₦airaland Forum

My name is Goodness Chioma Mathins. I work as a Nursing Assistant at Startimes Medical Centre in Benin City, Nigeria. I studied Medical Biochemistry and later earned a Master’s degree in Physiology from Imo State University.

But nothing I learned in school prepared me for what I’ve seen in real life.

One day, someone collapsed.

Not in a hospital. Not near a doctor. Just in a normal, everyday environment—with people all around.

People gathered. They panicked. Some shouted. Some brought water. Some just stood there, watching.

But no one knew what to do.

No one checked for breathing.
No one started CPR.
No one acted.

And by the time help came… it was too late.

That moment changed how I see the world.

Because the painful truth is this:
Many people don’t die because their condition is untreatable. They die because help didn’t come early enough.

And sometimes, you are the help.

⸻

💔 Why This Matters

Those first few minutes—before the ambulance, before the hospital—are everything.

That’s where first aid and CPR come in.

Not as “medical knowledge.”
But as a life skill everyone should have.

Because emergencies don’t send invitations.

⸻

🚨 How to Do CPR (Simple Guide Anyone Can Follow)

If someone collapses and is not responding:

1. Check responsiveness
Tap them and shout: “Are you okay?”

2. Check breathing
If they’re not breathing or only gasping, act immediately.

3. Call for help
Ask someone nearby to call emergency services.

4. Start chest compressions

* Place both hands in the center of the chest
* Push hard and fast
* Aim for 100–120 compressions per minute
* Depth: about 2 inches (5 cm)
* Let the chest fully rise between compressions

👉 You should press on the person’s chest 100 to 120 times every minute during CPR.

5. Don’t stop
Continue until:

* The person starts breathing, or
* Help arrives

👉 If trained, you can add rescue breaths (30 compressions : 2 breaths), but hands-only CPR is still effective.

⸻

⚠️ The Truth Most People Ignore

You don’t need to be a doctor to save a life.

You just need to:

* Stay calm
* Act fast
* Know the basics

Doing something is often better than doing nothing.

⸻

💡 Final Thought

One day, someone might collapse in front of you.

It could be a stranger.
It could be your friend.
It could be your parent.

And in that moment, nothing else will matter except one question:

“Do you know what to do?”

I don't get it.

If the person in question collapsed in front of you, why didn't you perform the CPR? You are the one with the training. How many average Nigerian do you think knows about CPR, yet how to perform it?

Besides, you could put yourself in trouble if you're not certified for First Aid/CPR.

Take this your lecture to Nigerian Police first.

If you're performing CPR and the person eventually dies or is even dead before you start.

The police will arrest you that you killed the person. In fact the some people there will first hold you.
They will even accuse you of being a ritualist.

That's why people don't help accident victims.

The fear of Nigerian police's bad ways is the beginning of wisdom. Helping victim is not the problem but you see those niggas in black shirt ehn..

Bankowner:
I don't get it.

If the person in question collapsed in front of you, why didn't you perform the CPR? You are the one with the training. How many average Nigerian do you think knows about CPR, yet how to perform it?

Besides, you could put yourself in trouble if you're not certified for First Aid/CPR.

God bless you for this. I was just about to say this.

You're a medical practitioner and someone collapsed in front of you but it is others with no medical experience you're blaming for not performing a medical procedure. Is that not madness?

Thank you for the information, we learn everyday.

Keep saving life's and God bless you.

Whats d full meaning of CPR??...🏃

If you do am, the person nor survive especially,if you dey unrelated to the collapsed person,


...........then, Nigeria police go say you be suspect number 1



Na Kuje you see so.

You are a medical practitioner with a skill almost every Nigerian in an emergency situation do not have but instead of you to rract in the emergency situation, you were busy scanning the reactions of others who were trying to help in their own little way. The advice you just gave, did you give it to those trying to resuscitate the person who collapsed or this is another random tale of things that didn't happen. Call emergency services indeed. How many emergency services are readily available or have contacts that are easily reachable in time of emergencies

Be a volunteer of Nigerian Redcross Society in your community 🤷🏿

You'll learn all this for free📌.

Kudos to Op, I have witnessed a situation were a woman collapsed and fellow woman checked her for breathing, before starting to chest compression her continuously until she regain herself.

@Erad...@Bankowner @Koolmexxi

Where did the OP state that someone collapsed in front of him/her?

The post says: "Someone collapsed"... Obviously the victim was rushed to the hospital where OP worked, and the post is meant to educate people in cases of medical emergency.

Instead of you people to learn, you are more interested in undermining the post with your baseless assumptions.

We4all:
@Erad...@Bankowner @Koolmexxi

Where did the OP state that someone collapsed in front of him/her?

The post says: "Someone collapsed"... Obviously the victim was rushed to the hospital where OP worked, and the post is meant to educate people in cases of medical emergency.

Instead of you people to learn, you are more interested in undermining the post with your baseless assumptions.

One day, someone collapsed.

Not in a hospital. Not near a doctor. Just in a normal, everyday environment—with people all around.

People gathered. They panicked. Some shouted. Some brought water. Some just stood there, watching.

If she was not there when the person collapsed, then why is she describing the event at the location in first person?

GoodnessMathin:
My name is Goodness Chioma Mathins. I work as a Nursing Assistant at Startimes Medical Centre in Benin City, Nigeria. I studied Medical Biochemistry and later earned a Master’s degree in Physiology from Imo State University.

But nothing I learned in school prepared me for what I’ve seen in real life.

One day, someone collapsed.

Not in a hospital. Not near a doctor. Just in a normal, everyday environment—with people all around.

