CSTR Exam Study Guide: 210 Certified Specialist
in Trauma Registry Q&As
QUESTION 1
What does CSTR stand for?
A. Certified Specialist in Trauma Response
B. Certified Specialist in Trauma Registry
C. Certified Surgical Trauma Registrar
D. Clinical Specialist in Trauma Research
Answer: B. Certified Specialist in Trauma Registry
Rationale: CSTR stands for Certified Specialist in Trauma Registry. It is a credential
offered through the American Trauma Society (ATS) that recognizes trauma registry
professionals who have demonstrated competence in trauma data collection and
management .
QUESTION 2
Which organization administers the CSTR certification exam?
A. American College of Surgeons (ACS)
B. American Trauma Society (ATS)
C. Trauma Center Association of America (TCAA)
D. Joint Commission (TJC)
Answer: B. American Trauma Society (ATS)
Rationale: The CSTR certification is administered by the American Trauma Society
(ATS), which provides national recognition of basic trauma registry knowledge and
promotes delivery of safe and effective care through high-quality data analysis .
QUESTION 3
What is the primary purpose of the CSTR certification?
A. To increase salary for trauma nurses
B. To recognize trauma registry professionals who have demonstrated current
,competence in a specialized area of practice
C. To replace state licensing requirements
D. To certify trauma surgeons
Answer: B. To recognize trauma registry professionals who have demonstrated
current competence in a specialized area of practice
Rationale: CSTR status represents a trauma registry professional and data expert who
has demonstrated current competence in a specialized area of practice and been
credentialed through the American Trauma Society .
QUESTION 4
What are the four core domains covered on the CSTR exam?
A. Data Management, Conditions of Injury, Coding and Scoring Concepts, Trauma
Systems
B. Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Evaluation
C. Surgery, Critical Care, Rehabilitation, Prevention
D. Administration, Finance, Human Resources, Quality Improvement
Answer: A. Data Management, Conditions of Injury, Coding and Scoring
Concepts, Trauma Systems
Rationale: The CSTR exam covers four core domains: Data Management, Conditions of
Injury, Coding and Scoring Concepts, and Trauma Systems. These domains are covered
in the official exam preparation course and practice questions .
QUESTION 5
The ACS inclusion criteria for trauma registry entry includes patients with injuries in
which ICD-9 code range?
A. 001-199
B. 800-959.9
C. 300-399
D. 400-499
Answer: B. 800-959.9
,Rationale: The ACS inclusion criteria includes any patient that has an injury in the code
range between 800 and 959.9, but not one of the exclusion codes, for late effects of
injury (905-909.9), superficial injuries, including blisters, contusions, abrasions, insect
bites (910-924.9), and foreign bodies (930-939.9) .
QUESTION 6
Which codes are EXCLUDED from trauma registry inclusion despite being in the 800-
959.9 range?
A. 800-804 (skull fractures)
B. 905-909.9 (late effects of injury)
C. 820-829 (hip fractures)
D. 860-869 (internal organ injuries)
Answer: B. 905-909.9 (late effects of injury)
Rationale: Exclusion codes include late effects of injury (905-909.9), superficial injuries
including blisters, contusions, abrasions, insect bites (910-924.9), and foreign bodies
(930-939.9) .
QUESTION 7
What are the three types of data abstraction?
A. Primary, Secondary, Tertiary
B. Concurrent, Retrospective, Hybrid
C. Manual, Automated, Electronic
D. Initial, Interim, Final
Answer: B. Concurrent, Retrospective, Hybrid
Rationale: The three types of data abstraction are: Concurrent (daily abstraction while
the patient is in house), Retrospective (abstraction after patient discharge), and Hybrid
(data entry is begun during the patient encounter but the record is closed after patient
discharge) .
, QUESTION 8
What is Concurrent Abstraction?
A. Abstraction performed after patient discharge
B. Daily abstraction while the patient is in the hospital
C. Data entry begun during the patient encounter but closed after discharge
D. Abstraction performed annually
Answer: B. Daily abstraction while the patient is in the hospital
Rationale: Concurrent abstraction involves daily abstraction while the patient is in-
house, allowing for real-time data collection and the ability to clarify information while
the patient is still hospitalized .
QUESTION 9
What is Retrospective Abstraction?
A. Daily abstraction while the patient is in the hospital
B. Data entry begun during the patient encounter
C. Abstraction performed after patient discharge
D. Data abstraction performed by physicians only
Answer: C. Abstraction performed after patient discharge
Rationale: Retrospective abstraction is the process of abstracting data after the patient
has been discharged. This is the traditional method where the registrar reviews the
complete medical record after discharge .
QUESTION 10
What is Hybrid Abstraction?
A. Abstraction performed by two registrars simultaneously
B. Data entry is begun during the patient encounter but the record is closed after
patient discharge
C. Abstraction using both paper and electronic records
D. Abstraction performed by both nurses and physicians
Answer: B. Data entry is begun during the patient encounter but the record is
closed after patient discharge
in Trauma Registry Q&As
QUESTION 1
What does CSTR stand for?
