
10/05/2025
Bystanders who would want to perform CPR do not need a training, but guts
There is still a persistent misconception about CPR that bystanders can only help if they have received CPR training. That is not true. People only need guts. They need to dare to pick up an AED, and the device itself then helps them through all the steps.
Every day in the Netherlands, around 40 people suffer a cardiac arrest: simply on the street, in the supermarket or on the sports field. Waiting for professional help then takes too long. The idea that a course is needed to be able to resuscitate therefore throws up a dangerous barrier that costs lives unnecessarily. Bystanders can make the difference: not by their diplomas, but by their courage to act.
Not acting is the biggest risk
Too often people think: ‘I'm not trained, so I'm not allowed to do this.’ But in cardiac arrest, not acting is the biggest risk. AEDs are very easy to operate. The device tells in words exactly what steps the helper should take: it analyses, administers the shock, tells when and at what rate chest compression should be given.
The belief that training and practice are needed first keeps life-savers on the sidelines. Anyone can use an AED. Healthcare providers, AED providers, first aid organisations, initiatives like HeartbeatNu and the government therefore need to clearly communicate this message: CPR with an AED takes guts, not training.