Author: Nichole McCollum

After spending the majority of my life in Georgia, I moved to DC. I spent my first two years at CNMC as an associate in the ED before starting fellowship this year. My husband and I have a feisty and dramatic rescue furchild name Cain who rules our house. I enjoy good food- cooking, eating/searching for the best DC restaurants, traveling, being active and watching college football in the fall (go dawgs!). My research interests include QI, asthma and febrile infants.

Hot Seat #160: The Case of the Agitated Patient

HPI: 15 y/o F with history of conduct disorder presents to an outside hospital community emergency department in police custody for a screening exam. The referring provider is calling for recommendations. You learn that the patient was involved in a high speed MVC, with +airbag deployment and it is unclear if she was restrained.  She […]

Hot Seat #153: Medical Control Request

Situation: EMS on scene at a private home in DC (pre-COVID) calling to speak to a physician for medical control: “6 y/o F found in asystolic cardiac arrest. No true rigor but upper extremities and jaw slightly stiff. Last seen alive 12 hours prior”. The EMS team is requesting permission from the MCO physician to […]

Hot Seat #144: Denouement

Recap: 10yo boys both presenting with acute onset of abdominal pain, anorexia (+/- vomiting), found to have lower quadrant abdominal pain on exam and equivocal ultrasounds (and clinical courses). Here’s how you answered: Question 1 AB Question 1 CD Question 2 AB Question 2 CD Question 3 AB Question 3 CD Denouement: AB: had not […]

Hot Seat #144: A tale of two appys

Patient #1 (AB): 10 y/o M with lower abdominal pain x1 day.  +anorexia, afebrile, no vomiting and no diarrhea. Sent by OSH for US to rule out appy. Exam– abdomen soft,  Non distended.  TTP with mild left> mild lower quadrant and suprapubic tenderness to palpation. GU normal. Patient #2 (CD): 10 y/o M with lower […]