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Straits Times
6 days ago
- Health
- Straits Times
Off-duty Malaysian healthcare workers save man who collapses at JB checkpoint
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A screencap of the video showing five of the healthcare workers assisting the man near the checkpoint building in Johor. JOHOR BAHRU - Five Malaysian patient care associates (PCA) working in Singapore became real-life heroes when they helped save the life of a man who collapsed at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex in Johor. The drama unfolded on the afternoon of Aug 9 after their morning shifts at two hospitals across the border ended. Ms Shareen Kaur Ranjit Singh, 29, and her colleagues Ms Subhashini Subramaniam, 26, and Ms Veenoshini Sandrasagaran, 36, suddenly heard a woman shouting for help while waiting for their e-hailing rides at the BSI pick-up point near Jalan Jim Quee. 'We thought the man was having a seizure, as he was convulsing on the ground. We turned him on his back and found he had a low pulse and was struggling to breathe, so I immediately started performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while Veenoshini monitored his pulse and Subhashini called for an ambulance,' she said when interviewed. Ms Shareen added that the man soon lost consciousness, stopped breathing and began foaming at the mouth. 'To complicate matters, the woman with the victim could not speak English or Bahasa Malaysia, so one of us used a translation app to communicate with her. 'The scene was chaotic, despite police and (security) volunteer personnel keeping people back – there were still many travellers passing by, and the area was noisy. 'It was very different from the hospital environment where we are usually assisted by other healthcare workers,' she said, adding that Ms Subashini also checked his bag and found his medication, which served as crucial information for the arriving paramedics. Ms Veenoshini said: 'Despite fearing for his life, we tried our best to keep our cool and never gave up. I felt so relieved when his pulse came back.' Meanwhile, Ms Nanthiine Gudial Kumaran, 28, said she was with her colleague Ms Hemadewi Balakrishnan, 34, when they arrived at BSI a few minutes after the other three started performing the emergency response. 'My training took over right away; we just looked at each other and knew what to do. 'Our duty as healthcare workers don't end when our shift does, no matter where we are,' she said, stressing the importance of learning CPR and first aid. Ms Nanthiine, who has been working in the healthcare sector in Singapore for close to five years, said the five of them did not realise they were working at sister hospitals in the republic until after the man was taken away by ambulance. A video of the five of them, wearing the same coloured uniforms, made the rounds on social media, with many calling them 'real-life heroes'. It was learnt that the victim, an Australian in his 50s, had a medical history of high blood pressure and low blood sugar. The emergency was reported at 4.23pm and first responders arrived about two minutes later, followed by the ambulance at 4.39pm. Ms Nanthiine said they each went their separate ways after the incident, but she was taken aback to wake up to a deluge of messages from friends, family, and even strangers online the next day. 'Some called us angels, which was a first for us,' she said, adding that their respective hospitals' chief executive officers also recognised their efforts. She also said they usually commute across the border using transportation provided by their employer, but on the day of the incident, which was Singapore's National Day, they decided to take an e-hailing ride. 'We were just at the right place at the right time. More importantly, it showed the importance of being ready to help, regardless of where we are,' added Ms Nanthiine. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
The Star
6 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Right time and ready hands save man's life
JOHOR BARU: Five Malaysian patient care associates (PCA) working in Singapore became real-life heroes when they helped save the life of a man who collapsed at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex here. The drama unfolded on the afternoon of Aug 9 after their morning shifts at two hospitals across the border ended. Shareen Kaur Ranjit Singh, 29, and her colleagues Subhashini Subramaniam, 26, and Veenoshini Sandrasagaran, 36, suddenly heard a woman shouting for help while waiting for their e-hailing rides at BSI's pickuppoint near Jalan Jim Quee. 'We thought the man was having a seizure, as he was convulsing on the ground. We turned him on his back and found he had a low pulse and was struggling to breathe, so I immediately started performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while Veenoshini monitored his pulse and Subhashini called for an ambulance,' she said when interviewed. Shareen added that the man soon lost consciousness, stopped breathing and began foaming at the mouth. 'To complicate matters, the woman with the victim could not speak English or Bahasa Malaysia, so one of us used a translation app to communicate with her. 'The scene was chaotic, despite police and Rela personnel keeping people back – there were still many travellers passing by, and the area was noisy. 'It was very different from the hospital environment where we are usually assisted by other healthcare workers,' she said, adding that Subashini also checked his bag and found his medication, which served as crucial information for the arriving paramedics. Veenoshini said: 'Despite fearing for his life, we tried our best to keep our cool and never gave up. I felt so relieved when his pulse came back.' Meanwhile, Nanthiine Gudial Kumaran, 28, said she was with her colleague Hemadewi Balakrishnan, 34, when they arrived at the BSI a few minutes after the other three started performing the emergency response. 'My training took over right away; we just looked at each other and knew what to do. 'Our duty as healthcare workers don't end when our shift does, no matter where we are,' she said, stressing the importance of learning CPR and first aid. Nanthiine, who has been working in the healthcare sector in Singapore for close to five years, said the five of them did not realise they were working at sister hospitals in the republic until after the man was taken away by ambulance. A video of the five of them, wearing the same coloured uniforms, made the rounds on social media, with many calling them 'real-life heroes'. It was learnt that the victim, an Australian in his 50s, had a medical history of high blood pressure and low blood sugar. The emergency was reported at 4.23pm and first responders arrived about two minutes later, followed by the ambulance at 4.39pm. Nanthiine said they each went their separate ways after the incident, but she was taken aback to wake up to a deluge of messages from friends, family, and even strangers online the next day. 'Some called us angels, which was a first for us,' she said, adding that their respective hospitals' chief executive officers also recognised their efforts. She also said they usually commute across the border using transportation provided by their employer, but on the day of the incident, which was Singapore's National Day, they decided to take an e-hailing ride. 'We were just at the right place at the right time. More importantly, it showed the importance of being ready to help, regardless of where we are,' added Nanthiine.
