To explore the effect of nursing intervention based on continuity model on psychological stress state of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A total of 128 patients with RA in our hospital from January 2015 to January 2017 were selected and divided into 2 groups by random number table method, 64 cases in each group. The control group received routine nursing, and the observation group received nursing intervention based on continuity model. The physiological function recovery, psychological stress, negative psychology, trait coping style and quality of life were compared between the 2 groups. Compared with the control group, the first time to get out of bed, the time to subside swelling of upper limb and the length of hospital stay in the experimental group were significantly shorter, the sleep time was significantly longer, and the visual analog scale score was significantly lower in the experimental group (all P < .05). After receiving nursing intervention, the psychological stress scores of somatizations, anxiety and depression of all patients were significantly lower than before nursing, and the above scores of the observation group were significantly lower than those of the control group (all P < .05). After nursing, the positive coping score, negative coping score and quality of life score of all patients were significantly higher than those before nursing, and the above scores of the observation group were significantly higher than those of the control group (all P < .05). Nursing intervention based on continuity model can promote the recovery of physical function, improve psychological stress and negative emotions, and improve the quality of life of patients with RA, which is worthy of clinical application.