FAQs on CPR and AED

A: Yes, it is alright for a male bystander to dare to call 995, start CPR and use an AED on a female victim (especially Muslims) if there is no other female bystander able to do so. This is because the situation is a desperate emergency case. If there is a female bystander or passerby, she should assist the male bystander in the resuscitation in any way possible. The female bystander can also be a witness too.

~ Ustaz Syed Nasir Omar, a religious leader with AlFahmi Services

A: Yes, we encourage female bystanders to dare to save a heart, even if they are not medically trained or are physically small. Anybody can call 995. Any chest compression is better than none at all. Anyone can use an AED as the voice prompts are clear. Do not be afraid just because you are female; you are equally capable of initiating resuscitation.

~ Dr Karen Soh, Immediate Past President of the Association of Women Doctors, Singapore

A: Let this not be a barrier to the victim receiving timely life-saving help. Call 995 and stay on the line; the 995-dispatcher is trained to guide you through the steps.

~ Dr Benjamin Leong, Deputy Director, UPEC

A: There are no Good Samaritan laws enacted in Singapore. A Good Samaritan is a rescuer who responds in an emergency when there is no legal responsibility to do so. This excludes healthcare professionals who care for patients in a clinical setting and owe their patients a duty of care. Good Samaritan laws aim to absolve rescuers from liability should the rescuer’s attempts to help a stranger fail or make matters worse. Currently, there is little evidence to support the claim that the absence of Good Samaritan laws is what deters would-be rescuers, or that enacting Good Samaritan laws would necessarily encourage more bystanders to help a stranger.

~ Ms Kuah Boon Theng, Council member of The Law Society of Singapore

A: The law requires Good Samaritans to act reasonably. Although would-be rescuers may have noble intentions, they must not behave recklessly or negligently in a way which could cause even more injury. However, there have been no reports locally of successful claims made against Good Samaritans. A claimant would have to prove that if the attempt to help the “victim” had not been made, the “victim” would have been better off. This would be difficult to prove if, indeed, the “victim” was truly in dire need of help and intervention.

A: So long as you apply CPR in accordance with proper techniques, there should be no liability, even if the victim were to sustain injuries that are known complications of CPR/external chest compressions, such as rib fractures.

A: So long as the Good Samaritan renders aid in accordance with proper medical techniques, it would be extremely difficult for a “victim” to credibly claim that the Good Samaritan’s actual intent was to molest/outrage modesty.

A: The law does not impose a legal duty on bystanders to assist someone in danger, unless the bystander was the one who put the victim in danger. This is true even if you are a healthcare professional. However, the standards of medical ethics require a trained medical professional to go to the aid of someone who can potentially be saved by the skills and training which the medical professional possesses.

A: Even some healthcare providers have a hard time telling if there is a pulse within 10 seconds. It is better to give CPR to a person who is unconscious and not breathing normally, who is highly likely to be in cardiac arrest, than not to give CPR to someone who needs it.

A: If you can, quickly move the person to a firm surface (e.g. the floor) to give CPR. Make sure you support the head and neck as you move the person. If you are alone and can’t move the person, try to find something flat and firm (like a piece of board). Slide it under the person's back to provide a firm surface.

A: Stop when:
- The person starts to wake up/move/respond.
- Someone else comes to help, and you can take turns to give CPR.
- Someone with more advanced training arrives to take over (e.g. the ambulance paramedic).
- You are too exhausted to continue, or it is dangerous for you to continue (resume as soon as you can).

A: Any attempt at CPR is better than no attempt. Chest compression-only CPR performed by a bystander is as effective as conventional CPR with mouth-to-mouth ventilation in the first few minutes of an out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest. For bystanders who are not willing/able to perform ventilations, chest compression-only CPR is a good alternative.

A: Gasping is not normal breathing. Please start CPR as soon as possible.

A: Yes! The steps to perform CPR are the same. Chest compressions are performed at the centre of the victim’s chest (lower half of the sternum) and not at the abdomen.

A: All government sports facilities (e.g. sports stadiums and gyms), most government facilities (e.g. fire stations, police stations, prison link centres, military camps and schools), most major tourist attractions, MRT stations, shopping centres, hotels and country clubs are equipped with AEDs. There is an ongoing pilot program where AEDs are installed at the lift lobby in every 2-3 HDB blocks. 

These AEDs are accessible to anyone who needs them. All laypersons are allowed to use them, but undergoing CPR/AED training is highly encouraged, as it will help you to be familiar with them and use them when needed. Download the “myResponder” mobile application, where there is a function that allows you to search for an AED near you.

A: In DARE training, minimum interruption to chest compressions is emphasised. The appropriate time to check for normal breathing is at the beginning, when the dispatcher asks to confirm the lack of responsiveness and normal breathing, as well as during AED rhythm analysis. If there is still no normal breathing observed and no shock is advised, immediately begin chest compression.

~ Dr Francis Lee, Head of Defibrillation Committee, National Resuscitation Council, Senior Consultant at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital

A: Continue CPR until EMS help arrives, or when the victim starts to wake up/move/respond.

A: Yes! The steps to use the AED are the same. Our priority is to increase the chances of survival for any cardiac arrest victim. No scientific papers were found to support the result that AED causes more harm when used on a pregnant victim.

A: Participants should take care of personal safety in the environment, and also be aware of potential hazards related to the transmission of electricity if an AED shock needs to be delivered. For example, the patient should be wiped down as best as you can if he/she is rescued from a swimming pool; shock should not be delivered in an environment with an active gas leakage; precautions should be taken if the patient is lying down on a metal surface as a small amount of electrical energy may be transmitted via the metal surface; and ensure that you are wearing shoes and avoid barefoot contact.