AIM: This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a nursing model on the Health Belief Model (HBM) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in patients undergoing surgery for limb fractures. METHODS: A total of 100 patients who underwent limb fracture surgery at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from February 2023 to February 2024 were selected for this study. The research group (n = 58) received nursing care based on the HBM and TPB, while the control group (n = 42) received conventional nursing care. Comparative analyses were conducted on curative effectiveness, the degree of limb swelling, pain intensity (measured by the Visual Analogue Scale [VAS]), symptom recovery time (including pain duration, swelling duration, ambulation time, and length of stay), and self-care management (assessed through behavior management, psychological activities, and status management). RESULTS: The results indicated no significant differences in curative effectiveness between the two groups (p > 0.05). The research group had fewer grade I and II limb swelling cases than the control group (p < 0.05). Additionally, the research group reported lower VAS scores on postoperative days 3 and 7, earlier ambulation, shorter pain and swelling durations, and reduced length of hospital stay compared to the control group (p < 0.01). Furthermore, self-care management scores, including behavior management, psychological activities, and status management, were significantly higher in the research group after treatment compared to the control group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The nursing model based on HBM and TPB provides benefits for patients undergoing limb fracture surgery by reducing swelling, relieving pain, promoting symptom disappearance, speeding up rehabilitation, and enhancing self-care management.