Online ACLS, BLS, and PALS Certification for San Francisco Medical Professionals
The 2012 Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index recently awarded San Francisco/Oakland/Freemont with an overall well being rating of 71, which is the second highest rating of large metro areas surveyed and the third highest overall well-being rating out of 190 metropolitan areas included.
Based on the 2012 Gallup Index, San Francisco ratings are better than the average for large metro areas in every category. Gallup considered six sub-categories when calculating the overall well-being scores for 190 metropolitan areas. The survey focused on emotional health, physical health, work environment, healthy behavior, life evaluation, and basic access.
Among residents, there was a 7.4 percent prevalence of diabetes and an 18 percent frequency of obesity, according to the Gallup Index. From 2011 – 2012, there was a 3.5 percent increase in the frequency of San Francisco area residents consuming the daily recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables at least four days a week to 63.5 percent. Optimism among locals increased from 52.3 percent to 61.1 percent regarding hope for the future well being of life in the city.
The CDC estimates that the annual direct economic cost of diabetes in America is approximately $100 billion. From 2009 – 2011, diabetes caused San Francisco residents to visit the emergency room at a rate of 13.8 ER visits per 100,000 population and was responsible for 10.6 hospitalizations per 10,000 residents.
The age-adjusted rate of ER visits and hospitalizations due to congestive heart failure was 5.8 ER visits and 25.7 hospitalizations per 10,000 populations over 18 years old.
San Francisco’s healthcare employees can help communities by receiving certification in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). This training will help to improve quality of care and increasing the odds of positive outcomes for wounded or critically ill infants and children. Employees in intensive and critical care units, emergency medicine, and emergency response—like nurses, paramedics and doctors—should consider enrolling in a PALS course.
San Francisco residents can also obtain emergency skills by enrolling in Basic Life Support (BLS) training. Instructors will include videos and lectures in the coursework. Students learn when is the best time to begin rescue breathing and the correct methods to do so. Detailed steps concerning one and two person resuscitation teams are available in the BLS “Chain of Survival.”
Acquiring proper methods to administer chest compressions on infants, children, and adults are a critical part of BLS coursework. Emergency medical skills, which involve learning how to use Automatic External Defibrillators (AED), are explained to individuals during class.
However, San Francisco providers must have previous knowledge of adult pharmacology, ECG Rhythm Recognition, BLS, and airway management and equipment before they can obtain Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certification. Although BLS principles are not covered, ACLS tests do require students to be familiar with BLS. ACLS training spotlights high quality CPR, BLS and ACLS Surveys, ACLS cases for specific disorders, and post cardiac arrest care.
San Francisco locals can rely on ACLS, PALS, and BLS providers during a medical crisis.
San Francisco needs to acquire more certified ACLS providers!
