Online ACLS, BLS, and PALS Certification for Baltimore Medical Professionals
Men’s Fitness magazine in its 2012 survey of “The Fittest and Fattest Cities in America” ranked Baltimore as fifth most overweight city in the country with 38.4 percent of residents being overweight. The city also took eighth place on the list of America’s fattest cities.
From 1997 to 2007, the occurrence of obesity among Baltimore City adults surveyed increased by nearly 50 percent. Between 2005 and 2009, heart disease was the leading cause of death among Baltimore City residents with a prevalence of 25.8 percent of total deaths—a frequency of 28.4 deaths per 10,000. Cancer was the second leading cause of death at a rate of 23.1 per 10,000 (20.8 percent).
Stroke took the number three spot for highest frequency of deaths from 2005 to 2009 at 4.7 percent. Chronic lower respiratory disease (3.5 percent) had the fourth highest while diabetes (3.2 percent) was ranked as the seventh highest.
The 2012 Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index recently awarded the Baltimore-Towson region with an overall well-being rating of 67.3, which is worse than the large metro area average of 67.4 and a .3 decrease from 2011.
Gallup reviewed six sub categories to calculate the overall well-being scores for 190 metropolitan areas. The index focused on emotional health, physical health, work environment, healthy behavior, life evaluation, and basic access.
The prevalence of obesity reported on the Gallup survey among Baltimore-Towson residents was 25.8 percent. The region’s prevalence of obesity was 1.1 percent higher the average for large metro areas included (24.7 percent).
Critical care and intensive units, emergency medicine, and emergency response employees have an opportunity to expand their pediatric emergency care skills with Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) training. After undergoing PALS, Baltimore’s healthcare employees can increase the quality of care for critically ill or injured infants and children, and thus causing the odds of survival in serious medical situations to rise.
Baltimore residents gain life-saving medical skills upon finishing Basic Life Support (BLS) training. Participants study techniques for administering rescue breathing, in addition to learning when to begin rescue breathing. When providers initiate BLS at the beginning of a cardiac arrest, a victim’s chances of survival are amplified.
Methods to save both a choking child or an adult are thoroughly reviewed in BLS coursework. Giving chest compressions on infants, children, and adults, along with the proper application and handlings of an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED), are taught in BLS coursework.
Healthcare workers interested in an Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) course in Baltimore need to gain a solid knowledge of ECG Rhythm Recognition, adult pharmacology, airway management and equipment, and BLS prior to training. ACLS instruction covers post cardiac arrest care, high quality CPR, BLS and ACLS Surveys, and ACLS cases for specific disorders. And with such a high prevalence of heart disease-related deaths and hospitalizations, Baltimore residents should be prepared.
The residents of Baltimore can depend on BLS, ACLS, and PALS providers to administer life-saving care during a cardiac crisis or other medical emergencies.
Baltimore needs more certified ACLS providers!
