Cheaters!

angelmedicla · Mar 22, 2008

I can relate to your scenario completely... I too have seen a lot of cheaters in the program. The fact of the matter is?? They are only cheating themselves and may end up hurting a client somewhere in there career, because of it. Hopefully, they will not get that far into the program.

In my program, they are sooooo strict about cheating that if you are caught, you are automatically thrown out. Also, our professors encourage us to rat on cheaters. I have no problem with that.

It just kills me, like you say to have busted your butt for a grade and then :rolleyes: have some slacker pass the test and essentially be rewarded for cheating.

mrs.captain.kangaroo · Mar 23, 2008

I have a friend who is a teacher and she has had problems with cheating in the past. She has put into practice ways to prevent cheating such as all tests proctored, nothing allowed on the table except what is needed for the test, all other items in front of the room away from where the students taking the tests are, varying seating for tests so friends don't next to one another, no cell phones on, if person misses a test, they get a different one...prevention is the best way to go.

I wouldn't mention any names as it is hard to prove cheating and your teacher would have to catch someone in action in most schools, but if there is someone you can talk to in a general way, I'm sure they would appreciate it. No one wants cheaters in their program who later on cannot pass the NCLEX, as they can't cheat on that. There are even some articles on the internet about preventing cheating, which your teachers can look up, I can't recall the links offhand, but it is a big problem in a lot of schools.

RNDreamer · Mar 23, 2008

I have a certain group of cheaters in my pre-req classes. It's so obvious because these folks will all sit together at the back of class, and the profs are well aware of it. Since the profs do nothing about the cheating but say things like "stop talking, you're taking an exam!", I don't sweat it.

I also don't sweat it because they will get a rude awaking when we get into the professional phase next semester. Some friends of mine, who graduated from the same program I am in now, have told me that the Nursing Dept takes cheating very seriously, and they've known people who have been kicked out of the program because of it.

So, they can have their "fun" now, it will be over come next semester. Should I warn them that they will actually have to LEARN something next semester?

NAH!

jaywolves · Mar 23, 2008

This is a frustrating topic for a lot of reasons. I'm a career-changer. Going into nursing after 15 years in something else. I'm back in the classroom after a decade and a half of not being in one.

What I can tell you with absolute certainty is that justice may never happen. Sure, it's wonderful to have the belief that one day they will be tested and not have the answer. One day, there may come a time when they will have to rely on their own ability and not have it and fall flat on their face.

Truth of the matter is cheating is something that is done by the lowest of life forms. Those without the passion and commitment to do their own jobs. They've gotten all the way to college by behaving this way. It didn't JUST start. They've been doing this same crap since grade school. Now they're in nursing school and still getting by with it. They'll miracle a way through their boards and they'll one day be working along side those of us who have integrity, who have earned our spot on the team. These will be those co-workers that half-ass everything they touch. That leave their work for others. Who neglect patients, who leave entire nursing home's full of people lying in their beds when flood waters are running in the front door.

These half-asses are everywhere, in every industry. Usually their quick wit and ability to brown-nose will get them promoted right up the chain of command into some kind of management role. It's life.

If you have an opportunity to put an end to it now - do it. For the love of God, ruin their day. Do it now before they have someone's life in their hands.

From someone who is WAY tired of working with idiots - please do it. Every industry would be a good one if we could limit the number of morons in it. In nursing, you owe it to your patients!

Don't stand by and watch this. If you know they're cheating, pass the anonymous tip and let them get caught. You wouldn't want them working on your kids would you? How about your mom? Wife? Husband?

GottaGetIn · Mar 23, 2008

I couldn't see anyone in our program cheating...Really! Our tests are monitored by two instructors...We're not even allowed to wear baseball caps. All book bags have to be placed in the front of the room and you can only have your calculator, pencil, test and scantron with you. You're never allowed to take a test out of the room....I just don't see the opportunity. Plus, most of the people in my class are highly motivated adults......I don't know if it makes a difference, but I can't really see anyone in my class cheating, thank goodness! I couldn't imagine having to look my husband and two little girls in the face and say I got kicked out of the nursing program for cheating....Never!

