Do you snitch on cheaters?

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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?

Specializes in Pediatrics.

one of the students in my school was suspected of cheating on an exam, as reported by a student. it was very hush-hush (but not really), so i don't know all the specifics, but i do know other students did support the suspicion as well. said student ended up passing that class, but failed another one, so is now a semester behind that group. this student was a prro performing student to begin with, and had no friends in the group. the entire class knew what went on, and was not happy about it, nor about the outcome (the faculty could not prove it, and our legal department backed down, and said we didn't have a leg to stand on). the student is now about to meet his fate (as mentioned by the op), by failing a second nursing course, and will be dismissed from the program.

my advice: definitely report your suspicions. even though the particular student you have witnessed may not reap the repurcussions this time, it will put the faculty and administration in check. it did for us. we were forced to step up the proctoring and the exam rules (cell phones, hats, hoods, calculators, etc). i hate exam days, b/c i have to put my b@#ch act. while i know the students find it irritating that there are multiple proctors walking around, literally up their @sses, they know why it needs to be done. and i think the hard working students appreciate it.

:nono: cheaters never win, and winners never cheat :nono: (anyone know where that is from? :D)

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actually the other's cheating does affect me. for someone with attention deficit, the unwelcome sound of the keystrokes on the cell phone is distracting when i'm trying to decipher 50-100 nclex style questions in an hour to an hour and twenty minutes.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Education.

It's really important to create a climate that makes cheating more difficult. For my exams, seats are assigned at random (by me!) and are different for each exam. Students draw a number as they walk in through the door and are to go to that computer. I give them paper, calculator, and pencil (exams are computerized, this is for calculations, ABGs, etc). No books, papers, cell phones, hats, food, water bottles, etc allowed in the rooms. Anyone caught with these items fails automatically after the exam starts.

We have at 1 proctor for each 15 students in the room. Students may not print anything before, during, or after the exam, and if they open a new window or try to copy and paste during the exam, it shuts down. The students are likely surprised that I don't pat them down at the door or use a metal detector :)

I hate that it has to be this way, but experience has taught me that a few bad apples won't hesitate to ruin things for the huge majority of honest students if rules aren't strict.

If it were only that student that it hurt, it wouldn't be an issue. However, this sets a precedent that dishonestly will be tolerated and is just fine. I can't knowingly graduate someone who cheats. People who take shortcuts in one arena will inevitably be tempted to do so in others. I personally don't want the nurse who takes unsafe shortcuts caring for me. Not to mention that you're really not doing a cheater any favors by allowing the behavior to continue unchecked; if you do, they will never learn that there are consequences to their actions.

I also like to send a strong message to my honest students that I recognize their hard work and believe their grades should reward only hard work and excellence. It is hard to stay motivated to truly excel if you see people being allowed to cheat rampantly.

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thanks livetolearn, our first semester was strict like that we were allowed pencils and a highlighter only, we use scantron thingies. now we're allowed a clear water bottle without writing on it and a couple of unwrapped mints. we actually had an instructor inspect someone's clean tissues during allergy season, which was sad, funny, but necessary.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Education.

It's crazy what we have to do to maintain an honest climate. If there ever comes a day in which a body cavity search is required prior to exams, I'm outta here :)

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I haven't seen anyone cheating in nursing classes, as I sit up front and therefore mind my own business. I *did* report some students cheating in an A&P exam. The lab instructor had forgotten to remove the posters from the walls! I reported them mainly because during class they were disruptive and never stopped talking loudly while the instructor was speaking. The prof found it amusing because she was wondering why students who consistently failed suddenly did so well on one section of the exam! She also assured me "it didn't help them any," and none of those students made it to A&P II.

One of my nursing profs insists that all personal belongings- bags, purses, books, etc- are stacked at the side of the lecture hall. So as well as worrying about someone copying your paper you have to worry there's a pickpocket in the group. :specs:

Another prof said he had had a student who put information on the inside of a label on a water bottle and pasted it back on. Obviously, the student was busted, and expelled.

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Specializes in ED.

What do you think? How dies this fit with your integrity. Cheating now, what later....report them before their taking care of my mom or son

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To answer the OP question in one word...ABSOLUTELY!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Oncology, Tele, ICU.

god, that was so frustrating!!!! i always had people cheating in one nursing class or another. my friend was the one who actually saw them (always the same people), but she never said anything. if i had seen them, i probably would have said something because it made me so livid, but if the teacher didn't see it, it wouldn't have mattered anyway.

very frustrating.....:o

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

nope, i mind my own business.

would you want unethical nurses caring for you or your family members?

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Specializes in LTC and Home Health.

I have a tendency to keep my head down and my mouth shut. I think it is wrong to cheat but could care less about everyone elses grades. I know the work I put in to mine and you're an idiot if you think cheating is worth it. I don't see what kind of info you could fit on a water bottle that would be worth getting kicked out of school for.

That being said - Our Honor Code Policy specifically states that you MUST report someone cheating or you will be held responsible as well. So YES I would uphold the honor code and report them.

Diana

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Long time lurker here..

It's unfair to assume the poster tolerates unethical behavior simply due to his/hers lack of a knee-jerk response to the situation. :)

FYI: I don't cheat and don't respect the practice at all.

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