Objective To investigate the effect of clinical nursing pathway on patients with cerebral infarction. Methods Two hundred patients with cerebral infarction were randomized by random digit table into the clinical pathway group and the conventional nursing group.The former was managed with the clinical nursing pathway and the latter received conventional nursing. The neurologic impairment and the activities of daily life were assessed respectively by national institute of health stroke scale(NIHSS) and Barthel index(BI).The two groups were compared in terms of hospital stay,medical expense,patient’s satisfaction and curative effect. Results Compared to the conventional nursing group,the clinical pathway group was shorter at hospital stay,lower at lower hospitalization cost,higher at patient’s satisfaction and higher in the score by Barthel index,compared to the conventional nursing group(all P<0.05). Conclusion The application of clinical nursing pathway in patients with cerebral infarction can improve the activities of daily living and the quality of care,shorten length of stay,reduce medical cost and increase patients’satisfaction drgree.