I was really disappointed to learn today that one of my classmates, one who has some of the highest grades in class is cheating Apparently numerous classmates have seen her come into exams with answers written on her hand, and small pieces of paper. Today they said she even left her cheat sheet on the desk:down:
In clinicals she was doing treatments we were not signed off on. At first she just said she did finger sticks and I thought maybe she did it without realizing, but then other students told me she'd done other things like eye drops and other treatments involving meds before we were checked off on meds.
I'm just really disappointed because I really like her and I really didn't suspect at all. English is her second language so I've always been so impressed that she is doing so well on exams, but now I find out it's not legit. I was surprised because she didn't pass our first ATI exam even though she has such good grades, but man, I really didn't suspect. I guess I'm just naive about stuff like that.
Do you think the instructors should be told? I don't personally want to tell her since I've not seen the cheating myself and I only know of the one fingerstick on our first clinical day, whereas some of the others have seen much more serious stuff.
Honestly, I don't care so much about the exams because the truth is she's not going to pass boards if she's not learning the material, but the fact that she'd do stuff she's not checked off on, makes me worry that she's may put pts in danger. I'm so disappointed and sort of blindsided by this, I don't know what the best thing to do is.
On a personally note I'm ****** because I am at the top of my class grades-wise and a single mom that's no easy feat. To know that I've been "chasing her" in terms of grades makes me so mad because it's not legit. Some of the students actually said she had the nerve to brag about her grade on the test where she left her cheat sheet behind
I think she is cheating herself by cheating. This is a profession that information needs to be retained and understood. The instructors should be monitoring tests and quizzes and I am surprised nobody has picked up on it yet. Its not surprising that she didnt pass the ATI, It is section based and her hands arent big enough to write all that random info on. It also tells you she isn't retaining the info. She may try that cheating crap in school. but there is no way she can cheat when taking NCLEX, at least not in Ohio:coollook:
Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
What have you been learning about objective and subjective assessment? You have no direct knowledge of this student's cheating, so it would be inappropriate of you to say anything about it to the instructors. If you observed her doing a procedure on a patient without supervision you should have asked her why the instructor wasn't there reminded her of the rules and then reported her because she broke the rules and it was a safety issue as well. The people who tell you about the incidents where they have witnessed her cheating or breaking rules should be encouraged to go to the instructors and report this student instead of everyone standing around and talking about it.
As what happens, this makes good gossip. The gossipers are cowards because they are afraid to be the ones pointing the finger. They think it's safer to stand around and talk this to death. The fact is if they would just go to the instructors and tell what they know, this will all be over with. If the cheating is what is getting this student through the classes she will either (1) be thrown out for cheating (2) flunk out or (3) possibly turn out to be a really good student. If not, if she passes NCLEX we'll deal with her as an employee because you can't fake poor employee performance. As a new grad she will be so under scrutiny that every little thing she says and does will watched. Everything she failed to learn in school will come back to haunt her. Believe me, I know. I worked with new grads for many years.
Well here is a experience I had. I knew for a fact that a student in our A&P I class was stealing the tests and when the teacher confronted me about this persons behavior I told her that she was stealing tests but that I had been struggling with whether or not to report it because I didn't want to get caught up in somebody elses drama. The teacher reported to the asst dean and the school could do absolutely nothing because our teacher never made a syllabus that said we could not keep our tests, she just told us before and after every test. How ridiculous is that?
Even if you do know for a fact that somebody is cheating it is a really hard position to be in. But because you don't know for sure you should just stay out of it. How would you feel if somebody reported you for cheating and it wasn't true. This thread has opened my eyes about sharing my grades with others. I have now realized that it isn't good for this very reason. What if it is all lies and she has never cheated in her life? Personally I don't see how anyone could ever cheat on a test but I guess criminals are sneaky and have their ways. I don't know if it is just my school or what but our teachers know exactly who knows what because our classes are very interactive.
Maybe today she will get caught if she really did leave her cheat sheet on the desk!
Hopefully she will get caught on her own. If you report it because of a rumor rather than witnessing yourself, you are guilty of defamation of character. DO NOT REPORT unless you have seen it.
There was a student in my pre-reqs that I saw cheat with my own eyes. I did report her, and the only thing that happened was our class was monitored for every test thereafter. UNTIL SHE FAILED OUT!!
Last time I saw her she was a sitter in a patient's room...while I was an RN
I had a girl like that in my A&P class...not in nursing classes though thank goodness...there is no way on God's green Earth we could get away with cheating in our classes. I had to tell on the girl in my A & P class because the only reason she was making good grades is because she was blatantly cheating off my tests! I just told my teacher to keep an eye on her because I thought it was going on...and she got caught. I wasn't about to study for someone else to make good grades and not do anything. In your situation you should proceed with caution. You yourself have no proof so I wouldn't go forward with accusations unless you can back it up. You don't want anything to backfire on you. I know that is so frustrating...I hate cheaters and I CERTAINLY wouldn't want her near my patients, family, etc. NOW...if you see her do something inappropriate in clinical again go DIRECTLY to your instructor because that is absolutely unacceptable. Don't feel bad either...it's your job as a nurse to protect your patients.
i also experience it sometimes. some of my classmates tend to cheat and obtain grades that i know in myself that they do not deserve. i know that this is not the best advice but what i do to handle the situation is ignoring them. for me, i know that i have a clean conscience because i am not doing anything "evil." just continue to get good grades your own because at the end, the one who have cheated will be graduating with few knowledge concerning the field and will be worst in her future job because the truth is that she really did not understand anything even the basics.
What is it like going to nursing school with a young child? I have a nine month old and I'm starting nursing school next semester. Do you have enough time to study and do well with the work load?
It's interesting that this topic is here and the overall thought is don't tell. I have heard this is a question our school asks in the nursing interview and I am sure they are not looking for the answer "I wouldn't say anything"
What is it like going to nursing school with a young child? I have a nine month old and I'm starting nursing school next semester. Do you have enough time to study and do well with the work load?
Thanks
Ski, you'll have more replies to your questions if you make this a separate thread instead of inserting your post in a thread about cheating classmates. Just a thought
Apparently numerous classmates have seen her come into exams with answers written on her hand, and small pieces of paper. Today they said she even left her cheat sheet on the desk:down: 
medmar_mary1970
8 Posts
I think she is cheating herself by cheating. This is a profession that information needs to be retained and understood. The instructors should be monitoring tests and quizzes and I am surprised nobody has picked up on it yet. Its not surprising that she didnt pass the ATI, It is section based and her hands arent big enough to write all that random info on. It also tells you she isn't retaining the info. She may try that cheating crap in school. but there is no way she can cheat when taking NCLEX, at least not in Ohio:coollook: