Nurse core competency cultivation using the checklist-based Kirkpatrick model under the “cross-departmental bed-sharing” mode

The concept of cross-departmental bed-sharing has been introduced to manage the sudden influx of some specialized patients, but concerns remain about whether professional care can be effectively applied. This study aims to evaluate the training effect of the Checklist-Based Kirkpatrick model program on the core competencies of nurses in the “cross-departmental bed-sharing” context. All 76 surgical frontline nurses were included in this study, who were involved in the care of “cross-departmental bed-sharing” patients between January 2024 and June 2024. Based on their current implementation status of cross-departmental nursing, a checklist-based Kirkpatrick model core competency cultivation system was developed to support a six-month training program. The single-group pre-post study method was adopted to compare their scores of the cross-departmental theoretical test, the Competency Inventory for Registered Nurse (CIRN), and the Professional Identity Scale (PIS) before and after the training. Our checklist-based Kirkpatrick model core competency cultivation system could effectively improve the scores of cross-departmental theoretical tests (t = 24.753, P < 0.001), CIRN and its dimensions (t = 3.873 ~ 45.856, all P < 0.001), as well as PIS and its dimensions (t = 6.054 ~ 25.608, all P < 0.001). Both enter and stepwise analysis revealed that improved professional identity of nurses was positively correlated with increased scores of cross-departmental theoretical test (rpartial=0.316 and 0.340, P = 0.010 and 0.004), clinical care (rpartial=0.263 and 0.262, P = 0.034 and 0.026), teaching-coaching (rpartial=0.407 and 0.474, both P < 0.001), interpersonal relationships (rpartial=0.300 and 0.343, P = 0.015 and 0.003), and critical thinking & research aptitude (rpartial=0.433 and 0.426, both P < 0.001). This single-center study may offer innovative practical guidance and evaluation methods for fostering nurses’ core competencies in cross-departmental care, which holds potential value in promoting enhanced nursing quality across the hospital under the“cross-departmental bed-sharing” mode. We developed a novel checklist-based Kirkpatrick model framework for cultivating core competencies among “cross-departmental bed-sharing” nurses. This framework significantly enhanced nurses’ theoretical knowledge, clinical competencies, and professional identity in inter-departmental care settings. It provides an evidence-based, operational strategy for hospital-wide nursing quality improvement under the bed-sharing model.