Objective <p>This paper aimed to assess the effectiveness of the Roy adaptation model (RAM)-based nursing with continuity of care in improving mental health and quality of life in patients undergoing tumor resection.</p> Methods <p>A randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 114 patients diagnosed with malignant tumors, who were randomly assigned to either a control group receiving routine nursing care or an observation group receiving RAM-based nursing integrated with continuity of care. Both groups received sustained interventions over a 3-month period. Psychological resilience was assessed using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and quality of life was evaluated with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) at baseline and 3 months after the intervention. Following the intervention, satisfaction with nursing care was assessed through a hospital-designed satisfaction survey.</p> Results <p>Following the nursing intervention, the CD-RISC score of the observation group was higher than that of the control group (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05). The observation group showed higher EORTC QLQ-C30 scores in physical functioning, role functioning, emotional functioning, cognitive functioning, social functioning, and global health status compared with the control group, while scores for fatigue, pain, dyspnea, and insomnia were lower in the observation group than in the control group (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05). Additionally, nursing satisfaction was significantly higher in the observation group compared to the control group (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05).</p> Conclusion <p>The integration of RAM-based nursing with continuity of care significantly enhances postoperative psychological resilience and overall quality of life in patients after tumor surgery. This approach also improves nursing satisfaction, supporting its utility as an effective model for comprehensive postoperative nursing.</p>