Comprehensive Rehabilitation Nursing Management of Bariatric Surgery: Chinese Expert Consensus

Background Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment for obesity and metabolic disorders, yet sustainable outcomes require comprehensive perioperative strategies. In China, the emerging role of case manager in multidisciplinary teams remains underdeveloped, with inconsistent competencies and limited primary care integration. This study aimed to establish a national expert consensus to optimize rehabilitation nursing management for bariatric surgery patients. Methods A modified Delphi protocol was employed. The consensus-building process included two questionnaire rounds, quantitative evaluation via a 5-point Likert scale, and qualitative feedback. Recommendations were developed across preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases, supported by literature reviews and evidence grading. Data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0, with consensus defined as ≥ 80% agreement. Results 54 multidisciplinary healthcare experts from 22 provinces nationwide were recruited. 52 recommendations were finalized, categorized into disease-specific rehabilitation, physiological function, adverse reactions, and general rehabilitation. Median ratings for all recommendations are uniformly 5, with ≥ 87% of ratings scoring 4 or 5, reflecting strong expert alignment. Weak recommendations (30% of total) often align with lower evidence quality and higher coefficient of variation values, highlighting areas needing further research. Conclusions This consensus provides a structured framework for multidisciplinary rehabilitation nursing in bariatric care, emphasizing case manager integration and evidence-based pathways. While addressing critical perioperative challenges, limitations include major hospital bias and reliance on expert opinion. Future priorities include national certification systems, scalable care models, and long-term outcome validation to enhance equitable patient management in China’s growing bariatric population. Trial registration The study is retrospectively registered at National Institute for Health and Care Research (1084722).