Published Sep 23, 2009
Brie80
29 Posts
I need guidance, I saw one of my classmates cheating on our mid-term pharm test. We self grade so she changed about 12 answers to get a passing grade. NOT only did I see her but in the hall after grading she told me she had to change them just to barely pass. I got an 83% and passing is 78% so sure I wanted a better grade to but would never have changed my answers.
Ethicly I think I know what to do, I just don't want to be a tattle tail and she knows I know so there is my catch 22 .
I guess what I'm asking is what would you do?
SolaireSolstice, BSN, RN
247 Posts
I'm sorry, what is self-grading?
hopebewild
66 Posts
wow. what school do you go to that a teacher lets you grade your own mid term pharm test? that is just asking for cheating in my eyes.
I hate to say it, but you need to definitely tell your instructor. If she is fine with cheating, especially that extreme, can you imagine the things she would feel comfortable doing as a nurse?!! false charting immediately comes to my mind.
If you cant though, (which I understand because no one wants to be a narc), I would watch her and if she does it again definitely report. Also, if it is not too late I would not become friends with her or be in any group work with her.
LeesG
64 Posts
I wouldnt do anything, unless another person saw her its your word against her's.
I would be leary of her in the future as well.
The info that she cheated on will catch up with her somewhere...and then she will realize you cant cut corners.
self grading;students checking own papers - the insnstructor reads the answers out loud and we mark the wrong answers/checking grading the papers together as a class
sorry I should have been more clear
wow. what school do you go to that a teacher lets you grade your own mid term pharm test? that is just asking for cheating in my eyes.I hate to say it, but you need to definitely tell your instructor. If she is fine with cheating, especially that extreme, can you imagine the things she would feel comfortable doing as a nurse?!! false charting immediately comes to my mind. If you cant though, (which I understand because no one wants to be a narc), I would watch her and if she does it again definitely report. Also, if it is not too late I would not become friends with her or be in any group work with her.
Am I unethical if I let it go.........
eholt19351
47 Posts
i would stay out of it... it will eventually catch up with her.
JBGC4
300 Posts
I would stay out of it... It's not your ethical problem, so don't let that keep you up at night. There is no way to prove that she did it in the instructors eye's. It will end up being a HUGE deal w/ you in the middle. Stay away from the classmate- don't get into any trouble by having others doubt you b/c of association.
She'll get hers. It won't get unpunished.
morningland
341 Posts
Me personally, I would not do anything about it. The way I see it, if she needs to cheat just to barely pass then the nursing program itself is going to clear her out. Cheating in nursing school is absurd... sooner or later you are going to be found out. Furthermore, I would spend my energy worrying about myself getting through school... why add more drama to your life?
On the other hand, if your ethics are telling you to do something by all means do it. What if this person was able to squeeze through school and ended up killing a patient by her incompetence? Maybe that is why you are convicted. Furthermore, as nurses we are determined to follow a code of ethics in ourselves and how can we follow those ethics in our profession if we are not following them in school. It's up to you. Don't do it for the sake of "ratting someone out" but if it is for ethics, follow after that.
SaraFL
181 Posts
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but this is not the only time that student will have to correctly calculate dosages, right? There will be many other times that she will be checked on and if she can't do it right, they'll weed her out then - right?
I think I agree with the poster who said it would be your word against hers, so to stay out of it for now.
Again, I just don't understand what the point of cheating in nursing school is. I failed auscultation exam because I told the instructor I could not hear the respritory sounds. Why. Because I actually want to be a GOOD nurse, not just slide through. She is gonna get found out on her own accord
bouncer13
40 Posts
In our school, we had to sign that we read the syllabus and the school handbook....and in the handbook it specifically stated something like "if you see someone cheating - you will report them" Did you have to do something similar?
If you were in the hospital and saw someone doing something wrong - what would you do? Stand idly by...hoping that the person would get caught eventually? Stand up for your profession! You know what the right thing to do is and what the chicken thing to do is.....BE BRAVE! Do what is right.