Online ACLS, BLS, and PALS Certification for Jacksonville Medical Professionals
Jacksonville received an overall well being rating of 65.6 in the 2012 Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. Gallup considered six sub-categories in creating the overall score for 190 metropolitan areas. The survey focused on emotional health, physical health, work environment, healthy behavior, life evaluation, and basic access. The city possessed the 8th lowest well being score of all the large metro areas surveyed.
From 2011 to 2012, the prevalence of obesity among Jacksonville residents increased slightly from 24.5 percent to 24.7 percent. The occurrence of diabetes was at a rate of 10.3 percent—a .1 percent increase from 2011.
Duval County—the county in which Jacksonville is located—reported that heart disease was the leading cause of death in 2012 among its residents at rate of 22.5 percent. Cancer followed closely behind—responsible for 21.7 percent of Duval County deaths. Stroke was the fifth leading cause of death with a prevalence of 4.2 percent, and diabetes held the number six slot with a rate of 3 percent.
From 2009 – 2011, more than 3,000 Duval County residents were hospitalized from suffering a stroke, which occurred at a rate of 353 hospitalizations per 100,000 residents (age-adjusted rate). From 2010 – 2012, heart failure caused 112 deaths (rate of 13.7 deaths per 100,000). And from 2009 – 2011, congestive heart failure accounted for 1,372 hospitalizations at a rate of 163.4 hospitalizations per 100,000 county residents.
Diabetes was responsible for 29,098 hospitalizations from 2009 – 2011 at a rate of 3,367.9 hospitalizations per 100,000. Residents were hospitalized for coronary heart failure at a rate of 368.5 per 100,000.
The objective of Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) is to raise the quality of care and positive outcomes for critically ill or injured infants and children in Jacksonville. PALS courses have been designed specifically as a continuing training/education tool for nurses, paramedics and doctors employed in emergency medicine, emergency response, intensive care, and critical care units.
But Jacksonville locals can also develop emergency care skills by completing a Basic Life Support (BLS) course. Executing proper chest compressions for infants, children, and adults is just one of the skill sets that students will develop during training.
Individuals will learn emergency medical techniques concerning how one should handle and apply an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) to a victim. BLS instructors will also present the correct technique and appropriate timing to implement rescue breathing. One and two person resuscitation teams are highlighted in the BLS “Chain of Survival” that is outlined in class.
Residents who are interested in taking Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certification must have previously acquired a knowledge base of adult pharmacology, ECG Rhythm Recognition, BLS, and airway equipment and management. Students will be required to exhibit BLS principles during ACLS testing. However, instructors will not cover BLS. ACLS training focuses on BLS Survey, ACLS Survey, high quality CPR, ACLS cases for specific disorders, and post cardiac arrest care.
Jacksonville inhabitants caught in medical emergencies can depend on PALS, BLS and ACLS providers for assistance.
Jacksonville needs more certified ACLS providers!