Which of the following patients should you place in the recovery position?

The recovery position is designed to help maintain an open airway in patients who are unconscious or semiconscious but still breathing adequately. In this case, the best candidate for the recovery position is the semiconscious male with low blood sugar and adequate breathing.

Placing him in the recovery position helps prevent aspiration if he were to vomit and maintains respiratory function by positioning the airway in a way that promotes unobstructed airflow. Since he is semiconscious, he is not fully aware but still breathing adequately, making this position particularly appropriate because it provides safety while monitoring his condition until further treatment can be provided.

The other patients present risks that make the recovery position less suitable. For example, the conscious female with a possible neck injury should not be moved into the recovery position as this could exacerbate her condition. Similarly, the conscious male with a closed head injury might also be better monitored in a position that offers less risk of neck movement. The unconscious female who overdosed and has a reduced tidal volume requires immediate medical intervention due to her compromised breathing and should be placed in a position that allows for immediate access to airway management, rather than the recovery position where monitoring might be a challenge.