Objective To analyze the application value of humanistic care nursing guided by the concept of rapid rehabilitation surgery (ERAS) in patients with gastric cancer.

Methods A total of 120 patients with gastric cancer in the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery of Gansu Cancer Hospital were randomly divided into observation group (ERAS-oriented humanistic care) and control group (routine care), with 60 cases in each group. The postoperative recovery of the two groups was compared, and the improvement conditions of nutritional indicators, negative emotions and quality of life were observed before and after the intervention.

Results Compared with the control group, postoperative exhaust time, defecation time, first feeding time and bowel sound recovery time in the observation group were shorter (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the nutritional indexes (transferrin, hemoglobin and prealbumin) of the observation group after intervention were higher (P < 0.05). After intervention, the scores of quality of life (social function, emotional function, health status, energy) in the observation group were higher than those in the control group, and the scores of Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion Humanistic nursing guided by ERAS concept can effectively promote the rehabilitation of gastric cancer patients, which is of great significance for the improvement of their physical and mental status as well as quality of life.