A. Certified Specialist in Trauma Response
B. Certified Specialist in Trauma Registry
C. Certified Surgical Trauma Registrar
D. Clinical Specialist in Trauma Research
Answer: B. Certified Specialist in Trauma Registry
Rationale: CSTR stands for Certified Specialist in Trauma Registry. It is a credential
offered through the American Trauma Society (ATS) that recognizes trauma registry
professionals who have demonstrated competence in trauma data collection and
management .
QUESTION 2
Which organization administers the CSTR certification exam?
A. American College of Surgeons (ACS)
B. American Trauma Society (ATS)
C. Trauma Center Association of America (TCAA)
D. Joint Commission (TJC)
Answer: B. American Trauma Society (ATS)
Rationale: The CSTR certification is administered by the American Trauma Society
(ATS), which provides national recognition of basic trauma registry knowledge and
promotes delivery of safe and effective care through high-quality data analysis .
QUESTION 3
What is the primary purpose of the CSTR certification?
A. To increase salary for trauma nurses
B. To recognize trauma registry professionals who have demonstrated current
,competence in a specialized area of practice
C. To replace state licensing requirements
D. To certify trauma surgeons
Answer: B. To recognize trauma registry professionals who have demonstrated
current competence in a specialized area of practice
Rationale: CSTR status represents a trauma registry professional and data expert who
has demonstrated current competence in a specialized area of practice and been
credentialed through the American Trauma Society .
QUESTION 4
What are the four core domains covered on the CSTR exam?
A. Data Management, Conditions of Injury, Coding and Scoring Concepts, Trauma
Systems
B. Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Evaluation
C. Surgery, Critical Care, Rehabilitation, Prevention
D. Administration, Finance, Human Resources, Quality Improvement
Answer: A. Data Management, Conditions of Injury, Coding and Scoring
Concepts, Trauma Systems
Rationale: The CSTR exam covers four core domains: Data Management, Conditions of
Injury, Coding and Scoring Concepts, and Trauma Systems. These domains are covered
in the official exam preparation course and practice questions .
QUESTION 5
The ACS inclusion criteria for trauma registry entry includes patients with injuries in
which ICD-9 code range?
A. 001-199
B. 800-959.9
C. 300-399
D. 400-499
Answer: B. 800-959.9
,Rationale: The ACS inclusion criteria includes any patient that has an injury in the code
range between 800 and 959.9, but not one of the exclusion codes, for late effects of
injury (905-909.9), superficial injuries, including blisters, contusions, abrasions, insect
bites (910-924.9), and foreign bodies (930-939.9) .
QUESTION 6
Which codes are EXCLUDED from trauma registry inclusion despite being in the 800-
959.9 range?
A. 800-804 (skull fractures)
B. 905-909.9 (late effects of injury)
C. 820-829 (hip fractures)
D. 860-869 (internal organ injuries)
Answer: B. 905-909.9 (late effects of injury)
Rationale: Exclusion codes include late effects of injury (905-909.9), superficial injuries
including blisters, contusions, abrasions, insect bites (910-924.9), and foreign bodies
(930-939.9) .
QUESTION 7
What are the three types of data abstraction?
A. Primary, Secondary, Tertiary
B. Concurrent, Retrospective, Hybrid
C. Manual, Automated, Electronic
D. Initial, Interim, Final
Answer: B. Concurrent, Retrospective, Hybrid
Rationale: The three types of data abstraction are: Concurrent (daily abstraction while
the patient is in house), Retrospective (abstraction after patient discharge), and Hybrid
(data entry is begun during the patient encounter but the record is closed after patient
discharge) .
, QUESTION 8
What is Concurrent Abstraction?
A. Abstraction performed after patient discharge
B. Daily abstraction while the patient is in the hospital
C. Data entry begun during the patient encounter but closed after discharge
D. Abstraction performed annually
Answer: B. Daily abstraction while the patient is in the hospital
Rationale: Concurrent abstraction involves daily abstraction while the patient is in-
house, allowing for real-time data collection and the ability to clarify information while
the patient is still hospitalized .
QUESTION 9
What is Retrospective Abstraction?
A. Daily abstraction while the patient is in the hospital
B. Data entry begun during the patient encounter
C. Abstraction performed after patient discharge
D. Data abstraction performed by physicians only
Answer: C. Abstraction performed after patient discharge
Rationale: Retrospective abstraction is the process of abstracting data after the patient
has been discharged. This is the traditional method where the registrar reviews the
complete medical record after discharge .
QUESTION 10
What is Hybrid Abstraction?
A. Abstraction performed by two registrars simultaneously
B. Data entry is begun during the patient encounter but the record is closed after
patient discharge
C. Abstraction using both paper and electronic records
D. Abstraction performed by both nurses and physicians
Answer: B. Data entry is begun during the patient encounter but the record is
closed after patient discharge
