Objective: To provide a new management system to increase the quality and safety during the operation through
applicating the broken window theory in the operating room nursing quality management. Methods: From
February 2019 to June 2020, we organized medical staff in the operating room to study the broken window
theory, investigated the nursing quality, nursing satisfaction and safety problems in operating room nursing, and
then analyze the application effect of the theory in the nursing safety management. Results: The incidence of
unsafe events before implementation of the broken window theory were significantly higher than that after the
implementation (16.0% vs 4.0%, P<0.05). After the implementation, the scores of nursing safety management,
standardized drug use, infection control and basic nursing quality in the operating room were higher than those before the implementation (P<0.05). The satisfaction of surgeons, medical staff and patients increased
significantly after implementation as compared with before implementation (P<0.05). Conclusion: The broken
window theory effectively provides a more active intervention model than traditional care, and it deserves further
application in nursing safety management.