Cheating in the Classroom

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Nov 25, 2012

I truly cannot see how this is going to end well for anyone. If these allegations are true and the student has somehow got to the instructor to get 100% grades on exams, then that speaks very poorly of the instructor, the student, and possibly some of your classmates. Being that I do not know the specifics of your program, I would not dare to suggest to whom you should report this type of activity. Needless to say, you would probably need to follow your programs guidelines for reporting cheating. If the instructors are involved, you could possibly see some significant backlash against you.

Weigh all of your options heavily, most somberly, and make the best, most ethical decision you can make, given the circumstances you are in. I truly do not envy the position that you are in right now.

Good luck.

meatballgirl · Nov 25, 2012

No worries. Not reporting anything. Just for my own curiosity on how this could be done. No, I don't plan to cheat. :)

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Nov 25, 2012

No worries. Not reporting anything. Just for my own curiosity on how this could be done. No, I don't plan to cheat. :)

I am glad that you do not plan to cheat. That would look bad on you and everyone else. As far as how that other student is somehow managing to do well on exams, I could not even begin to guess. Personally, I do not cheat I do not tolerate cheating and therefore I probably would make a terrible cheater if I were to engage in it. I'm sure that someone somewhere probably has figured out a way to do it, but I doubt that they would advertise their ways of doing that here.

edmia, BSN, RN · Nov 25, 2012

I don't think this is real. Phishing for something???

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DizzyLizzyNurse · Nov 25, 2012

If I were you, I'd just concentrate on my tests....and when you get mad at her 100%'s just think how panicked she's gonna be if she really is cheating and she has to pass her boards....on her own. What a waste of time and money if you go through all that schooling and can't pass the boards.

Whispera, MSN, RN · Nov 25, 2012

How do you know she's getting 100%s? That's not generally a public thing.

taramb7263 · Nov 25, 2012

Frustrating I know... But focus on your work... Many find ways to cheat but just keep yourself focused on your work. 100's don't matter and questions are subjective . Just get out and pass NCLEX. She can score perfectly but when you take NCLEX there is no way to scam and you can't predict what it asks you. It's all critical thinking. You will pass and she will fail bottom line. FYI when you start working it's the same thing. Nurses cheat hide and cover up and you need to make sure you don't .

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Nov 25, 2012

How you want to handle it is up to you. First thing I'd do is check your school's honor code: if it requires students to report any cheating activities and it ever came out that you knew/suspected she cheated and didn't report it (like in the pharm class), you could be in as much trouble as her.

Keep in mind that unless you caught or witnessed her in the act of cheating in the med-surg class, she is innocent--at least in this class--until proven guilty. So unless you want a libel/slander suit on your hands, tread carefully.

Option 1: if you decide to officially report it, I agree with akulahawk that you should follow whatever guidelines that your nursing school has in place for reporting cheating, and prepare for possible backlash in case instructors are involved.

Option 2: you could anonymously write the instructors (CCing school administration on the message) that you suspect that there is cheating going during the tests in the med-surg class.

Option 3: you could ignore it, focus on your own work and let her meet up her own comeuppance, either in another class with a less tolerant teacher or during the NCLEX.

Whatever you do, I would advise you NOT to make this into a personal vendetta against her and/or the school. Handle it however you want to, and then let it go and worry about your own grades.

Best of luck whatever you decide.

LVN2RNMom, ASN, BSN, LVN · Nov 25, 2012

I would anonymously write a letter to my school & cc admin, then let the cards fall where they may. Like others have said, if it is true then she will have a hard time taking the NCLEX. Nonetheless, the decision is entirely up to you but try to focus on yourself and not others. That will eventually drive you nuts. I am sure some of my old classmates cheated & those either didn't pass NCLEX at all (2 yrs later) or did the 2nd or 3rd x.

msa1203 · Nov 25, 2012

This is a howdunit more than a whodunit.
There is a student in my nursing class who is getting 100% on almost all her med surg exams. I'm pretty sure she's cheating, but I don't know how. And I was wondering if anyone who's been through the rigors of nursing school can help me figure it out. Just for my own edification.
This student reads, writes, and speaks English horribly. I mean horribly. We had this one project on which she completely wrote the wrong things for every section. She could barely copy the English words correctly on her paper, let alone understand what they mean. In clinicals, she can't really follow directions well. She doesn't understand fully what's being said. Yet, on these really hard med surg tests where even the best students in the class who are US native speakers can't get a perfect score, she's getting a 100%. Perfect, more than once.
I believe people can get lucky or be lucky guessers. But the probability is pretty crazy for every single time. Thing is the teacher always collects the exam and the scantron after every test. No class gets to keep either. And no one knows if they got the answers right until later and then no one gets to keep the scantron.
I don't know how she's cheating, but I'm pretty sure she has to be. I caught her cheating on a pharm test. Another student was circling the answers on the test for her and then handing the test back. But I have no idea how she's doing 100% on these med surg tests.
It scares me because her performance in clinicals are alarming. I know she bribes other students to do her work, even if it's a simple project. Any smartie out there who knows how she might be pulling this off?
A buddy of mine thinks she's got to the teacher somehow...
Thoughts?

The situation does sound suspicious. But having a gut feeling of foul play and being 100% certain are two totally different things. So my advice is just leave it off and just concentrate on your own school work.

x_factor · Nov 25, 2012

Word of advice from someone that got tangled up in the past in reporting a fellow student for cheating: leave it alone. Trust me. It'll cause you more trouble than what it's worth if it ever gets out that you were the whistle blower. Mind your own business, focus on your studies, and have faith that their lying ways will catch up with them eventually. Like when they take the NCLEX.