Objective To explore the intervention effect of humanized nursing intervention combined with position management on patients undergoing thoracoscopic mediastinal tumor resection. Methods Data of 84 patients who underwent thoracoscopic resection of mediastinal tumor from April 2021 to June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 42 patients who underwent routine intervention and position management intervention were included in the control group, and 42 patients who received humanized intervention on the basis of position management were included in the observation group. Before intervention and at 24 h and 48 h of intervention, the nursing compliance （using the self-made nursing compliance scale）, pain levels [using the numerical rating scale （NRS）], and postoperative rehabilitation indicators （time to get out of bed, time of thoracic drainage tube retention, and length of hospital stay） of the two groups were assessed and compared. Results The compliance scores of both groups of patients at 24 h and 48 h of intervention were higher than those before intervention, and the scores of the observation group were higher than those of the control group （P<0.05）. The NRS scores of both groups of patients at 24 h and 48 h of intervention decreased compared to before intervention, and the scores of the observation group were lower than those of the control group （P<0.05）. There was no significant difference in the time to get out of bed, retention time of thoracic drainage tube, and length of hospital stay between the two groups （P>0.05）. Conclusion The application of humanized intervention combined with position management in patients undergoing thoracoscopic mediastinal tumor resection can improve their compliance with position management and help alleviate postoperative pain.