Co-teaching strategies and experiences in nursing education: An integrative review of pedagogical practices

Abstract

Background Co-teaching refers to instruction jointly planned and implemented by two or more teachers to achieve shared learning goals. It supports multidisciplinary learning and the development of students' collaboration skills. Although co-teaching is used in nursing education, research has mainly focused on educational sciences and knowledge regarding implementation strategies and experiences of co-teaching in nursing education remains limited. Objectives The aim of this integrative literature review is to analyse and synthesise existing research on co-teaching in nursing education, with a focus on its definitions, implementation strategies, and reported experiences. The purpose was to clarify the conceptual foundations of co-teaching to support pedagogical development in nursing education. Design An integrative literature review. Data sources A literature search was conducted in March 2025 using the PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Cochrane, and ERIC databases. Review methods Study selection and reporting followed PRISMA guidelines. Methodological quality was appraised using JBI criteria. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results Fourteen studies published between 1999 and March 2025 were included. The study designs were mainly descriptive and exploratory. The analysis generated nine themes related to the definition and implementation of co-teaching, interdisciplinary collaboration, shared expertise, student learning, professional development, prerequisites for successful collaboration, and barriers to implementation. Clear shared goals, mutual respect, and effective communication were identified as prerequisites for successful implementation, while lack of time and challenges in aligning teaching practices were perceived as barriers. Overall, both teachers' and students' experiences were predominantly positive. Conclusion Co-teaching appears to be a promising pedagogical approach, with potential to address future nurses' competence needs related to complex care environments, interprofessional collaboration, and clinical reasoning. Successful implementation requires sufficient resources and organisational-level leadership that supports collaboration. Further research is needed to evaluate its effectiveness and outcomes.