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 .
Turning a friend/colleague in is even worse than cheating. Tons of people cheat and the fact that you saw her doesn't give you the right to make judgment about her. If she is not good at pharm it will eventually catch up with her. You won't elliminate the problem and you will make an enemy. In the eyes of a teacher and other classmates you won't look good either. Is her grade making you jealous? Think about the fact that life is not fair and everybody will eventually get punished whether in this life or the next. Honestly, can you say that you have never ever ever ever been dishonest? Remeber the story from the Bible? When the society wanted to stone a woman for her sins?
You can talk to your friend and tell her what you think but don't try to punish her.
Also, nurses who report other nurses in hospitals are not considered better than others. They try to suck up to management and it's never good. Coworkers will hate you and the work atmosphere will not be pleasant.
Hope that helps.
Nicka
Sorry but I think this attitude is one of the things that is wrong with nursing. You bet your boots that I would report a colleague should the situation warrant it. Also, if I thought it wouldn't devolve to my word against a fellow student's I would report someone who was cheating during an exam -- as I would fully expect someone to report me if I cheated. Also, ca;; me Pollyanna but I don't think that many people cheat.
I don't think the person needs to examine their motives for something like this. She isn't making a judgement. If she reports it that is for the school to do.
I think you have some idea that people who report others are self-righteous________ (fill in the blank). There is a bigger picture -- like the perception of our profession or the integrity of our school.
Specializes in Education, Ortho, Plastics, Gen Surg.
Let the person cheat - if they are that silly (could use a worse word) then when they kill someone they will work it out. They obviously don't realise that the task of administering drugs requires a high level of competence.
Specializes in Education, Ortho, Plastics, Gen Surg.
WOW can't believe someone would write this - Turning a friend/colleague in is even worse than cheating. Obviously someone else who needs to grow up and relaise the implications of what they are saying. PS I have been teaching Medication calculations at University for over two years and we make our students get 100% - some people do struggle but i would rather spend the time and help them to work out what they are doing than to make it easy and have more mistakes made in practice.
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?
If I were you I would let it go. Let Karma be the judge, and take care of things.
Self Checking? I've not seen that since elementary school. Although its wrong, your instructor was simply creating the opportunity for that student and anyone else (others you did not see) to cheat. None of your business. It catches up with them every time. In nursing school I saw it all of the time. Even with strict moderators (no phones allowed on your person, sit 2 seats apart, no one in front of you, no hats, no water/pop bottles) But those students trust me, did not reap the fruits of their labor because at some point their incompetencies were revealed.
I would let this go for the following reasons: if she needs to cheat in order to pass this course, she is also probably not performing in other classes where there is no self-grading and will fail those also and then will be out of the program. In addition, if you had to hand in the papers after they were graded to the instructor, no one can make perfect erasures and the instructor will have a high suspicion that some of the answers have been changed by the smudge marks and then will be watching this student more closely. This will eventually all catch up with her.
If you learn nothing from the experienced nurses on this site learn this: PICK YOUR BATTLES! The trivial ones will surely boomerang and take a chunk out of your butt in negative office politics ...to a resident tattler watching and reporting "your" every move !
:smokin:Shake your head, suck your teeth...and move on!
You really think the higher-ups don't know there's cheating???
What you focus on ethically as a student becomes a beacon as a nurse. Her own cheating habit will fail her in the end (at the State Boards. If it's keeping you up at night (first, get a life) write an anonymous note to the big wigs about an "anonymous" nurse so they might address the issue (not the nurse) - and you can, PLEASE, let it go!
This sounds like advice from someone who cheats. If you saw someone cheating, you should report it, tactfully. If you see a child covered in bruises, do you report it? If you see a coworker allow a break in sterile technique, do you look the other way? If you see a coworker drop a narcotic into their pocket, do you report them?
Oh...I'm sorry. I must have misunderstood that part about "pick your battles", "resident tattler", "move on", "you really think the higher-ups don't know there's cheating". Then there is the slam about "get a life" and "and you can, PLEASE, let it go". I can see how you advised her to report it in a way that supports change in the system, that is, after you first admonish her for ever considering reporting it.
For the record, I am inexperienced in nursing. See, this is the student forum and as such, I am a nursing student. In a few short weeks, I will be able to take the test that determines if I can add the initials RN behind my name.
As far as it was only a written test argument goes, if someone is so ethically challenged to cheat on a written test, imagine what they would do under pressure. Falsify patient records, not follow written procedure, steal meds, steal property...who knows. It is not certainly a matter of "only a test". The cheaters moral compass is obviously skewed and they undermine the entire system. You however have a horrible attitude and it is clear that you have either cheated your way through nursing school, or have been report by "bad" coworkers for doing something wrong and you have a chip on your shoulder.
I know how you feel because I saw someone cheat from a paper,But I never said anything because I did not want her get into trouble. But please don't tell on your classmate. What is done is done! Nursing is too hard to get into and then stay and graduate, so please do not mess this one. Plus pretty soon it will soon catch up with her, you can NOT get your way in nursing. That's exactly what happenend to the girl I witnessed, she did not graduate with me. So let nature take its couse. Don not be sore because you feel you deserve more than her. You got what you got on your own , be proud and do better next time. Just let it go.
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DolceVita, ADN, BSN, RN
1,565 Posts
Sorry but I think this attitude is one of the things that is wrong with nursing. You bet your boots that I would report a colleague should the situation warrant it. Also, if I thought it wouldn't devolve to my word against a fellow student's I would report someone who was cheating during an exam -- as I would fully expect someone to report me if I cheated. Also, ca;; me Pollyanna but I don't think that many people cheat.
I don't think the person needs to examine their motives for something like this. She isn't making a judgement. If she reports it that is for the school to do.
I think you have some idea that people who report others are self-righteous________ (fill in the blank). There is a bigger picture -- like the perception of our profession or the integrity of our school.