HELP!! I need guidance I saw someone cheating

[Brie80]

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?

[goodstudentnowRN]

I would not take it on myself to report this student. You need to stay out of the storm. Karma will teach her a lesson soon.

[missy--kay]

I think that as nurses we are held to a higher standard. I would tell the instructor. Doing the right thing, is seldom the easy thing.

[Dianacabana]

Your classmate has no ethics and so why would she be able to adhere to the code of ethics that all nurses do? You are not narc-ing on her--its called Honor Code for a reason.

[PiedPiperRN]

I would talk to her about it first. Turning someone in will probably lead to expulsion, and perhaps this person would be a good nurse if she had some tutoring. I would tell her that you know she cheated and advise her of options to get help-- tutoring, etc. She will probably not be so quick to cheat in the future.

You might also want to tell your teacher (or drop an anonymous note) of the problem. The teacher might want to change her methods of grading the exam. But at this point, I would not use names turn the student in, unless you saw her do it again... (I am a big fan of second chances.)

Hopefully just being "caught" will stop her. Nursing school is very stressful and we feel such pressures, and a failing grade can feel like the end of the world. She probably just needs help and support. You will run into a lot of "cheating" patients and I feel that working with them to change thier ways is a lot better then turning them in and giving up on them!

[nneokill175]

lol wow... thats horrible, why would they let a student self grade in a profession like this? but i wouldnt say anything though, you didnt have any proofs... and you cant say "i saw her did it"

[~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN]

I am going to go against the general consensus here, normally I am not the tattle tale type, but in a case like this I would anonymously email the instructor and let them know cheating is going on with the self grading set up. I wouldn't even point fingers, shoot it might be more then that person. But I will let it be known that this is happening.

Obviously this self grading needs to change. Sure it would be nice if everyone is an honest and ethical person. But sadly they aren't. I was given a student handbook that I had to sign and return stating I would not cheat and I would report any cheating.

Sadly their are honest good students that didn't get that seat because someone like this student did.

[blue4thebeach]

In my Anatomy class last semester, we had someone cheating on the exams (lab & lecture). She wasn't discrete when looking at her neighbor's answer sheet and the other student mentioned it to the instructor. He didn't drop her, but he did hover close to her on every test after that to keep her from cheating. It was well known after that first time that she was likely to "look", so anyone sitting near her was very careful to make it impossible. It was also the cheater's 2nd or 3rd attempt at anatomy... Needless to say, she's no longer trying for nursing school.

Your situation is different, since the stakes are MUCH higher. I might suggest asking the teacher to not do self-grading and either swap exams to grade, or ask the teacher to grade. If asked why, you can remind them that self-grading also allows self-correcting and that you are concerned that another student isn't doing as well as it appears. Maybe the teacher will allow you to not identify the student. But this would help the instructor weed that person out without you having to "rat" them out. You can also ask the instructor to mandate that a different writing utensil be used during grading. I.e. pencil for test and pen for grading (preferably something obvious like red or blue).

Good luck in your difficult situation.

[SolaireSolstice, BSN, RN]

I agree that with this self-grading system, likely more than that one is cheating. That's just the one you know about.

[JenniferSews]

I am going to go against the general consensus here, normally I am not the tattle tale type, but in a case like this I would anonymously email the instructor and let them know cheating is going on with the self grading set up. I wouldn't even point fingers, shoot it might be more then that person. But I will let it be known that this is happening.

Obviously this self grading needs to change. Sure it would be nice if everyone is an honest and ethical person. But sadly they aren't. I was given a student handbook that I had to sign and return stating I would not cheat and I would report any cheating.

Sadly their are honest good students that didn't get that seat because someone like this student did.

I agree with this. A friend of mine saw a fellow student cheating. She never turned her in and the girl failed out the next semester. She wasn't able to cut it without cheating.

[aedivadye]

I have seen lost of cheating throughout my education. When I was in A&P 2 there was a girl who always cheated off whoever she sat by. I wanted to tell the instructor because I felt it was not fair, but I said nothing. Like the other poster's said, It will catch up with her. She is only cheating herself. I would just work hard and know that you acheived your grade this way.

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

Honestly?

I wouldn't say anything and here is why.

The final exam won't be self-grading.

That is where she'll screw up.

She can't cheat on the NCLEX either.

To me, I could care less if any of my classmates cheated. Because that degree, even if they get one, is worthless if they can't pass the NCLEX.

[RaeF]

I wouldn't say anything either. While it's really not fair, like someone else said, if she has to cheat to pass the test, she'll fail out eventually. There was a guy in my clinical group in the spring who repeatdly screwed up and was given special treatment. I wanted to so badly to say something, but I kept my mouth shut. Sure enough, he was given the boot over the summer anyway.

It will eventually catch up with her because they keep building on the foundation you are supposed to have. It's good that you worry about it though, it shows you aren't unethical. :)