Man suffering cardiac arrest during basketball game resuscitated by public, including 3 off-duty nurses

In the middle of a friendly basketball game in Yishun, a player suddenly fell and went into cardiac arrest.

As a crowd formed around the man, three off-duty nurses from the nearby Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) stepped in to assess the situation and perform first aid.

Staff nurse Eroe Berbenzana, senior staff nurse Benson Salvador Li Hian and senior enrolled nurse Dioanes Barcelon Urcia received commendation from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) for their life-saving actions, said KTPH on Friday (Aug 14).

According to the hospital, the trio was waiting to join the game at the basketball court near the Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre when the incident occurred.

It initially appeared that the player had simply tripped.

But when the nurses checked on the growing commotion, they purportedly realised that the man's body was stiffening. His face had turned blue, and he was gasping for air.

"Eroe recognised it immediately: a heart attack — but when they checked for a pulse, there was nothing. The man was in cardiac arrest," said KTPH.

Timely and coordinated response

The nurses immediately acted.

Dioanes was sent to retrieve an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) while Benson stayed with the patient. A bystander had begun performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while Eroe called the SCDF.

When Dioanes reappeared with the AED, Eroe used the device with Benson's help, following the AED's prompts to deliver a shock while CPR continued. SCDF paramedics subsequently arrived and took over.

The hospital said the man's pulse returned, and he was taken to KTPH with Eroe in the ambulance.

"By the time we reached the hospital, he was fully awake and able to speak. That was when I finally felt relieved," Eroe was quoted as saying.

"Even off duty, the nurse in you never really switches off," Eroe said. "It was very frightening, but being calm and knowing what to do gave me the confidence to respond."

Eroe, Benson and Dioanes were presented with the SCDF Community First Responder Award and Community Lifesaver Award, which recognises members of the public who display courage and public spiritedness in emergencies.

"For these three nurses, it was a reminder that sometimes, the skills honed at work can make all the difference, even when you're simply waiting for your turn to play," KTPH added.

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