Objective: To explore the effect of video health education combined with positive psychological nursing on psychological status, rehabilitation compliance, and functional recovery of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Methods: A total of 100 COPD patients admitted to the Geriatrics Department of General Practice in Fuyang Second People’s Hospital from July 2019 to June 2021 were selected as the research objects. They were divided into a control group and an experimental group by random number table method, with 50 cases in each group. The control group received routine nursing mode, and the experimental group received video health education combined with positive psychological nursing mode on the basis of the control group. Both groups were treated until 2 months after discharge. The changes in positive psychology [Happiness Enterpriser Questionnaire (HEIQ)], coping style (Simplified Coping Scale) before and after nursing, rehabilitation compliance, lung function, exercise tolerance (6 min walking distance) and dyspnea [British Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale (mMRC)] before and after nursing were compared between the 2 groups. Results: After nursing, the HEIQ subscales, total scores, and positive coping scores of the experimental group were higher than those of the control group (all P<0.05). After nursing, the positive coping score of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group, and the negative coping score was significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). The compliance of rehabilitation exercise, oxygen therapy, diet, and total score in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group (all P<0.05). After nursing, FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC and 6 min walking distance in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group (all P<0.05), and mMRC score was significantly lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: The implementation of video education combined with positive psychological nursing for COPD patients can improve the psychological state of patients, improve their rehabilitation compliance, and is beneficial to their functional recovery.