recovery position

Indications

• victim unable to protect airway

Advantages

• keeps airway open
  • tongue does not block airway
  • fluid can drain from the mouth

Procedure

• with victim in supine position, knee at victim's side
• place victim's near arm with elbow at 90 degrees & hand at side of head
• reach over victim & pull opposite arm across victim's chest, placing back of victim's hand against cheek
• pull victim's far or opposite leg up so that the knee is at a 90 degree angle with the foot flat on the ground
• pull that leg over the victim toward you maintaining the knee at 90 degrees until the medial aspect of the knee contacts the ground, & the victim is lying on their side (slightly prone)
• check the position of the hand in contact with the cheek & lift the chin as needed to open the airway

• lateral position, victim on his/her side, with spine straight
• arms in a position to avoid:
  • compression of chest
  • compression of dependent arm

More general terms

• maneuver

Additional terms

• basic life support (BLS)