How long have you been using AIS?
I was hired 12 years ago in the trauma data analyst position and trained at that time in the use of the AIS coding system to assign a severity score to an anatomical injury.
What inspired you to obtain CAISS credentials?
My inspiration came from the desire to be more qualified and proficient in the AIS scoring system. I wanted to improve my knowledge and expertise in the coding sector. Being the only trauma analyst at our Lead Trauma hospital that covers a vast territory where our care extends to all of North Eastern Ontario, Canada. Being an essential and valuable analyst, I felt having the credentials enhanced my ability in proficiently and accurately obtaining quality data.
What are your main areas of interest in the field of injury scoring?
Injury severity scoring is an essential and integral part of being a Lead Trauma Hospital. It is in the way of how we address injuries to the public thereby providing education towards injury prevention. CAISS credential means accurate and quality data through the knowledge of injury scoring.
What do you find most rewarding about working in this field?
Most rewarding when working in this field is the knowledge and expertise you have obtained that allows you to provide stakeholders and hospital related areas quality and accurate reporting. The education contributes towards injury prevention and knowing your detailed analysis aids in developing a better and safer systemic approach to prevention and in turn improving the quality of life for our community.
What do you hope to accomplish while on the AIS Certification Board?
Being a certified AIS board member allows me to be an integral part of the decision making process and gain experience and knowledge from experts in this field in this continuous journey of learning. As a member you become aware of the importance of assigning an accurate severity score to an injury to paint the most detailed picture. You as AIS specialist are telling a story of a traumatic event attaching a score that relates to a code thereby making your analysis researchable.
What’s something about you (a fun fact) that not many people know?
I am an individual that prides herself in always learning and educating to improve my knowledge and well- being. I am an avid gym goer. I feed my mind with knowledge and build a healthy body through vigorous cross fit training.
How do you think the field is changing and what trends do you see coming up on the horizon?
This field is always evolving, always changing never stagnant. Trauma and injury will always be but how we capture it, educate and learn about prevention continues to be the hierarchy of change. The need to redefine data elements and assigning severity scores to anatomical regions will always require attention to detail and revisions. Evolution of the AIS coding structures and specificity is an ongoing changing process continually adding and defining details to the injured anatomical structures.
What advice would you give to someone interested in CAISS credentials?
Obtaining AIS certification is acquiring the highest standard of proficiency and accuracy when assigning an injury score. Being AIS certified means you have acquired the expertise and in depth understanding of the rules, guidelines and standards of assigning a severity score to an anatomical injury. If you are interested in obtaining the credentials of CAISS means you have the passion and the drive to make a difference in the trauma world. Having the credentials means you have the in depth understanding, knowledge and application to assign a severity score to an anatomical injury descriptor.
What’s one thing – either field-related or not – you learned in the last month?
In the last several months, I learned the concept of working from home and the complexity that arises from that. It is the transition and mindset that one has to adjust when making the change from the workforce environment to your home setting. It isn’t only the change in environment but the change in your social concept as well. It is the transition from being a social being surrounded by working colleagues to a virtual world of zoom meetings. It is going from feeling connected to a more isolated working environment. It is learning to readjust your work habits and realigning your work tasks to accommodate what can or cannot be accomplished thereby it is the preparation of location, scheduling and task management that enhances successfulness.
Is there anything else you would like to share with your colleagues?
Obtaining CAISS credentials provides you with a higher degree of creditability and competency in the field of trauma. It enables you to standardize and provide a systematic approach to assigning a severity score to an anatomical injury. The credential enables you to have an in depth knowledge of anatomy, medical terminology and coding standards that in turn gives you the ability to accurately assign an injury severity score.