Do you snitch on cheaters?

Daytonite, BSN, RN · May 24, 2009

Read the school policy on cheating. I would report them. If the instructor doesn't seem interested move up the chain of command and report it to the instructor's boss, the dean of the nursing program.

imn2nursin · May 24, 2009

Just something for you to ponder..... If they'll cheat on a test, think of what else they'll "cheat" on. I'm a student as well. I have worked very very very hard to get where I am. It isn't fair for you or me to graduate becoming a nurse when we have honestly made our way through knowing that they have not. Personally, I would say something to the dean or an instructor that you trust. If these folks are cheating on tests, they are hurting themselves the most, but what I fear is them hurting a patient.

Just my 2cents

beth66335, BSN, RN · May 24, 2009

I haven't experienced this in nursing school, but when I was getting my CNA there was a girl who sat next to me and would try to cheat off me on tests. I just moved to another seat at another table, I probably should have told on her, but I figured if she wouldn't do her own work now she wouldn't pass her certification exam. You can't really cheat on that test and I didn't have time for the drama, I had my own education to worry about. Those folks won't pass the NCLEX if they can't pass a nursing school exam without cheating, it will catch up with them.

CuriousMe · May 24, 2009

I'm a very observant person, always sit in the back of the classroom because I find it to be the most comfortable and it always allows me to see everything ppl are doing (i dont sit in the back for that very reason). I've noticed quite a few students cheating on tests, I never say anything at all. I tend to notice that the students who always schedule classes with their friend/siblings and sit together in every class tend to cheat on quizzes a lot. I don't know how the professors don't see this. In one of my classes, four students who were all friends would always sit together in class and you could obviously see them passing over notes and looking at each others tests on the exams. I never said anything, didn't feel it was my place. The teacher even started to notice and the only thing he would say was "look at your own exams" over and over again.
Anyway, when you see students cheating do you feel the need to let the professor know about it? or do you stay quiet & figure they'll eventually meet their own unfortunate fate and get caught?

The phrasing of your question makes it pretty clear how you feel about it.

I do uphold my school's honor code, which states that if I know that someone's cheating, I can be held as responsible as them....meaning, I could get kicked out of the program just for knowing someone is cheating and not speaking up. So, yes...by your language, I guess I would "snitch" on someone who was cheating.

HeartsOpenWide, RN · May 24, 2009

I never observed anyone cheating. Just heard other people claim they saw people cheating. Tried to talk them into informing the teacher of this, however they did not want to be a "snitch". I am not sure what worries me more, the person that cheats their way through nursing school (what else will they be willing to cheat/lie on?...cheating is lying to me) or the person that knows a person cheats and does not say anything about it (what else would this person observe that is wrong--maybe patient care--and not say anything?)

And no, it will not necessarily find them out.

Agrippa · May 24, 2009

I would email the professor. If you're too concerned, make an anonymous email, then email her/him. That way the professor will just keep a better eye out and will catch them in the act.

At one accounting class, the professor would post the answers to the exam (multiple choice) right after the test. Unusually one semester, there was a statistically significant change in the bell curve of what students received - more students were getting better grades that the exam was designed and historically proven to result in.

The professors then caught onto what was happening. For some reason, the answers that were supposed to be posted after the exam was posted during the exam. Students were having friends look them up, then text it to their phone while they were taking exams. The professor then posted up bogus answers on the next exam. The cheating student were caught and expelled.

With the cheating culture rampant in academia (and especially business schools) it doesn't surprise me that things like Enron, Worldcom and our recent financial failures happen. Generations of Americans have been taught to try to "win at any cost" and that it doesn't matter how one achieves "success."

Who knows, maybe if we had more cheaters get booted the culture of cheating would have been abated and more ethical people would be in our country's leadership positions.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · May 24, 2009

I am not sure what I would do in the situation, but if I did "snitch" I think I would do it in an anonymous letter, that way nothing came back on me. Sometimes you never know how these things can turn out, sort of like when you let your Best Friend know there partner was cheating and all of a sudden your the bad guy?? (yes that has happened with me) LOL. Anyway, just to be safe I would do it anonymously and I would give a very detailed explanation of HOW they were cheating so they know what to look for.

pooptacular · May 24, 2009

i think the argument that students cheat on tests might have led to our economical recession is a somewhat ad hoc fallacy.

i have yet to witness cheating in my classes. but, i'm also completely consumed while taking a test. i don't look up, and my face is 4 inches away from my test. interesting to see how dumb i'll look if i try to do that with the nclex. =d

if i was witness to some blatant academic dishonesty, i would perhaps anonymously inform the instructor to pay closer attention. i don't believe it is the student body's responsibility to police their peers. teachers should be vigilant during testing and also while reading papers (although, it kinda sucks they have to...).

[color=dimgray]pssssttt...what did you get for question #49?

whodatnurse · May 24, 2009

My way of handling this is to tell an instuctor, "You really need to get some additional proctors in there." They usually get another person or two and seat them at the rear of the room. I even had one who in addition to that, gave assigned seats to everyone for the final exam. The looks on the cheaters faces when they showed up, not expecting that, was priceless!

cursedandblessed · May 24, 2009

the texting thing happened during our tests, someone forgot to turn the sound off on their phone, and i heard it-i don't see anything as i sit at the front. i emailed an instructor after the class. amazing how many proctors we had for the next test.

morte, LPN, LVN · May 24, 2009

I would email the professor. If you're too concerned, make an anonymous email, then email her/him. That way the professor will just keep a better eye out and will catch them in the act.
At one accounting class, the professor would post the answers to the exam (multiple choice) right after the test. Unusually one semester, there was a statistically significant change in the bell curve of what students received - more students were getting better grades that the exam was designed and historically proven to result in.
The professors then caught onto what was happening. For some reason, the answers that were supposed to be posted after the exam was posted during the exam. Students were having friends look them up, then text it to their phone while they were taking exams. The professor then posted up bogus answers on the next exam. The cheating student were caught and expelled.
With the cheating culture rampant in academia (and especially business schools) it doesn't surprise me that things like Enron, Worldcom and our recent financial failures happen. Generations of Americans have been taught to try to "win at any cost" and that it doesn't matter how one achieves "success."
Who knows, maybe if we had more cheaters get booted the culture of cheating would have been abated and more ethical people would be in our country's leadership positions.

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