How ironic that this is an issue in an ethics class

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Our first essay (the final copy) in our ethics class is due two weeks from today. What the professor had us do was bring 2 hard copies to class last week, one goes to him, the other you trade with someone else to edit it, and bring back to class next week.

Well the person's i took home, her wording wasn't easy to understand, so typed in a string of words at a search engine to see if i could clarify a few things, and the first result got it word for word at a website (another site popped up a result as an "essay for sale"). When i clicked on the link and compared, apparently this person has plagiarized their WHOLE essay word for word and signed it as their own (the persons "works cited", which i checked throughly as we were told to, does not contain anything other than some magazine articles).

Now, it's likely that the professor didn't just fall off the turnip truck, and might do some checking of his own and discover this (since we have an honor code, and rules spelled out for this sort of thing), but now i'm kinda stuck on what to do. I don't feel right looking over this like i'm not aware that this isn't original work, yet it doesn't seem like it's my place to be a whistleblower.

But yet in the nursing world, if you know something wrong is going on and you don't say anything, you're just as guilty. :stone

Any suggestions?

Plagarism is one of my soap boxes, possibly because it's been drilled into me my entire schooling career. I also had someone steal some pictures as their own once. It really angered me because 1- I'd put a lot of work into those pictures and 2- I'd sold some prints of it, what if the people who bought them came across it with someone else's name on it and then wondered if I was the theif.

Stealing words is no better. You did the right thing. In our school she would booted out faster than you can sneeze. Unless she happened to play football.

You did the right thing Marie.

Specializes in Acute Dialysis.

Thank you for having the courage to do the right thing. When I graduated from nursing school the class chose a motto. Ours was "Wisdom is knowing what to do next. Skill is knowing how to do it. Integrity is doing it." In a world where integrity is in very short supply you demonstrated an abundance.

Specializes in ICU.

Maybe it is an ethical trick your teacher is playing on you to see if you do the right thing, haha, jk

Maybe it is an ethical trick your teacher is playing on you to see if you do the right thing, haha, jk

I'm thinking not. Entrapment is unethical.

I think you did the right thing Marie.

(I wonder if this is a test the prof designed to showcase ethical vs. unethical behavior?).

steph

was wondering the same thing. You did the right thing Marie.

Specializes in ICU.
I'm thinking not. Entrapment is unethical.

It's a big cycle! lol

Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

Point #1: ETHICS! If she doesn't have them, then what right does she have to join our profession? What will happen when she fails to document something or just copies an assessment on a patient because they "seem" fine? If you could have caught them and prevented harm, you're just as guilty as they are.

Point #2: It's not being a whistleblower. She made a choice and if it gets her kicked out of the program, then so be it. No one forced her to cheat. She did it to herself. I think at every professional school (that considers itself a body of higher learning) plagerism is an offense right up there with hacking into the grade servers. Let the professor know, but say "hey, just leave me out of it."

Point 3: We'll have to deal with this all the time in our professional lives. When I worked in a LTC setting, there were many nurses that wound up on the wrong side of me. They put themselves there by providing substandard care, and trying to lie their way out of it. Residents would wait for me to tell me what they saw/had happen to them. Admittedly, a lot of times the issues were nothing and could have been resolved had the nurse just taken the time to explain why a decsion had been made.

We have a responsibility to ALL our patients to provide the best care we can give. I always look at it as "Would I want this person providing care to me or my family?" If it doesn't happen right, it shouldn't happen at all.

Ok, off my soapbox. Just do it, girl, strike a blow for all of us planning to be caring and professional nurses!

Specializes in Critical Care, Pediatrics, Geriatrics.

You did the right thing! I agree with all the above postings. If she wants to be a nurse then she must learn and DEMONSTRATE ethical behavior, trustworthiness, and personal accountability!

kudos to you Marie! That took real courage.

Specializes in ER, NICU, NSY and some other stuff.

Marie,

I just saw this on out local news website. Thought you might find this interesting....

http://www.kotv.com/news/?111689

OSU's New "F Shriek" Grade

Specializes in Critical Care, Cardiothoracics, VADs.

Haha - I LOVE your avatar!

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