Christine is a Registered Nurse with Intensive Care and Trauma nursing experience for over 30 years and has obtained credentials to become a Certified Abbreviated Injury Scale Specialist (CAISS). She has been an AIS injury coder since 1985, AIS Instructor since 1990, AIS International Faculty, and AIS Committee member for the Teaching & Content Committees.
Christine commenced the first Australasian Trauma Registry at Westmead Hospital in Sydney, Australia in 1985. She was part of the first Australian Train the Trainer Faculty, and then taught AIS injury coding. She was also the Australian and New Zealand representative for AAAM as the AIS program coordinator which led to her involvement with the AAAM AIS Committees and being selected as part of the International teaching faculty.
As an AIS Faculty member, she has had the privilege to teach the AAAM AIS Injury Coding courses nationally and internationally to standardize injury coding which enables the comparison of injuries, patient care and outcomes in the health system to benefit patients.
She has taught in the following countries:
- Australian states
- New Zealand
- United States
- Japan (with a translator)
- Thailand
- Hong Kong
- Singapore
Christine describes teaching the AIS course with a translator in Japan and without a translator in America, trying to find the correct diction and terminology that they all could understand, as a fun and interesting experience. “As an AIS Faculty member, I had the privilege to teach in several countries, meet so many wonderful people and make so many friends which has to be one of the highlights of my career.”
She has also done presentations on Injury Coding at conferences, nationally, and internationally. Specifically, the AAAM conferences, where she has a chance to meet the different professionals who use Injury Coding for different outcomes.
Working with so many different professions, Christine has noticed some interesting advancements in the field. “Government legislation can reduce injuries with legislating for compulsory seatbelt use, permitted Low or Zero Alcohol and Drug levels for drivers and those in control of machinery. Biomechanical engineering shows improvement in-car designs for improved occupant safety and road users. The use of AIS for the Military has a new focus due to the worldwide conflicts. Injury patterns are different from those seen in the civilian population with the need for evaluation of the care and the outcome of the patient. Military vehicle designs have been improved to increase the safety of occupants.” Some changes that can take place in the industry as a whole would be “improving patient care and outcomes with a comparison of information around the nation and internationally, as well as, research injury patterns of people injured which will influence treatment and care. Also, how people are injured influence vehicle designs and road safety devices.”
As an AIS Faculty member, Christine would encourage those interested in joining the industry to consider two things:
- AIS injury coding provides the opportunity to make a change, decrease injuries, and improve safety for people with a multidisciplinary approach.
- The opportunity to meet so many wonderful people and exchange ideas between different professions will broaden your own education and experiences.
That is what AAAM, and specifically AIS, is all about, alleviating road traffic injuries and saving lives.
In her spare time, Christine is a committed ‘golf tragic’ who loves to play golf. “One of my absolute highlights is playing 18 holes of golf at Torrey Pines, near San Diego, hitting off at 6 a.m. and scoring better than Tiger Woods, allowing for my handicap.”