Objective To explore the application effect of special project for nursing quality improvement in the management of negative pressure wound therapy. Methods A total of 66 patients who received negative pressure wound therapy and were managed by special project for nursing quality improvement in the Department of Burns and Plastic Surgery of the People's Hospital of Jiangmen from May to October 2024 were selected as the intervention group. A total of 31 patients who received negative pressure wound therapy and conventional nursing from March to April 2024 were selected as the control group. The compliance rate of negative pressure wound therapy management, inpatient satisfaction, pain score, incidence rate of abnormal management situations, nursing operation level and theoretical knowledge score were compared between the two groups. Results The compliance rate of negative pressure wound therapy management and inpatient satisfaction in the intervention group were higher than those in the control group (P <0.05). The pain score in the intervention group was lower than that in the control group (P <0.05). The incidence rate of abnormal situations in negative pressure wound therapy management in the intervention group was lower than that in the control group (P <0.05). The nursing theoretical and operation scores of negative pressure wound therapy for nursing staff in the intervention group were higher than those in the control group (P <0.05). Conclusion In the nursing management of negative pressure wound therapy, the special project for nursing quality improvement can improve the quality of nursing services, reduce the risk of abnormal situations, relieve patients' pain, promote wound healing, and increase the satisfaction.