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.