Q&A: PSI knowledge for the CCDS exam
to ACDIS for expert answers!
Q: There’s a lot of exclusions for the Patient Safety Indicator (PSI) 90 conditions. Are we expected to memorize all of them for the CCDS exam?
A: It’s not necessary to memorize all the inclusions and exclusions for PSIs, but you should be familiar with them. Each composite for PSI 90 has its own list of exclusions. For review, you can find all the tables for PSI exclusions on the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) website. Rather than memorizing them, ask yourself what they’re used for. Why are they important? I would also think it’d be a good idea to know what a PSI is to begin with. I’d suggest considering the following questions:
- Why do we monitor PSIs?
- What makes them important?
- Are there different types of PSIs?
- What can a CDI specialist do to make sure reporting of PSIs is accurate?
- What makes up PSI 90?
- What other areas is PSI 90 used in? And why?
My advice would be to keep your eye on the big picture when it comes to what you should know regarding PSIs. Every year information regarding PSIs can change, including their titles, inclusions, and exclusions. Where would you find this information? Why is monitoring and reporting of PSIs important?
Editor’s Note: Sharme Brodie, RN, CCDS, CDI education specialist and CDI Boot Camp instructor for HCPro in Middleton, Massachusetts, answered this question. For information, contact her at sbrodie@hcpro.com. For information regarding CDI Boot Camps offered by HCPro, visit www.hcprobootcamps.com/courses/10040/overview.