AIM: To ascertain the present status of readiness for hospital discharge (RHD) in individuals after pancreatic cancer (PC) surgery and clarify its influencing factors, providing a reference for formulating an intervention program for RHD in these patients.

METHODS: The current cross-sectional research employed a convenience sampling method. The study selected patients who underwent PC resection at a tertiary hospital from January 2024 to July 2024. Data were collected using general demographic questionnaires, the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale (RHDS), the Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale (QDTS), the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), and the Chinese version of the simplified Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-10 (CD-RISC10). The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multivariate linear regression. The influencing factors of RHD were then elucidated.

RESULTS: 122 PC patients receiving surgery were enrolled, with a mean postoperative RHDS score of (90.84 ± 13.80). The RHDS score of expected support was the highest, followed by adaptability and personal status. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that gender, discharge with tubes, social support, discharge guidance quality, and psychological resilience were independent influencing factors for RHD (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare professionals should pay particular attention to female patients, those discharged with tubes, those with weak social support, and those with low psychological resilience. During hospitalization, diversified health education methods should be employed to enhance the content that patients receive, improve guidance skills, and ultimately increase RHD, thereby improving the patients’ quality of life.