[AlwaysTired]

I truly admire what you did. I was offered a "study guide" from a student sitting next to me and stuck it in my notebook. Later when I got home and looked at it I realized that it was obviously old test questions and answers from a recent semester. I stopped reading it and immediately shredded it. I won't lie and say the temptation wasn't there (I also needed to pull a good grade on this test), and I more than likely would've used the answers had I been younger (not insulting all young people, I was just different then). But it BOTHERED me so badly for the next several days. We too have a code of honor and are supposed to report cheating if we know about it. But I was SO scared. It's my last semester and I'm so close. Anyway..to cut the story short, I studied my rear off for that test (and prayed a lot) and made an 88. I was SO proud of myself. The ones that cheated didn't make much better than me. It still bothers me, I don't know if I did the right thing or not. There were so many factors to consider if I blew the whistle. The girl with the answers is not a nurse yet, but I'm an LPN (it's and ADN program) and I know that she shared the info with her friend who is also an LPN with 18 years hospital experience. Was I going to risk ruining this woman's career? She's a darn good nurse, never could figure out why she would cheat; just being lazy I guess. So just wanted to say that you did the thing that I did not have the courage to do so take pride. I know times are tough but this too shall pass. Good Luck!!

[Nikki422]

The biggest problem with studying from older tests is the fact that SO many programs keep re-using the same tests, semester after semester, year after year. Most of my instructors won't even let us leave the room with an exam booklet, either accidentally or on purpose. If we somehow manage to get out of the room with it, we automatically fail the exam, which in most cases results in a grade below 70% for the course - resulting in a course failure. This can really mess up a nursing students curriculum..with such a planned out course schedule, failing one class can result in an extra year in school.

[RNLULULABAMBA]

My school mate cheated all the way out of nursing school (AAS program). There were rumors all over when we were in school, but we did not have the evidence to come forward. It took her over four years to pass the nclex exam after graduation. By then many of us have earned our BSN and few were working as supervisors in a nursing home. All of those that cheat end up paying the price.

[frstlady]

At my school of nursing, the instructors use the same exams year after year, so for repeaters, it is easy for them to pass the test, which they do not share information from the past semesters. My program is also competitive, so you have to be in good with someone in order to get some help on tests or anything dealing with the nursing program. If someone gives you study material, to me, it is not cheating. If they are giving you test questions and answers then yes, that is cheating. I feel people should not cheat because it will catch up with them eventually, hopefully it will not be one of our love ones in harms way.

[HH71272]

As someone else said, usually cheaters come up short in the end anyway, they're just cheating themselves - although if you're a nursing student, you could be cheating a patient later on, too. Depending on what kind of skill you're being tested on.

I usually don't worry about it being "fair" because a person who has to cheat is most likely not doing that well anyway and it will catch up with them.

Pride in succeeding without having to cheat feels a lot better, too.

[mochabean]

I agree with everyone else that you did the right thing. Integrity is lacking in today's society. If I were one of those people who studied their behinds off, I would be grateful that a couple of students who were attempting to cheat were stopped just in time. It wouldn't have mattered how hard or how long I studied, it has to be an even playing field.

[Stanley-RN2B]

Integrity > Friendship

You can always find friends. When you lose your integrity it's always gone...

I say good job. I'd be glad to work with you.

[voraciousj]

I agree with those above. We had a few students that were cheating their way through our junior year and when I and a few other high-scoring students found out about it, we were beyond angry. It made us feel as though we had wasted precious hours and day s studying and EARNING our good grades, especially when there was no action taken by the professors. However, we know that we truly know and understand the materials; and the ones that were cheating ultimately failed out of our class and will now spend the next year re-taking the classes. I have, however, lost quite a bit of respect for our instructors.

[Proverbs 16:3]

i have to agree that it comes back to bite. I met one girl in my program, who i later found out was a cheater and funny thing is, she couldn't get through the program. We were in our final year and she couldn't do a simple math cath or administer meds. There are others who've cheated in school and haven't been able to pass their boards since they graduated.

To the OP, i have blown the whistle before and no one realized who blew the whistle. I blew it right in the middle of the exam but i was so subtle about it and the instructor was smart - she waited for sometime after myself and a bunch of other students had gone away from her before confronting the cheaters so it didn't look like i was the one who told on them.
You definately did the right thing, yes people aren't gonna like you for that but in all honesty, you're keeping people who don't know what the heck they're doing from the nursing profession. If anyone wants to get into the profession, they need to work hard and have a good knowledge base. The first time i saw cheating in my program, i was equally appalled and surprised. Someone told me "it happens everywhere", whatever....

Originally Posted by RNLULULABAMBA

My school mate cheated all the way out of nursing school (AAS program). There were rumors all over when we were in school, but we did not have the evidence to come forward. It took her over four years to pass the nclex exam after graduation. By then many of us have earned our BSN and few were working as supervisors in a nursing home. All of those that cheat end up paying the price.