Objective To explore the effect of nursing intervention based on self-efficacy theory guidance in the care of patients with post-hepatitis B cirrhosis. Methods A total of 830 patients with post-hepatitis B cirrhosis admitted to a hospital in Henan from January 2019 to January 2021 were selected as study subjects. They were divided into an observation group（n=41） and a control group（n=42） according to different nursing methods. Patients in the control group were given conventional care

and patients in the observation group were given nursing interventions based on selfn-efficacy theory on the basis of the control group. The Exercise of Self-Care Agency（ESCA）

Self-Rating Depression Scale（SDS）

Self-Rating Anxiety Scale（SAS） and Symptom Checklist-90（SCL-90） scores were compared between the two groups before the intervention and at the time of discharge. Results There was no statistically significant difference in the scores of health knowledge level

self-care skills

self-care responsibility and self-concept dimensions in the ESCA before the intervention between the 2 groups of patients（P>0.05）. At the time of discharge

the scores of health knowledge

self-care skills

self-care responsibility and self-concept dimensions in ESCA were higher in both groups than before the intervention and higher in the observation group than in the control group

with statistically significant differences（P<0.05）. There was no statistically significant difference between the SDS and SAS scores of the 2 groups before the intervention（P>0.05）; at discharge

the SDS and SAS 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 differences were not statistically significant（P>0.05） when comparing the scores of physical ability

sleep quality

interpersonal relationship

emotion and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in SCL-90 before the intervention; at discharge

the scores of physical ability

sleep quality

interpersonal relationship

emotion and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in SCL-90 were higher than those before the intervention and higher in the observation group than in the control group

with statistically significant differences（P<0.05）.Conclusion Nursing intervention based on self-efficacy theory can improve self-efficacy care ability and quality of life of post-hepatitis B cirrhotic patients while reducing their negative emotions.Therefore

it is worthy of clinical application.