A developmental teaching method applied to a select group of nursing students

This study investigates the relationships between Integrated Skills Reinforcement (ISR), an instructional method that reinforces basic skills, student reading comprehension and student attrition rates using a quasi-experimental method. Ninety-three junior level baccalaureate nursing students at a city university participated in the study. One class of 42 students taught by the ISR method was designated the treatment group. Another class of 51 students taught by the lecture method served as the comparison group. Reading comprehension data were collected by retest and posttest the second and twelfth weeks of the semester, respectively, using the Descriptive Test of Language Skills (DTLS). Differences between the comparison and treatment group mean scores on the DTLS were not statistically significant (p < .05), however, both groups evidenced a trend toward improvement. These findings indicate that both the traditional lecture method and the ISR method effectively improve reading comprehension levels. Comparison group experienced attrition at 22.5 percent (13 students). By contrast, all 42 students in the treatment group completed the course. Possibly, some elements of the ISR method viably reduce attrition in the school of nursing at this city university.