The Recovery Position:

Essential Information for Everyone.

The recovery position is simple to do, very effective and can and has saved lives. It is vital to ensure an unconscious person is put in this position as it clears airways. The UK's Hillborough Disaster was responsible for an even higher death toll simply because people were left unconscious lying on their backs on the ground, many of them choking or suffocating. When someone OD's, if you don't feel able to do any CPR, turning them on their side into the recovery position is a good way of ensuring their airways are clear and their is no chance of their tongue, or vomit, bloking their respiration. There are a couple of variations on the recovery theme, this one is from the Red Cross.

Here's how to do it:

1) Check for danger, firstly to yourself, bystanders and then the casualty

2. If there is no immediate danger present check to see if the person is conscious by tapping the bottom of their foot, pinching an earlobe, and asking if they can hear you or open their eyes

3. If they don't respond CALL AN AMBULANCE IMMEDIATELY ON 999 (UK) (000 Australia, 911 USA) if you haven't already done so. If you can't perform CPR then turn the person into the lateral recovery position.

 

• Gently move the casualty so they are laying on their back

 

• Place the arm furthest from you out perpendicular to the body
• Place the hand closest to you on the opposite shoulder
• Place the knee closest to you up at a right angle

• With one hand under their shoulder & the other under their knee push the casualty onto their side

• Place the bent knee into a right angle, so the casualty doesn't roll over onto their front



• Check to see if the casualty is breathing, if they are keep them on their side and monitor their condition until the ambulance arrives
• If they are not breathing begin administering EAR (Mouth to mouth)
• If they do not have a pulse begin administering CPR - (chest compressions)