Horizontal Integration of Concepts: An Innovative Teaching Strategy.

BACKGROUND:Horizontal integration of a prelicensure nursing curriculum is an innovative discipline-specific teaching-learning strategy for facilitating interactive learning and achievement of quality student learning outcomes. PURPOSE:The purpose of this article is to describe the impact of the horizontal integration of an nursing curriculum on students' attendance, collaboration for interactive learning, course grades, and satisfaction with the course learning outcomes. METHODS:An intervention of horizontal integration of 2 courses, one on nursing research and evidence-based practice and the other on mental health nursing, in an undergraduate nursing curriculum was used. RESULTS:Class attendance and student collaboration improved by 60% to 65%, and final examination scores improved by 14% to 16% for students in the intervention group. CONCLUSION:Horizontal integration of a nursing curriculum is a strategy that can improve class attendance, student collaboration, course grades, and student satisfaction with the course learning outcomes.