Structured Nursing Education Linked to Better Colorectal Surgery Outcomes

A retrospective quasi-experimental study found that patients receiving comprehensive, multidisciplinary nursing education after colorectal cancer surgery had better treatment adherence, psychological well-being, quality of life, and nursing satisfaction at six months than patients who received conventional care. The findings suggest that structured education may be a useful component of postoperative nursing, although the study design cannot establish that the intervention directly caused the improvements.

Researchers at The Third Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University studied 120 patients who underwent colorectal cancer surgery between January 2021 and January 2023. Patients were assigned according to admission period to either a control group of 60, who received conventional nursing care, or an intervention group of 60, who received conventional care plus a comprehensive nursing education program delivered through a multidisciplinary approach. Because allocation was based on admission period rather than randomization, the study was retrospective and quasi-experimental; historical differences between the groups may have influenced the results.

The investigators assessed participants after surgery and again six months after discharge. Treatment adherence and nursing satisfaction were evaluated alongside anxiety, depression, and quality of life. Anxiety and depression were measured with the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and Self-Rating Depression Scale, quality of life with the EORTC QLQ-C30, and nursing satisfaction with the Modified Satisfaction Scale. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests, t-tests, Mann–Whitney U tests, and linear mixed-effects models.

At the six-month follow-up, the intervention group had significantly higher treatment adherence and nursing satisfaction than the control group, with both comparisons reported at P < 0.05. Psychological outcomes also differed in the intervention group’s favor. Mean Self-Rating Anxiety Scale scores were 50.47 ± 8.53 in the intervention group and 56.35 ± 7.91 in the control group, while mean Self-Rating Depression Scale scores were 45.02 ± 9.03 and 48.88 ± 9.10, respectively. The corresponding P values were below 0.05. Mean quality-of-life scores were also higher among patients receiving the education intervention, 79.6 ± 10.2 compared with 64.7 ± 10.5 in the control group, P < 0.05.

Linear mixed-effects models confirmed statistically significant intervention effects for the three outcomes reported with numerical effect estimates: a reduction in anxiety with an estimate of −5.52, a reduction in depression with an estimate of −4.06, and an improvement in quality of life with an estimate of 15.35; each was reported at P < 0.05. No significant baseline differences were detected between the groups, with P > 0.05 for the baseline comparisons. Together, the results associate the multidisciplinary education program with improved adherence, lower anxiety and depression scores, better quality of life, and greater nursing satisfaction. The findings support further evaluation of systematic nursing education in postoperative care protocols for colorectal cancer patients, but the single-center, nonrandomized design and the relatively small sample of 120 patients limit causal conclusions and generalizability.

Subject of Research: Effects of multidisciplinary nursing education on postoperative outcomes in colorectal cancer surgery

Article Title: Exploring the role of nursing education in improving patient outcomes in colorectal surgery: a retrospective quasi-experimental study

Article References: Li, J., Li, X., & Xiang, Y. (2026). Exploring the role of nursing education in improving patient outcomes in colorectal surgery: a retrospective quasi-experimental study. BMC Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-026-05468-0

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12912-026-05468-0

Keywords: colorectal cancer surgery, nursing education, postoperative care, treatment adherence, quality of life, anxiety, depression, nursing satisfaction, quasi-experimental study, Exploring, role, nursing