To investigate the present situation of lymphedema clinics in 60 hospitals and provide reference for the management and development of lymphedema nursing clinic.

Convenience sampling method was used to select 60 hospitals that had set up lymphedema nursing outpatient service. A self-designed questionnaire was conducted for the heads of lymphedema nursing clinics from June 10th 2021 to August 15th, 2021 using electronic questionnaires.

Lymphedema clinics had been opened since 2015 and developed rapidly in recent years. The outpatient service mainly took the form of specialized outpatient service for lymphedema, accounted for 61.67%(37/60), and also existed in the form of combined breast rehabilitation, ostomy, catheter maintenance, etc. There was a great difference in the frequency of outpatient service in hospitals, 46.67%(28/60) had outpatient service every day, 36.67% (22/60) had outpatient service only half a day every week. The number of outpatient patients was relatively low, 61.67%(37/60) of the hospitals had no more than 10 patients per week, and only 8.33% (5/60) had more than 50 patients per week. There were only 26 full-time nurses accounted for 14.94%(26/174), and the international lymphedema therapist certification rate was 36.21% (63/174). Training institutions included foreign introduced training programs, domestic and foreign cooperation programs, overseas training and local training, etc. 100.00% (60/60) of the hospitals participating in the survey adopted comprehensive detumescence therapy, combined with auxiliary motor muscle energy binding technology 51.67% (31/60), air wave pressure therapy 48.33% (29/60), traditional Chinese medicine therapy 16.67% (10/60), etc. According to the survey of charging situation, only 14 hospitals accounted for 23.33%(14/60) had special charging, among which 12 hospitals accounted for 20.00%(12/60) had official charging approval.

Lymphedema clinics have been developed and the ranks of lymphedema therapists are growing. The relevant departments should strengthen the standard management of lymphedema clinic, clarify the qualifications of visiting personnel, establish the standard of outpatient fees, promote the sustainable development of lymphedema clinic, and finally improve the quality of life of patients with lymphedema.

Lymphedema; Cross-sectional study; Nursing clinic; Lymphedema therapist; Complete decongestive therapy