NIRSAT Online Test Instructions

History
Since 1996 AAEME has been offering Impairment Rating Seminars called "Survival Guide for Impairment Evaluators" for doctors both MD’s and DC’s alike. As part of the core curriculum we also gave a self assessment test after each seminar. We have been giving this IR test independently since we have been teaching. The purpose of the test is to do determine if the doctors who took the IR course, learned the material. It was also an internal assessment of our teaching skills. In 2001, AAEME was given the exclusive right to test the Designated Doctors in the State of Texas due to our experience in the field of Impairment Rating testing. AAEME’s expertise in the area of technology was a strong factor in this choice by the TWCC Texas Workers Compensation Commission, which is now the Texas Department of Insurance.

A testing faculty comprised of 5 Orthopedic Surgeons, 1 Internal Medicine, 2 Occupational Medicine, 1 Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2 DC’s, 1 RN, 1 Psychiatrist, 1 Neurosurgeon was formed to create the NIRSAT.

Because of AAEME’s qualifications for providing specific testing of the AMA Guides and having the exclusive testing rights for the Impairment Rating Skills Assessment Test, the state of Nevada designated AAEME for the testing of their rating panel.

Purpose
The purpose of the NIRSAT is to objectively certify panel physicians and chiropractors in order to ascertain their qualifications to perform Impairment Ratings for the State of Nevada per the AMA Guides, currently adopted by the administrator. The NIRSAT will confirm competency, credibility and expertise, thereby decreasing the amount of contested Impairment Ratings. The passing grade is 75%. If you get a 74%, you will have failed and must take the NIRSAT again.

The NIRSAT
The NIRSAT consists of 100 questions with 5 bonus questions pertaining to DIR regulations concerning PPD evaluations/impairment. There are case studies, with multiple choice and true/false. There is only ONE correct answer. The questions are intended to test your Impairment Rating skills, not to trick you.

There are 3 different NIRSAT tests for each group, i.e. MD/DO and DC’s and each test is comprised of the following:

There are 84 neuromuscular questions for the MD/DO’s and 16 mixed on Respiratory, Hearing, ENT, and Cardio, Pulmonary. There are NO questions on psych or ophthalmology.

There are 100 neuromuscular questions for the DC’s.

NIRSAT on-line
The NIRSAT is an on-line open book test and will take about 4 hours to complete. We suggest you have a calculator and a quiet place to take your test. Once you start the NIRSAT, you cannot terminate until you are finished. You will be able to review the questions if you tag them, and there are clear instructions on the web site about how to do this.

You will be provided your grade immediately after completing your test and if you pass, you will receive a "Certificate of Impairment Rating Specialist" in the mail.

If You Fail
If you do not pass the NIRSAT the first time you take it, you may register to take another test within 6 months. You must pay the test fee of $500 again and you can register on line as before. If you fail a second time you are required to take an Impairment Rating course before being allowed to retake the NIRSAT.

If you fail, you may request in writing on YOUR stationary only, to be advised of the areas of weakness in your NIRSAT, so you can study those components in order to pass the second time.

The DIR of NV will be notified of your passing/failing grade.

Time Limit
You will have 4 hours to complete the test. There is a Countdown button on the left side of the screen so that at any time you will know how much time is left. Just click the Countdown button and it will display the time left to finish the test.

Test Completion
Once you have completed the test and are ready to exit, you will be brought to a screen that will ask you to type in your name with your medical license and the date. This screen will also state that you swear you have taken the test of your own accord without assistance from any person or software product. This statement will be made under the pains and penalties of perjury.

Cancellation Policy
There are NO REFUNDS. You may take the NIRSAT test online anytime within six months of your original online registration date.

Type of Test
This test has been validated and standardized. The NIRSAT is a series of multiple choice and true/false questions. Each major test area includes a reference to the related section of the AMA Guides 5th Edition. There are NO ambiguous questions. Know that if your answer is NOT in the choices, you have made a mistake. Read the questions slowly and try again.

The AMA Guides 5th edition states that a person must reach MMI before an IR is to be rendered. Therefore all DRE/Injury Model questions are to be answered at time of presentation of MMI. (NOT at time of injury as suggested in some reading)

Open Book
Make sure that you have your AMA Guides 5th Edition before you start the test. You will need the book and we recommend that you have a calculator as well. Take your time and do not presume to know the answer without verifying it in the book.

Changing answers
If you want to change your answer, simply click the question that you are answering and click another answer.

Print Options
You will not be able to print or save any components of the NIRSAT.

DSL/Secure line
We strongly recommend that only those participants that have access to a secure high speed line take the test online. We cannot be responsible for slow connections nor can we track if your line disconnects. Once you are on, you are on for 4 hours.

Pop-Up Blocker
If you have signed into our testing site, testing.aaeme.com, and you go immediately to the end of the test which states, "Wait! There's one final step...", y ou have a Popup blocker that is still on.

To turn of Pop-up Blockers. Open up a new browser window in internet explorer. Click on the tools/ pop-up blocker menu and make sure pop-up the blocker is turned off. It should say Turn on Popup blocker.If a pop-up has been blocked there might be an icon on your internet tool bar that states pop ups have been blocked. Please click on that icon to allow pop-ups. Many Anti Virus checkers have pop-up blockers that need to be turned off. These instruction can be found in the Anti Virus software.

Question Control Panel

The questions will appear one at time on the screen. On the left side of the screen is the Question Control Panel. The panel displays the options for the test session.

Total Test Questions shows the total number of test questions.

Select Question contains a list of test question numbers.
You can select a number and advance to that question.

The red arrow buttons are used to move forward or backward through the questions. The button set moves to the first question or the previous question, and the next question or
the last question.

Countdown, when clicked, displays the time remaining for
the test session.

Bookmark Options are used to mark test questions for review at the end of the test.

Add bookmarks the current question; Del removes the
current question from the bookmark list.

Goto Question contains the question numbers that have been bookmarked. Selecting a question number in the dropdown list brings up the bookmarked test question.

If you are ready to start the test, click here.