The recovery position (safe position) is used during first aid. Placing an unconscious person in the recovery position may save their life. When should a sideways steady position be used and when should it not?

Fixed side positionis one of the so-called safe positions everyone should know.

When an accident occurs or someone faints in the street, every second counts for their he alth and often life.

If such a person is unconscious, but does not require resuscitation - that is, he is breathing on his own - he must be placed in a recovery position, also known as safe, as soon as possible, because this is the only way to ensure the patency of the respiratory tract.

In this position, the victim can continue to breathe freely, and if she begins to vomit, the stomach contents will escape without obstruction and not into the respiratory tract, preventing a serious complication: aspiration pneumonia, also known as Mendelson's syndrome , which develops when bacteria enter the bronchi from the digestive contents.

Lateral position determined step by step

Placing an unconscious person in a safe side position does not require special skills, let alone a lot of effort - even a child is able to do it, provided that he knows how. So let's get to know the next stages of this activity:

  1. When the injured person is lying on his back, the leg closer to the person providing assistance must be bent at the knee and the arm placed under the hip.
  2. The arm on the opposite side must be bent at the elbow and placed on the victim's chest.
  3. Next, we grab the injured person by the shoulder and hip and twist them towards you.
  4. When he is lying on his side, with his hand (the one that is closer to the ground), support his head and gently twist the injured person until his elbow rests on the ground.
  5. This is the right time to open his airways. The head should be gently tilted backwards, the mouth should be directed downwards, and the mouth should be opened. This will prevent airway obstruction due to the tongue collapsing due to the relaxation of the throat muscles, and also create something like an open mouth.feed channel. The victim's hand can be put under his chin, and the other upper limb is bent at the elbow.
  6. Until the ambulance arrives, you must regularly check the breathing of the injured person.

If the injured is a pregnant woman, place her on the left side to prevent impaired circulation in the inferior vena cava and in the abdominal aorta, which could be caused by pressure exerted by the fetus.

Who is not allowed to be placed in the side position?

This position must not be used in unconscious people suspected of having injured the cervical spine - e.g. they were hit by a speeding car or fell from a great height.

Such persons must remain in the same position until the ambulance arrives.

Read also:

  • Corridor to life step by step
  • Heimlich grab

Category:

He alth