AsiaOne
12-08-2025
- Health
- AsiaOne
'We have to be ready anywhere, anytime': Off-duty nurses from Singapore revive elderly man in JB, Singapore News
A team of off-duty nurses from Parkway East Hospital and Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital managed to save an elderly man's life after resuscitating him at a carpark in Johor Bahru. The incident happened on Saturday (Aug 9) around 4.30pm, when Veenoshini Sandrasagan, Subhashini Subramaniam and Shareen Kaur Rangit Singh were going back home to Johor Bahru after completing a morning shift at the hospital. Two nurses from Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, Nanthiine GudialKumara and Hemaadewi Balakrishnan, were also part of the group. The group of nurses were waiting for a ride at Johor Bahru Customs when they heard a woman shouting for help and saw that an elderly man had collapsed. The Australian, who appeared to be in his 70s, was unconscious but breathing. The team then sprung into action, with Veenoshini checking the man's pulse while Subhashini called for an ambulance. Initially, the team thought that he was having a seizure and placed a metal key in his hand to alleviate his symptoms, but they later discovered that he had low pulse and had stopped breathing. Immediately, Shareen and paramedics from Customs' emergency response team administered CPR. While waiting for an ambulance to arrive, they inserted an oropharyngeal tube, placed a manual resuscitator, and continued CPR on the man, until his pulse eventually became normal. 'Every second counts, and so does every person' Reflecting on the incident, the nurses highlighted the importance of being alert and knowing basic first aid procedures. "If you can make a difference in an emergency, please step up. Learn basic first aid — it's so important," said Veenoshini. Despite being overwhelmed when the man's pulse kept dropping, she managed to compose herself and was motivated by the desire to keep him alive. Shareen agreed, saying that "preparedness is everyone's responsibility" and that "every second counts, and so does every person". "This experience reminded me that being a healthcare worker means being ready anywhere, anytime," Nanthiine said, also highlighting the importance of non-healthcare professionals learning CPR and first aid. Responding to queries from AsiaOne, Ivan Khor and Sherrie Lim, CEOs of Parkway East Hospital and Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital respectively, said that they are incredibly proud of the nurses for their quick thinking and skill that saved a life. "They demonstrated how compassion and commitment to care is not based on a uniform we wear, but a selfless calling we live by, on or off duty," they added. [[nid:719914]]
AsiaOne
12-08-2025
- Health
- AsiaOne
'We have to be ready anywhere, anytime': Off-duty healthcare professionals from Singapore revive elderly man in JB, Singapore News
A team of off-duty patient care associates (PCAs) from Parkway East Hospital and Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital managed to save an elderly man's life after resuscitating him at a carpark in Johor Bahru. The incident happened on Saturday (Aug 9) around 4.30pm, when Veenoshini Sandrasagan, Subhashini Subramaniam and Shareen Kaur Rangit Singh were going back home to Johor Bahru after completing a morning shift at the hospital. Two PCAs from Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, Nanthiine GudialKumara and Hemaadewi Balakrishnan, were also part of the group. The group of PCAs were waiting for a ride at Johor Bahru Customs when they heard a woman shouting for help and saw that an elderly man had collapsed. The Australian, who appeared to be in his 70s, was unconscious but breathing. The team then sprung into action, with Veenoshini checking the man's pulse while Subhashini called for an ambulance. Initially, the team thought that he was having a seizure and placed a metal key in his hand to alleviate his symptoms, but they later discovered that he had low pulse and had stopped breathing. Immediately, Shareen and paramedics from Customs' emergency response team administered CPR. While waiting for an ambulance to arrive, they inserted an oropharyngeal tube, placed a manual resuscitator, and continued CPR on the man, until his pulse eventually became normal. 'Every second counts, and so does every person' Reflecting on the incident, the PCAs highlighted the importance of being alert and knowing basic first aid procedures. "If you can make a difference in an emergency, please step up. Learn basic first aid — it's so important," said Veenoshini. Despite being overwhelmed when the man's pulse kept dropping, she managed to compose herself and was motivated by the desire to keep him alive. Shareen agreed, saying that "preparedness is everyone's responsibility" and that "every second counts, and so does every person". "This experience reminded me that being a healthcare worker means being ready anywhere, anytime," Nanthiine said, also highlighting the importance of non-healthcare professionals learning CPR and first aid. Responding to queries from AsiaOne, Ivan Khor and Sherrie Lim, CEOs of Parkway East Hospital and Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital respectively, said that they are incredibly proud of the PCAs for their quick thinking and skill that saved a life. "They demonstrated how compassion and commitment to care is not based on a uniform we wear, but a selfless calling we live by, on or off duty," they added. [[nid:719914]]
