The recovery position is a safe body position used for a person who is unconscious but still breathing normally. It helps keep the airway open and lowers the chance of choking on saliva, blood, or vomit. This skill matters because the first few minutes of an emergency can protect a person from further harm while trained help is on the way.
Students can learn the basic steps so they are prepared to respond calmly and safely.
Key Facts
- Use the recovery position only if the person is unconscious or not fully responsive but is breathing normally.
- Call emergency services immediately, or tell a specific person to call, before or while giving first aid.
- Airway safety rule: head tilted back plus chin lifted helps keep the airway open.
- Place the far arm across the chest and bend the far knee before rolling the person gently toward you.
- After rolling, keep the top leg bent at about 90 degrees to stop the person from rolling onto their stomach.
- Breathing check: count breaths for 10 seconds, then breaths per minute = breaths counted x 6.
Vocabulary
- Recovery position
- A side-lying position that helps keep an unconscious breathing person's airway open.
- Airway
- The path air follows through the mouth, nose, throat, and windpipe into the lungs.
- Unconscious
- A state in which a person is not awake and does not respond normally to voice or touch.
- Responsive
- Able to react in a meaningful way to voice, touch, or simple instructions.
- Emergency services
- Trained responders such as paramedics, firefighters, or police who provide urgent help during emergencies.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Putting a non-breathing person in the recovery position, which is wrong because a person who is not breathing normally needs CPR and emergency help right away.
- Leaving the person alone after positioning them, which is wrong because breathing can change and the person must be monitored until help arrives.
- Rolling the person roughly or twisting the neck, which is wrong because sudden movement can worsen an injury, especially after a fall or crash.
- Giving food, drink, or medication to an unconscious person, which is wrong because they cannot swallow safely and may choke.
Practice Questions
- 1 You check breathing for 10 seconds and count 3 breaths. What is the person's breathing rate in breaths per minute?
- 2 Emergency services arrive in 8 minutes. If you recheck breathing every 2 minutes, how many breathing checks should you complete before they arrive?
- 3 A person has fainted, is not responding, and is breathing normally, but you suspect they may have fallen from a bike. Explain how you would decide what to do next and how you would reduce the risk of further injury.