Which patient should you place in the recovery position?

• A. 31-year-old semiconscious male with low blood sugar and adequate breathing
• B. 19-year-old conscious male with a closed head injury and normal respirations
• C. 24-year-old unconscious female who overdosed and has a reduced tidal volume
• D. 40-year-old conscious female with a possible neck injury and regular respirations

Answer: (A)

Placing someone in the recovery position is done for an unresponsive or semiconscious patient who is breathing adequately. The side-lying position helps keep the airway open by preventing the tongue from falling back and allows any secretions or vomit to drain, reducing the risk of aspiration.

In this scenario, the semiconscious patient is breathing adequately, so turning him onto his side to maintain airway patency is appropriate. The other scenarios involve either a conscious patient (no need to reposition for airway protection), a patient with impaired ventilation who needs assistance rather than simply lying on the side, or a suspected neck injury (moving them could worsen injury or disrupt immobilization). Thus, this semiconscious patient with adequate breathing is the best candidate for the recovery position.