Online ACLS, BLS, and PALS Certification for Montana Medical Professionals

Montana ranked as the 29^th healthiest state in the U.S. in 2012. But the Big Sky Country state falls into the top 10 states in three health categories.

A low frequency of high cholesterol at 34.6 percent, low occurrence of obesity at 24.6 percent, and a lower prevalence of low weight births (7.5 percent) than the national average helped the state secure its overall ranking. Over 190,000 obese adults and 60,000 adults with diabetes reside in the state. Montana had a high rate of high school graduation, and levels of air pollution were low in 2012.

But Montana has high rates of smoking (22.1 percent), heart attack (4.8 percent), and stroke (3.2 percent). A high rate of occupational fatalities, high prevalence of binge drinking, and low immunization coverage affected Montana’s overall ranking. Public health funding increased during the past five years from $69 to $89 per person.

Preventable hospitalizations decreased from 70.3 to 56.2 discharges of every 1,000 residents enrolled in Medicare. Seventeen short-term general hospitals in Montana cared for its 989,415 residents and offered 2,113-staffed beds. The state’s prevalence of primary care physicians stood at a rate of 97.9 doctors per 100,000 people.

Infant mortality rates increased over the last five years from 5.5 to 6.4 deaths per 1,000 live births. Children under the age of 18 living in poverty increased during the past year from 19.2 percent to 25.1 percent. Incidence of infectious disease also increased in the past year from 8.5 to 10.2 cases per 100,000 residents.

Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) training objective is that by increasing the quality of care, the outcomes for seriously injured or ill children and infants will also improve. PALS was designed for current healthcare professionals, such as nurses, paramedics and doctors working in emergency medicine, emergency response, intensive care, and critical care units.

Basic Life Support (BLS) training will give Montana’s citizens the opportunity to develop life-saving skills. Individuals who acquire BLS certification will be trained to deliver quality chest compressions for infants, children, and adults. Students also develop additional medical skills, such as discovering how to properly use an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) and when the appropriate time is to supply rescue breathing. In BLS, students acquire knowledge regarding one and two person resuscitation teams and the “Chain of Survival.”

Interested individuals should already understand and be comfortable using BLS, ECG Rhythm Recognition, airway equipment and management, and adult pharmacology before pursuing Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS). Although BLS skills are not taught during class, students are expected to know them for the test. During ACLS coursework, students will discover when is the best time to utilize BLS Survey, ACLS Survey, “High quality CPR,” ACLS cases for specific disorders, and post cardiac arrest care.

PALS, BLS and ACLS certified providers can assist Montana residents, from infants to adults, in urgent medical situations in hospitals and in the field.

Montana needs more certified ACLS providers!

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

Incidence of heart disease:  4.0%

Incidence of myocardial infarction (heart attack):  4.8%

Incidence of stroke:  3.2%

Incidence of obesity:  24.6%

Incidence of diabetes:  8.0%

Incidence of high cholesterol:  34.6%

Incidence of high blood pressure:  30.2%

Incidence of smoking:  22.1%

Incidence of low birth weight:  7.5%