The Recovery Position

[claymore]

I am shortly to do an update course for my St John's Ambulance First Aid Cert.

I understand that the recovery position might have changed now with the added consideration that one should attempt to have the head of the unconscious casualty in a hole or down a step. Whilst I realise that this would assist in preventing the casualty from choking on their vomit - surely the airway will be compromised or at least restricted in this position?

The practice was demonstrated by a crew member of a Jeannaeu 43 DS who assured me that the cabin sole layout had been designed with a step for this specific purpose.

My concerns about the airway are real in that although in the simulation the casualty demonstrated that he could lay in this position for at least 4 hours - the restricted windpipe was obviously hampering his normal breathing mechanism. Fortunately the human body seems to be fitted with a sophisticated back up system and so his bum was able to assist

Naturally I want to be up to date with the syllabus so any other changes that people know of would be greatly appreciated.

[jim.r]

Suppose the cast iron test is "Did it work?" Was the victim concious and start talking coherently?

[tcm]

Hm. Always a problem trying to imagine these scenarios when it would be so much better with an illustration. (un)Fortunately I believe that even modern cameras lose all their data after a severe impact.