Self-plagiarism?

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Good afternoon,

I'm turning to this forum to get advice on a scary situation that I'm currently facing. This term I'm repeating a clinical due to receiving a failing grade on the previous clinical care plan. I submitted my care plan two days late due to an emergency family issue, the day it was due we had to move and I literally found out that morning. I didn't communicate the issue with my professor and I take responsibility for that but I just didn't feel comfortable with telling her my situation. When I submitted the care plan, there was a technical difficulty and our techs took responsibility for the issue and I had to fight (literally for a month) to get my care pan graded. Once graded, I received an 88 but with the late deduction it was a 68 and I needed a minimum of 69 or 70 to pass.

Two weeks ago, I submitted my new care plan and received an email from my professor stating I got a zero because I "plagiarized" my old care plan. I let her know that I did use the same resources but she had already escalated the situation to the dean and the academia committee. When I took a look at my care plan, it matched things such as my name, the subheadings in the assignment (pertinent labs, HPI, PIH panel and these are subheadings provided by the program). And other things matched were cited. My professor stated I should've "switched up my words" and used different resources but in my opinion I took this course previously and know exactly what the professors are looking for, clear statements and getting right to the point.

I've met with the dean and she let me know that me using the same resources isn't the issue, the issue is the percentage. Next I meet with the committee. I just feel like the best way to say the sky is blue is saying,"the sky is blue". If there's anyone who had been through this, please comment and let me know how did it work out for you.

One option is to print out some of your other care plans to show that you tend to word things similarly because that's kind of convention. However, there's a risk that they'd freak out and consider it more self-plagiarism considering.

Otherwise, I'd just point out to specific areas in the report and show that most of it is due to just writing conventions and having to report on the same info.

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This is shocking to me. I was taught in nursing school that notes should read almost identical with the exception of the patient's information. My clinical and academic professors said that you could literally type up a note and just leave a blanks for where you would add the patient's findings. It makes it easier to remember all the details you need to include and it makes it easier to read notes when they're written in a logical and consistent way.

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I swear that's what I thought...it would just be a clear statement. During med surg II clinical, my professor did a presentation on how to do the care plans from that point on. With key things to include throughout the care plan. Something that came back as a match is me stating that patient and her boyfriend are able to meet basic needs such as housing, food, and clothing. However, in my mind this is key..the patient is leaving with a newborn..if she can't meet the basic needs or need additional resources then at the point I would provide her with the appropriate resources to make sure the need can be met.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
It sucks so much because I'm three terms away from being done with the BSN program. If I have to take the alternate route (LVN program, get licensed, and reenter the program) it'll take me three terms to complete the LVN program then when I return to the program I'll have to do this clinical FOR THE THIRD TIME.

Not to make you panic, but if they decide to not find in your favor, you might not be allowed to return to this program. This kind of finding is a big deal in the academic world. When will they let you know?

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Good luck to you as you wait to see if you will be able to complete the program. Wishing you the best. If they do not let you finish the program or re-enter the program you might want to go back and ask them to clearly show you were they are claiming the plagiarism is in the report with documentation. Make sure you have the student handbook available as one other post said the instructor had to approve you using the same references. Each school is different. As stated provide similar care plans that were accepted previously. My point is make sure this is not an instructor who for some reason as issues with you personally. Hate to say this but it does happen. Yes you may been wrong for some of what has happened, turning in the care plan late without letting the instructor know. But you know the truth.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Nursing academia is such a joke. Self plagiarism? On a care plan? Care plans, after doing a handful, are utterly useless. Some instructors truly don't have a clue.

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Sorry for the late reply. I go before the conduct committee on Friday and after that I'm not sure how long the decision takes. The situation to me is very odd because for this rotation they have a "one submission" rule and I know plenty of people who has submitted a care plan twice for this rotation and even received full credit on a care plan that makes absolutely no sense at all.

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To paraphrase Captain Renault, from Casablanca: I'm shocked, shocked, to find that stupidity is going on in here. If what you say was found on the plagiarism checker is all that was found, I am completely gobsmacked reading this.

This isn't an academic work, it's a care plan. During my undergraduate we were encouraged develop and use templates as much as my possible when completing care plans. In my graduate program, not only were we encouraged to develop templates, we were also introduced to the concept of using smart phrases. This not only streamlined the charting process, but helped ensure completeness, as well as consistency in charting.

Best wishes as you work through this.

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This is shocking to me. I was taught in nursing school that notes should read almost identical with the exception of the patient's information. My clinical and academic professors said that you could literally type up a note and just leave a blanks for where you would add the patient's findings. It makes it easier to remember all the details you need to include and it makes it easier to read notes when they're written in a logical and consistent way.

I agree. This is like trying to claim that SOAP notes are plagiarizing each other.

It seems either the program or this single Professor has it out for the student. This is an utterly ridiculous accusation, based on what the OP has said.

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UPDATE: I had the meeting and I don't know..after it I just didn't feel confident. They won't take into the account of what the plagiarism checker is counting as plagiarism such as my headers, lab value names (RBC, WBC, etc). It feels like they basically beat me into the ground.

Now they're trying to say certain things match other papers. Such as patient height, weight, and delivery date.

I took other care plans to show this is the way that I document things and yea...it just wasn't good. It felt like they were trying to tel me everything I've learned in med surg as far as documentation is incorrect. It's just..a lot. Still waiting to hear back regarding the decision.

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Is this a standard university or private for profit school?

If you have been honest and accurate with us, I would wait to hear back on their decision but also be prepared to fight it if it's a negative outcome.

Find out if the school has an academic honor court to appeal to, or a student ombudsperson, or finally how to elevate this to the provost of the university.

Basically get someone from outside the nursing to put eyes on this and reach a rational unbiased decision.

I would also find out if the university has a legal aid office for student use and get them involved if possible.

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So what happened?!?

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