Objective: To investigate and summarize the effect of narrative nursing on anxiety and depression in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, and to provide reference for the formulation of clinical nursing plan. Methods: A total of 61 patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting were selected. 31 cases of narrative nursing were taken as the research group, and routine nursing was used in the other 30 cases as control group. Depression and anxiety were assessed by Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) before, 7 days after and 14 days after surgery. Results: Totally 61 patients were successfully operated and no case died during hospitalization. There was no significant difference in SAS and SDS scores between the 2 groups before surgery. The SAS scores in the study group were 57.9±4.2, 50.8±4.9, 47.1±5.0 on the day of admission,7 days after operation and 14 days after operation, respectively, while those in the control group were 58.4±3.7, 57.9±5.2, 55.7±6.2. There were significant differences between the two groups after intervention (t=5.490, 5.973, P<0.01). The SAS score of the study group decreased 7 days after operation and 14 days after operation compared with that of the admission day (t= 6.125, 9.209, P < 0.01). The SDS scores in the study group were 54.3±4.6, 49.4±4.7, 42.7±4.8 on the day of admission,7days after operation and 14 days after operation, respectively, while those in the control group were 54.1±5.1, 52.3±5.6, 51.6±5.2. There were significant differences between the two groups after intervention (t=2.194, 6.949, P<0.01). SDS scores in the study group decreased 7 days after operation and 14 days after operation compared with the day of admission in this group, with significant differences (t=4.148, 9.715, P < 0.01). Conclusions Narrative nursing is helpful to relieve anxiety and depression in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.