Aim: Over 34,000 Japanese patients suffer from a persistent disturbance of consciousness. The purpose of
this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the “Elevated Position” Nursing Care Program (EPNCP) in
promoting the reconditioning of patients with acute cerebrovascular disease (ACD). The primary assumption
of this study was that they could experience the reconditioning process and would reach a reconditioned
state through their involvement in the EPNCP, thus improving their level of consciousness and quality of life.
Method: A historical controlled trial study, based on an intention-to-treat analysis of hospitalized patients
with ACD who became participants the day after starting medical or surgical treatment, was used. Trained
nurses implemented the EPNCP from May to September 2005 for an experimental group of 45 participants.
The data on two independent control groups of 92 and 40 patients with ACD were gathered from historical
medical records. The six measures were: Japan Coma Scale; Level of Cognitive Functioning Assessment