BACKGROUND Older patients often experience thirst after general anesthesia for gastrointestinal surgery, particularly during the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) phase. Thirst not only compromises patient comfort but also induces anxiety, which may hinder recovery. Although previous studies have addressed postoperative thirst, research specifically examining thirst experiences and nursing needs in older patients remains limited. AIM To explore thirst experiences and nursing needs of older PACU patients following gastrointestinal surgery, aiming to inform targeted interventions. METHODS This study employed a phenomenological approach within a qualitative research framework. A purposeful sampling method was used to select 12 older patients who underwent gastrointestinal surgery under general anesthesia at a tertiary hospital in Shanghai between November and December 2024. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step method. Themes were extracted from the interview data. RESULTS Analysis of the interview data identified four main themes and eight subthemes: (1) Intense sensations of thirst post-surgery (subjective experience of thirst and duration of thirst); (2) Emotional experiences of thirst-related discomfort (anxiety, irritability, and helplessness); (3) Practical challenges in relieving thirst (limitations of current interventions and nursing response time); and (4) Patient expectations of nursing care (desire for more timely interventions and expectation for more proactive attention from nursing staff). CONCLUSION Older patients frequently experience substantial thirst discomfort after gastrointestinal surgery under general anesthesia. A multidisciplinary perioperative intervention plan is essential to alleviate these symptoms and enhance postoperative comfort.