Optimization of nursing care for patients with acute intestinal obstruction using dedicated multidisciplinary team

BACKGROUND Acute intestinal obstruction is a common surgical emergency with high mortality, requiring efficient multidisciplinary collaboration to improve outcomes. AIM To explore the optimization of nursing pathways for patients with acute intestinal obstruction using the multidisciplinary team (MDT) model. METHODS A total of 176 patients with acute intestinal obstruction admitted to the Emergency Department of our hospital between December 2023 and February 2025 were randomly divided into a control group (n = 88) and an intervention group (n = 88) using a random number table. The control group received routine emergency nursing interventions, whereas the intervention group received emergency nursing pathway interventions under the MDT model. The groups were compared in terms of emergency treatment efficiency, improvement of clinical symptoms, 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) scores, nursing satisfaction, and early (within 72 hours) intestinal obstruction–related complications-specifically, electrolyte disturbance, strangulated obstruction, and intestinal necrosis/perforation. RESULTS The intervention group had significantly shorter triage, condition assessment, and emergency treatment times (all P < 0.001), faster relief of abdominal pain and vomiting, and earlier return of bowel function (all P < 0.001). The rate of early complications was lower in the intervention group (2.27% vs 10.23%, P = 0.029). Nursing satisfaction was higher (96.59% vs 81.82%, P = 0.002), and post-intervention SF-36 scores were significantly higher (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The MDT-based emergency nursing pathway improves emergency efficiency, relieves clinical symptoms, enhances quality of life and satisfaction, and reduces early intestinal obstruction–related complications in patients with acute intestinal obstruction.