CJEM
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Chronic and recurrent abdominal pains are common complaints in children and adolescents, but the evaluation in the emergency department (ED) can be challenging. We present a rare yet serious case of a 17-year-old white female who presented to the ED with a 2-day history of diffuse abdominal pain, nausea, and intractable vomiting. Abdominal examination and imaging, including computed tomography (CT), were negative during an episode 6 weeks previously. ⋯ Colonic adenocarcinoma with positive regional lymph nodes was found during emergent exploratory laparotomy. Pediatric patients with recurrent, episodic abdominal pain should undergo systematic evaluation and symptomatic treatment. A previous negative workup should not dissuade emergency physicians from proceeding with a systematic and thorough evaluation of the pediatric patient presenting with abdominal pain and vomiting.
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The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations recommends that patients admitted to hospital with pneumonia receive their first dose of antibiotics within 6 hours of presenting to the emergency department (ED). Previous research in the United States indicates that rural hospitals may be better at achieving this benchmark than urban centres. This particular quality indicator has not yet been evaluated in Canada. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the target door-to-antibiotic (DTA) time of 6 hours or less could be met in a rural ED. ⋯ A DTA time of 6 hours or less is achievable in a rural ED.
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Studies indicate that a student's career interest at medical school entry is related to his or her ultimate career. We sought to determine the level of interest in emergency medicine among students at the time of medical school entry, and to describe characteristics associated with students primarily interested in emergency medicine. ⋯ Students primarily interested in emergency medicine at medical school entry have attributes that differentiate them from students primarily interested in family medicine, the surgical specialties or the medical specialties. These findings may help guide future initiatives regarding emergency medicine education.