External. Each region's highest AIS score is
used in the calculation, but only the three highest regional scores are included.
7. What is the maximum possible ISS score?
A. 100
B. 75
C. 50
D. 90
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The maximum ISS is 75. This occurs when a patient has three body
regions with an AIS of 5 each (25 + 25 + 25 = 75), or when any injury has an AIS of
6, which automatically results in an ISS of 75.
8. In AIS coding, what does "NFS" stand for?
A. Not Further Specified
B. Near Fatal Severity
C. Non-Fatal Syndrome
D. Normal Functional Status
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: NFS stands for "Not Further Specified" and is used when there is
insufficient information to assign a more specific AIS code. This is common in
cases where diagnostic testing was not completed or autopsy was not performed.
9. An AIS code with a severity level of 1 represents what type of injury?
A. Minor injury
, B. Moderate injury
C. Serious injury
D. Severe injury
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: AIS severity level 1 indicates a minor injury. Examples include
superficial abrasions, contusions, or minor sprains that typically do not require
significant medical intervention and have minimal long-term consequences.
10. What is the primary difference between AIS 4 and AIS 5 severity levels?
A. AIS 4 is survivable with treatment, AIS 5 may be life-threatening despite
treatment
B. AIS 4 requires ICU admission, AIS 5 requires surgery
C. AIS 4 is always fatal, AIS 5 is always non-fatal
D. There is no significant difference between AIS 4 and AIS 5
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: AIS 4 (severe) injuries are survivable with appropriate treatment, while
AIS 5 (critical) injuries are often life-threatening even with optimal treatment. AIS
5 injuries have a significant risk of mortality and typically require intensive care.
11. Which of the following is an example of an AIS 6 injury?
A. Moderate liver laceration
B. Complete transection of the brainstem
C. Simple rib fracture
D. Femur fracture
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Complete transection of the brainstem is an unsurvivable injury (AIS 6).
Liver lacerations typically range from AIS 2-4, simple rib fractures are AIS 1-2, and
femur fractures are AIS 3. These are all survivable with appropriate care.
