Objective To explore the effect of FASTHUG cluster management model in the care of critically ill elderly patients. Methods Eighty-five critically ill elderly patients admitted to the intensive care unit（ICU） of a hospital in Henan from April 2019 to June 2021 were selected for this study. The patients were divided into an observation group（n=43） and a control group（n=42） using the random number table method. Patients in the control group received conventional ICU care

and patients in the observation group were cared for with the FASTHUG cluster management model on the basis of the control group. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation-Ⅱ（APACHE-Ⅱ） and Gastrointestinal Failure（GIF） scores of patients in the 2 groups were compared before and at 2 weeks of intervention. Complications at 2 weeks of intervention were compared between the 2 groups of patients. Results Before the intervention

there was no statistically significant difference between the APACHE-Ⅱ and GIF scores of the 2 groups（P >0.05）; after the intervention

the APACHE-Ⅱ and GIF scores of the 2 groups were lower than before the intervention and lower in the observation group than in the control group

with statistically significant differences（P<0.05）. The complication rate of patients in the observation group was 4.66%

which was lower than that of 19.04% in the control group

and the difference was statistically significant（P<0.05）. Conclusion The clinical effect of FASTHUG clustering management model applied in the care of critically ill elderly patients is significant. It effectively promotes the patients’ recuperation and the recovery of gastrointestinal functions while also reduces the incidence of complications

and is worthy of clinical promotion.