In stroke patients, impaired cerebral blood vessels cut off oxygen supply to
nerve tissue, leading to complications such as shortness of breath, respiratory
muscle weakness, airway obstruction, and aspiration pneumonia. Positioning the
patient with the head of the bed elevated by 30° (the "head-up 30°" position) is a
therapeutic intervention that can lower intracranial pressure and facilitate blood
and oxygen flow to the brain. This study aimed to determine the effect of the head
up 30° position on oxygen saturation levels in patients with non-hemorrhagic
stroke.
The study employed a quasi-experimental design, comparing pre-test and
post-test values. The study population consisted of all stroke patients in the
Multazam Ward at RSU ‘Aisyiyah Ponorogo between January and December 2025
(totaling 221 patients, with a monthly average of 18). The sample size was 18
respondents. Consecutive sampling was used during May and June 2025, and data
were collected by measuring oxygen saturation before and after the application of
the head-up 30° position. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank
Test.
The results showed that half of the respondents (9 or 50.0%) had an oxygen
saturation of 97% before the head-up 30° position was applied, while nearly half
(7 or 38.9%) had an oxygen saturation of 98% after the position was applied. The
study found an effect of the head-up 30° position on oxygen saturation changes in
non-hemorrhagic stroke patients.
In stroke patients, the head-up position facilitates optimal venous return to
the heart; the positive pressure within the blood vessels and the pressure within the
atria are optimized, thereby maximizing the volume of blood returning to the heart.
Keywords: 30° Head-Up Position, Oxygen Saturation, Non-Hemorrhagic Stroke
Patients