Introduction: Bariatric Case Managers (BCM) are integral healthcare team members for patients undergoing bariatric surgery in China. As the demand for bariatric surgery increases in China, the number of BCMs has also risen. However, more is needed to know about the perceptions of novice bariatric nurses towards their role as case managers. This study aims to investigate the perceptions of novice Chinese bariatric nurses toward their roles during the early stages of their careers.

Methods: This qualitative study employed semi-structured individual interviews with 15 novice bariatric nurses who received training as BCMs. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed line-by-line, and analyzed thematically. The study was conducted in a bariatric surgery center of a public tertiary hospital in Southern China.

Results: Three themes emerged from the data related to the perceptions of being a BCM: "negotiating the ambiguity of the BCM role’, ‘establishing a core set of behaviors for the BCM role’ and ‘identifying areas of competence to develop a BCM role framework.’ The novice bariatric nurses expressed both positive and negative feelings towards their role. They highlighted the need for further training to improve their qualifications and the importance of support from colleagues, and hospital management.

Conclusions: The findings illuminate the role of the BCM in China. Future research should investigate effective and acceptable job descriptions and cooperation modes between BCMs, colleagues and hospital management. We recommend using these findings to develop training programs for novice BCMs and improve their capacity to provide quality care to patients undergoing bariatric surgery.