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So I've been ordering my books from this website for sometime now. The prices are fair and shipping is quick. I always order my books early so that I could read it ahead of time so that I won't be overwhelmed when I go back to school after break. The thing is this time the company sent me the teachers edition. It has all the answers for the study guide and included the test bank for all my exams. They sent me 5 teachers edition. The question is do I use it? isn't it unfair for the other students? do i study like I never got it and then do the questions to see how i do? I don't want to cheat myself of an education and fail the nclex. What would you do?

Nursing instructor responding, I never use the textbook questions as I know they are not secure questions. In addtion the textbook test bank questions are not always written in current NCLEX-style and they aren't as high level as your instructor/nursing program may like. The nursing program that I am associated with will not use the textbook test bank questions for the reasons I've stated. Your nursing program may well have a similar policy.

In my experience students that have had exam success based on access to the textbook questions alone (didn't study the material, just learned the answers to the questions) were unsuccessful on either the comprehensive exam (that didn't include textbook test bank questions) or the NCLEX-RN. If the information in the teacher's edition of the text helps you to understand the concepts, that is great but you will need to study all course material for success in the course and on the NCLEX.

The Op said she asked a classmate from last year and that the exam questions are taken from the book testbank questions "Well it's weird because each cd has exam questions for each chapter broken down. I just emailed a friend who graduated and showed her a sample and she said it was verbatim".

So as an instructor, what do you think. if this school uses these questions for their exams, is it cheating?

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I am only speaking for myself as my opinion does not reflect many nursing instructors. If the OP obtained the teacher's edition and test bank with the sole purpose of accessing course exam, this would indeed be cheating. That said, it is no longer appropriate for any nursing program to used textbook test bank questions "verbatim". We know that these test banks are not secured and that students have access to them. In my opinion any instructor that uses these questions is in fact cheating the students. Nursing education is a high stakes major and human nature will always be present; meaning if students have access to the questions, they will use them. Knowing this and also knowing that the test bank questions typically aren't the best reflection of actual NCLEX questions, nursing instructors should avoid using test bank questions as written at all costs. Also, it is unwise for a nursing instructor to use the same exam year to year. In my experience, students have a keen memory for exam questions. This too can be shared with students in subsequent classes.

I do believe that the OP does need to consider that their nursing program may view obtaining the teacher's edition and question bank as cheating even if based on what is posted that wasn't the intent.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Interesting because both my NSs used only test bank questions for exams. Never had those answers, lol. Their rationale was that it made their exams fair and if anyone disputed a failure I think it made it easier to stick. I will say that every once in a while we would see an exact question as listed in our text book study guides etc. which was a great freebie if you studied them however...I once got a fairly simple test question wrong because my study guide CD had the wrong answer and I didn't bother checking the rationale. Its been years and I could still kick myself, lol. Buyer beware. :D

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Specializes in ICU/ER.
It has all the answers for the study guide and included the test bank for all my exams

this does not mean your teachers will actually USE the test bank questions--though they will probably use some!! Like others dont tell your classmates, but I would say "Lucky you" :smokin:

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That happened to me with an A&P class- I actually wasn't able to use the CD and online materials, and I needed those. I traded the book for a regular version. It didnt seem to be a help in my situation. At first I felt like it was a blessing, but I felt guilty too. Like I had an advantage over other students that I didn't deserve. That's me.

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Hey, I never said I wouldn't keep it but it is cheating. Her/his school is using the exams that came with this book, these not the questions at the end of the chapter if the teacher edition is like others I have seen. A teachers edition textbook typically comes with a cd with unit exams that can be printed out as well as various other quizes, assignments, and a whole bunch of other helpful things for the teacher to use. If the school is not making up their own exams and using this material this person has every single answer to every single exam. Sure they have to memorize it and might forget a few but knowing the exact content that you are being tested on is a huge advantage. I know at my school we have 4 exams in a term, no quizes, no other grades, each exam being 25% of your final grade. Each exam covers a huge amount of material over various topics - narrowed down to 75 questions. If I knew what 75 questions they were going to ask, I would not have to study everything, just those questions asked. I AM a little jealous (not in the way you implied) cause I have a family that I would love to spend more time with and if I knew exactly what to study I might have that time. But I am not bitter, just trying to show both sides, since everyone said to keep it. MAYBE My advice would be to keep it too! I just didn't think all the posters realized what comes with a teachers edition (a have a family member who teaches)

If that's the case, I certainly agree - however, my college (as far as I know) uses a "test bank" and professors hand pick their questions for EACH test, every semester. This way, no one can pass on their tests from last semester to someone who is taking the class the upcoming semester as that each test is individual.

My error, perhaps, is assuming that all colleges did that! :uhoh21:

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If that's the case, I certainly agree - however, my college (as far as I know) uses a "test bank" and professors hand pick their questions for EACH test, every semester. This way, no one can pass on their tests from last semester to someone who is taking the class the upcoming semester as that each test is individual.

My error, perhaps, is assuming that all colleges did that! :uhoh21:

That is how my school does it too (hand picked questions). I could have misunderstood too! NS is so difficult to get into I just wanted the OP to think things through before jeopardizing things if their school doesn't use a test bank.

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Specializes in ED, acute care, home health, hospice.

One of our nursing instructors last quarter was telling us about a student who someone had been able to log into a website we use associated with one of our textbooks, but in the instructor section and was therefore able to access instructor material. Somehow, the instructors caught wind of it, and the student was kicked out of the program.

I am sure there are teacher edition textbooks that are available in bookstores and whatnot, so unless you know that your instructor gets the questions word for word from that edition - it is to your advantage. However, if you do decide to keep them and utilize them as a study aide - certainly keep it to yourself.

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Specializes in telemetry, med-surg, home health, psych.

use as a backup study guide....

use your notes from lectures first, then follow with your books.....

Lucky you, I'd say you came close....

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