I would be LIVID if I knew someone was cheating in my class. I'm on about hour 15 of studying for my midterm right now.....To bust my ass for a grade that someone might get from cheating would **** me off to no end. While I might not feel comfortable brining up names, I would mention to an instructor that I think it might be going on.

trimeduRN, BSN · Mar 23, 2008

i couldn't see anyone in our program cheating...really! our tests are monitored by two instructors...we're not even allowed to wear baseball caps. all book bags have to be placed in the front of the room and you can only have your calculator, pencil, test and scantron with you. you're never allowed to take a test out of the room....i just don't see the opportunity. plus, most of the people in my class are highly motivated adults......i don't know if it makes a difference, but i can't really see anyone in my class cheating, thank goodness! i couldn't imagine having to look my husband and two little girls in the face and say i got kicked out of the nursing program for cheating....never!
i would be livid if i knew someone was cheating in my class. i'm on about hour 15 of studying for my midterm right now.....to bust my ass for a grade that someone might get from cheating would **** me off to no end. while i might not feel comfortable brining up names, i would mention to an instructor that i think it might be going on.

i know how you feel. i would really be ticked as well. our program is set up sort of like yours. the tests never leave the room. they are all numbered and there are at least 2 to 3 instructors there. i really dont know how they can cheat. if they are looking on someone elses paper, they could be copying the wrong answers.

[color=#9acd32]our programs has nclex style questions. so even if you write down information on the subject, if you cant apply it or connect the dots. you will still fail. in my last med-surg class, they gave up a certain color sheet for each test. we could write down what ever we wanted on the paper and used it on exams, not including the final. but every one found out quickly, that writing down what the disease is doesnt help. you have to know how to connect the dots. but in my others classes, they dont have the summary sheet thing.

[color=#9acd32]but an annymous email or letter under the door would probably alert the proctors to look for such actions by the students.

[color=#9acd32]good luck on your midterms!!!!!! i have an exam this week as well. ob is not as straight forward as i thought it was. :)

[color=#9acd32]

shawn

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Mar 23, 2008

I couldn't see anyone in our program cheating...Really! Our tests are monitored by two instructors...We're not even allowed to wear baseball caps. All book bags have to be placed in the front of the room and you can only have your calculator, pencil, test and scantron with you. You're never allowed to take a test out of the room....I just don't see the opportunity.

For our exams, we have to have everything in the front of the room. Not even allowed to have a bottle of water or anything to drink on the desk. There are at least 3 teachers circulating in the classroom at all times. You cannot leave the room during a test and return. If you have to go to the bathroom and cannot wait, you are escorted into the bathroom by a teacher and escorted back to the classroom, however, no one in the past 13 months has ever left to go to the bathroom. We also cannot have any head covering at all (no scarves, hats, baseball caps etc, not even for religious reasons.) cells phones must be off. Seems as though it would be impossible to cheat right..well..

Even with that all in place, there is still a lot of cheating going on in my class! Don't be so sure to think there isn't opportunity to cheat for those who have a mind set to do so. They will come up with a way to cheat.

jaywolves · Mar 23, 2008

The ridiculous thing is if these people put half that effort into studying, they wouldn't need to cheat!

RNDreamer · Mar 23, 2008

I agree, if they are determined to cheat, they will find a way to do it. It's just a shame that people want to do it in a NURSING program. I would think that if you are going into a field where people's lives are in your hand, you would want to learn as much as possible to decrease your chances of making a fatal mistake. I don't know, maybe it's just the way I think.

Even with that all in place, there is still a lot of cheating going on in my class! Don't be so sure to think there isn't opportunity to cheat for those who have a mind set to do so. They will come up with a way to cheat.

GottaGetIn · Mar 23, 2008

Crazy...I can't even imagine it. I don't even dare look up from my paper! lol

DoGood2u · Mar 23, 2008

At my school, the math test is really, really stressful. Without a math class, we have to "tutor" ourselves. We have to pass the last one of the first semester with a 90% or above or don't come to school the next day!

I saw the person next to me cheat on the last test of last semester. Other people saw her cheat too. After the test, I spoke with my study group about it and one person, who works in a hospital environment already said, "Would you want that person to be your nurse?" and she also said that management in a work environment wants to know about people who cut corners but in the end I had to decide what I would do.

Her comments impacted me and I decided to go to the teachers, who were by then correcting the test, and let them know. The first thing they said to me was thank you for coming to them. One teacher even said to me that if she was in the hospital, she would want me for her nurse.

Afterward, the other people who saw the cheater also came forward and told. The cheater didn't get asked to leave - the cheating policy at our school does not provide for that but I think the policy was followed and the cheater probably had to retake the test alone. I know I did the right thing.

Check the cheating policy in your school handbook and see what the policy is at your school.

Nurseinprocess · Mar 24, 2008

You really can't cheat in my program. Most tests have at least two versions, and in some classes we are made to have a seat inbetween us. I think it would take a lot of guts and stupidity to try it.