Online ACLS, BLS, and PALS Certification for West Virginia Medical Professionals

West Virginia takes the 47^th spot in the national ranking of the overall health of states. The state also falls among the bottom five grouping of states in six measured health categories.

Compared the other states, West Virginia has high rates of obesity (32.4 percent), heart attack (6.2 percent), high blood pressure at 37 percent, and diabetes at 12 percent. The state has the second highest incidence of smoking with a rate of 28.6 percent. There are 421,000 adults in the state who currently smoke. West Virginia actually has the highest prevalence of heart disease in the country with a rate of 6.7 percent. The risk of cardiac dysfunction and the need for ACLS providers is very high in this state.

The state also has a high incidence of low birth weight among infants with a rate of 9.2 percent. There is a 3.9 percent incidence of stroke and a 40.5 percent occurrence of high cholesterol among the state’s population. Thirty-nine short-term general hospitals holding approximately 6,620-staffed beds service West Virginia’s more than 1.8 million residents. The state’s prevalence of available primary care physicians is 102.5 primary doctors per 100,000 people.

Air pollution has dropped 19 percent in the past five years from 13.8 to 11.2 micrograms of fine particulate per cubic meter. Immunization coverage decreased in the last year from 91 to 85.5 percent for children ages 19 to 35 months old.  Preventable hospitalizations declined in the past 10 years from 121 to 99.1 discharges per 1,000 Medicare enrollees.

Due to West Virginia’s poor health rankings, there is an evident need for certified providers. People employed in emergency response, critical care and intensive units, and emergency medicine can further develop their emergency medicine skill set upon undergoing Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) training. After obtaining PALS certification, West Virginia’s providers will be able to apply their new knowledge to assist a child in living through a medical emergency.

Basic Life Support (BLS) courses assist West Virginia residents in also getting life-saving emergency medical skills. Once certified, students will be able to successfully supply rescue breathing while simultaneously understanding when to initiate the technique. A victim in cardiac arrest will have enhanced odds of survival if BLS practices are quickly started.

BLS instructors will lecture on steps to responding to a person choking. BLS emphasizes the importance of chest compressions on children, adults, and infants, along with explaining how to successfully administer an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED).

Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certification requires prior experience in ECG Rhythm Recognition, adult pharmacology, airway management and equipment, and BLS before an individual can begin training. The topics of cardiac arrest care, high quality CPR, BLS and ACLS Surveys, and ACLS cases for specific disorders are highlighted during ACLS coursework.

West Virginia inhabitants can count on ACLS, BLS, and PALS certified providers to give high quality care during medical emergencies.

West Virginia needs more certified ACLS providers!

For more information regarding ACLS, BLS, or PALS testing, explore ACLS Medical Training today!

Incidence of heart disease:  6.7%

Incidence of myocardial infarction (heart attack):  6.2%

Incidence of stroke:  3.9%

Incidence of obesity:  32.4%

Incidence rate of diabetes:  12.0%

Incidence rate of high cholesterol:  40.5%

Incidence rate of high blood pressure:  37.0%

Incidence rate of smoking:  28.6%

Incidence rate of low birth weight:  9.2%