Objective:To analyze the impact of staged positioning on sleep quality and complications in postoperative patients with rectal cancer.Methods:A total of 106 patients who underwent rectal cancer surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University from March 2022 to June 2023 were selected as the study subjects.Using a random number table method,they were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group,with 53 cases in each group.The control group was given routine positioning,while the observation group received phased positioning intervention based on the control group's operation.Patients'comfort level was evaluated using the Surgical Posture Comfort Scale(OPCQ),and the pain perception of two groups of patients was compared using the Pain Visual Analog Scale(VAS).The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI)was used to compare the changes in sleep quality before and after intervention,and the incidence of complications was compared between the two groups of patients.Results:After intervention,the OPCQ scores and total scores of the observation group were significantly higher than those of the control group,and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P<0.05).At 12 and 48 hours postop-eratively,both groups showed a decrease in VAS scores,and the observation group had significantly lower scores than the control group at 12 and 48 hours postoperatively.The difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P<0.05).On the 2nd and 3rd day after surgery,the PSQI scores of both groups of patients decreased,and the observation group was significantly lower than the control group(P<0.05).Moreover,the observation group had lower scores than the control group on the 2nd and 3rd day after surgery,and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P<0.05);After treatment,the inci-dence of positional complications in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group,and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion:Implementing staged positional placement after rectal cancer surgery can improve intraoperative positional comfort,improve postoperative pain,and sleep quality,and reduce the risk of positional complications.It is worth promoting and applying.