People gathered. They panicked. Some shouted. Some brought water. Some just stood there, watching.

But no one knew what to do.

No one checked for breathing.
No one started CPR.
No one acted.

And by the time help came… it was too late.

That moment changed how I see the world.

Because the painful truth is this:
Many people don’t die because their condition is untreatable. They die because help didn’t come early enough.

And sometimes, you are the help.

⸻

💔 Why This Matters

Those first few minutes—before the ambulance, before the hospital—are everything.

That’s where first aid and CPR come in.

Not as “medical knowledge.”
But as a life skill everyone should have.

Because emergencies don’t send invitations.

⸻

🚨 How to Do CPR (Simple Guide Anyone Can Follow)

If someone collapses and is not responding:

1. Check responsiveness
Tap them and shout: “Are you okay?”

2. Check breathing
If they’re not breathing or only gasping, act immediately.

3. Call for help
Ask someone nearby to call emergency services.

4. Start chest compressions

* Place both hands in the center of the chest
* Push hard and fast
* Aim for 100–120 compressions per minute
* Depth: about 2 inches (5 cm)
* Let the chest fully rise between compressions

👉 You should press on the person’s chest 100 to 120 times every minute during CPR.

5. Don’t stop
Continue until:

* The person starts breathing, or
* Help arrives

👉 If trained, you can add rescue breaths (30 compressions : 2 breaths), but hands-only CPR is still effective.

⸻

⚠️ The Truth Most People Ignore

You don’t need to be a doctor to save a life.

You just need to:

* Stay calm
* Act fast
* Know the basics

Doing something is often better than doing nothing.

⸻

💡 Final Thought

One day, someone might collapse in front of you.

It could be a stranger.
It could be your friend.
It could be your parent.

And in that moment, nothing else will matter except one question:

“Do you know what to do?”

Come and clarify why you didn't do the CPR since you were there abi something dey your head?

We4all:
@Erad...@Bankowner @Koolmexxi

Where did the OP state that someone collapsed in front of him/her?

The post says: "Someone collapsed"... Obviously the victim was rushed to the hospital where OP worked, and the post is meant to educate people in cases of medical emergency.

Instead of you people to learn, you are more interested in undermining the post with your baseless assumptions.

But nothing I learned in school prepared me for what I’ve seen in real life.

Is English language that difficult for you to know that the writer was narrating what she experienced first hand? How can you narrate what you didn't experience in the first person? She said it categorically, "what I've seen in real life". What does that mean to you?

Bankowner:
Is English language that difficult for you to know that the writer was narrating what she experienced first hand? How can you narrate what you didn't experience in the first person? She said it categorically, "what I've seen in real life". What does that mean to you?

Now I agree that ignorance is a disease. Fyi, a writer can narrate an event in the first-person to tell stories and explain historical events even if she didn't witness or experience it.

The idea is to create a strong voice and build immediacy that readers can relate to. Novelists, authors..etc write real life events in the first person and don't have to be physically present to create that narrative.

erad:
One day, someone collapsed.

Not in a hospital. Not near a doctor. Just in a normal, everyday environment—with people all around.

People gathered. They panicked. Some shouted. Some brought water. Some just stood there, watching.

If she was not there when the person collapsed, then why is she describing the event at the location in first person?

A writer can narrate an event in the first-person to tell stories and explain historical events even if she didn't witness or experience it.

The idea is to create a strong voice and build immediacy that readers can relate to. Novelists, authors..etc write real life events in the first person and don't have to be physically present to create that narrative.

We4all:
A writer can narrate an event in the first-person to tell stories and explain historical events even if she didn't witness or experience it.

The idea is to create a strong voice and build immediacy that readers can relate to. Novelists, authors..etc write real life events in the first person and don't have to be physically present to create that narrative.

SMH!

We4all:
Now I agree that ignorance is a disease. Fyi, a writer can narrate an event in the first-person to tell stories and explain historical events even if she didn't witness or experience it.

The idea is to create a strong voice and build immediacy that readers can relate to. Novelists, authors..etc write real life events in the first person and don't have to be physically present to create that narrative.

A writer will write in the first person for the character they create in their work. And that character is who does or says things in the first person even though it is written by the writer.

If you're saying the writer is the character in their own write up, then it beholds on her to do the CPR.

Bankowner:
Is English language that difficult for you to know that the writer was narrating what she experienced first hand? How can you narrate what you didn't experience in the first person? She said it categorically, "what I've seen in real life". What does that mean to you?

Stop embarrassing yourself with your overated comprehension skills. The points we are raising is she witnessed these things but still didn't apply the advice she's trying to dish out. What was her reaction while every other person was "failing" the victim?

Koolmexxi:
Stop embarrassing yourself with your overated comprehension skills. The points we are raising is she witnessed these things but still didn't apply the advice she's trying to dish out. What was her reaction while every other person was "failing" the victim?

You certainly are high on something for jumping into a conversation you, as a typical Nigerian, failed to read the trail. Or are you trying to be overly smart to gain attention?

Go to the beginning of the thread and stop embarrassing yourself. Poking your nose into what isn't your business.

Why would you out yourself?....give your name and place if employment? They need to fire you. I'm not sure ... but isn't a medical practitioner obligated to offer medical assistance under such circumstances? You did not...and worse ...be on SM blaming untrained clueless passers by for not doing what you're supposed to do. And is that what they taught you? ... to compress the victim's chest 100 to 120 times per minute? ...like twice per second? ...can you do that? Abeg...correct your misinformation before readers go out there and commit murder.