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Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effect of different probe placements on the ventral and dorsal sides of the same finger using pulse oxygen saturation monitoring. Methods: This clinical trial used a convenience sampling method in patients admitted to the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University. We enrolled 1330 patients from March to July 2018, including patients who were hospitalized in the intensive care unit (n = 258) and in the general ward (n = 1072). Pulse oxygen saturation measurements obtained from the ventral and dorsal sides of the same finger were compared. This work adhered to the STROBE checklist requirements. Results: We found that pulse oxygen saturation measurements between the dorsal and ventral sides of a finger were not affected by different fingers, disease types, the application of a ventilator, vasoactive drugs, the conscious state of the patient or the instrument model. Conclusion: Our findings suggested no significant difference in saturation measurements with variation in the placement of the pulse oxygen saturation measurement instrument between the dorsal and ventral sides of a finger, regardless of illness severity. We believe that these results could simplify the monitoring procedures performed by nurses and eliminate worries concerning the inaccuracy of data because of varied probe positions. SUMMARY STATEMENT: What is already known about this topic? Early application of digital pulse oxygen measurement in patients with early hypoxia can continuously display their blood oxygen status and can promptly detect hypoxaemia development.Some details may have an impact on clinical comprehension of pulse oximetry values, such as the signal averaging time, data sampling rates and sensor position.In clinical practice, although various medical units adopt different pulse oximeter monitoring instruments, the use of different brands of pulse oximeters requires the placement of the fingernail bed and probe on the same side during finger insertion. What is already known about this topic? In our study, we investigated whether the oxygen saturation measurements obtained from the ventral and dorsal sides of the same fingers in either hand were credible.Factors that affected the perfusion status of the fingertip (i.e. ventilator use, vasoactive drugs and coma) had no effect on the consistency of the oxygen saturation measurements obtained from the ventral and dorsal sides of the same fingers of either hand.Even when monitoring patients in, for example, fixed position, with fingers absent and with a range of different disease states, there is no difference between oxygen saturation measurements on the ventral and dorsal sides of fingers of either hand. The oxygen saturation measurements were found to be reliable. The implications of this paper: Placement of the probe on the dorsal or ventral sides of the fingers does not affect the pulse oxygen saturation measurement in patients with a range of different disease states.In clinical practice, the oxygen saturation measurement results from the ventral and dorsal sides of the same finger from either hand are credible. This finding would simplify daily nursing work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]