Objective To summarize nursing staff policy in China, sort out its development characteristics and influencing factors, and provide new ideas for improving Chinese nursing human resource allocation policy.Methods The content analysis method was used. We built a three-dimensional framework based on policy tool-policy process-development period to analyse Chinese nursing staff policy. Results A total of 25 government policy files were included in the analysis and 142 policy texts were extracted. The earliest policy file was published in 1978, and 19 policy files were published after 2010. According to different departments to classify, the State Council published 5, and 15 were issued by the National Health Commission, wherein, 5 were issued jointly by two or more departments. For the policy tool dimension, supply-side, demand-side and environment-side accounted for 22.54%, 4.22% and 73.24% respectively. For the policy process dimension, policy planning, policy implementation, policy supervision and policy evaluation accounted for 36.62%, 50.00%, 7.04% and 6.34% respectively. Conclusion The allocation policy of nursing human resources should strengthen the use of demand-oriented policy tools and further coordinate the internal structure of policy tools. We should strengthen the supervision and evaluation function in the policy process, strengthen the cooperation of all parties, and ensure the rational allocation of nursing human resources.