Alright here is the story in as short and brief terms as possible. One of my classes is taught in a lecture auditorium with about 90 seats and 72 students. Exams are given in this auditorium. It resembles a movie theater with rising rows one section is dead center and their are two sections--one to the right and one to the left. Obviously testing under these conditions is "uncomfortable" to put it in one word because if you want to cheat all you have to do is move your eyes..no looking up or twisting of the head is necessary. Most people have their papers covered like hawks.
It became apparent to me after the exam that multiple people were discussing their cheating habits on the exam and those who didn't even bother to open a book received a grade in the high 90's..and how funny is it that so did the person next to the other. I don't really care about what grade everyone gets..it just bothers me that people are cheating on these types of exams. If they can't answer the questions themselves I don't want them standing over my loved one's bed.
As you can imagine because the room is split into three sections it is impossible for the professor to watch all sides at once. When I was in LPN school they were much more strict about adequate room between those that were testing. At least one empty desk between each student and the class wasn't as large.
My question is..should I keep my mouth shut and keep it moving..or is this something that needs to brought to the professors attention. I think that I should bring it up..but if I had to I would want to bring it up anonymously. How do you guys feel because I am feeling a tad bit enraged at the persistent lack of integrity that is demonstrated amongst my classmates.:angryfire
Here's my school's honor code as an fyi- we sign a sheet with this statement before taking every quiz and test:
*By signing this statement, I agree that I will not engage in any cheating on this or any other exam. If I see cheating occurring during this exam, I will immediately notify a proctor. If I become aware that cheating occurred on the exam after the fact, I will notify a course faculty member. If I fail to do so, I am in violation of the program's test taking policy and may be subject to discipline.
i don't like that policy that some school have like the previous poster said. that just puts the students in a bind and in a difficult place. if the instructors would do their job, even if it takes walking up and down the rows, there would be no need to hold the students liable to come forward if someone in class cheated during an exam. all it takes if for the instructor to monitor the students 100% of the time the test is been given and to do walking rounds to eliminate people wanting to cheat.
i don't like that policy that some school have like the previous poster said. that just puts the students in a bind and in a difficult place. if the instructors would do their job, even if it takes walking up and down the rows, there would be no need to hold the students liable to come forward if someone in class cheated during an exam. all it takes if for the instructor to monitor the students 100% of the time the test is been given and to do walking rounds to eliminate people wanting to cheat.
how is being accountable for reporting cheating, if you see it or know about it, different from being accountable for reporting another rn taking narcotics if you see it or know about it? what the policy is saying is that it is your job to report what you see. it's the faculty's job to take it from there. the faculty can not be everywhere and see everything, and the integrity of our class is something we're all responsible for.
and, i hate to break it to you....most school's that i've seen had an honor policy that states what the one above did (all three of mine did). if you look up your current school's honor policy, i'm guessing there's a good chance that it says the same.
How is being accountable for reporting cheating, if you see it or know about it, different from being accountable for reporting another RN taking narcotics if you see it or know about it? What the policy is saying is that it IS your job to report what you see. It's the faculty's job to take it from there. The faculty can not be everywhere and see everything, and the integrity of our class is something we're all responsible for.
And, I hate to break it to you....most school's that I've seen had an honor policy that states what the one above did (all three of mine did). If you look up your current school's honor policy, I'm guessing there's a good chance that it says the same.
It's a huge difference. For one, you're paying the school to educate you. You're not paying them for the privilege of playing their police force. The hospitals pay you to act responsibly and serve their interests as well as the patients interests. Nevermind the fact that stealing narcotics and cheating is a huge difference in levels. You know, with one being a legal felony, and the other being....bad moral conduct. If anything, it would be more comparable to stealing say...IV kits to practice with at home. You can rat them out, but it just makes you a prick.
It's a huge difference. For one, you're paying the school to educate you. You're not paying them for the privilege of playing their police force. The hospitals pay you to act responsibly and serve their interests as well as the patients interests. Nevermind the fact that stealing narcotics and cheating is a huge difference in levels. You know, with one being a legal felony, and the other being....bad moral conduct. If anything, it would be more comparable to stealing say...IV kits to practice with at home. You can rat them out, but it just makes you a prick.
I guess we'll just have to disagree to disagree on that one. Your perspective feels far to much like situational ethics to me. The way I see it, wrong is wrong and right is right. Some things aren't "more" wrong than others, and it's not always "someone else's problem." No, we don't live in a black and white world.....but there aren't situations where cheating is right. The integrity of my cohort, and the integrity of my profession once I'm a nurse, is partly my responsibility.
It's not my job to be the judge and jury, but it's always my job to report what I know.
to curiousme: don't be sorry for nothing. i don't see the honor policy as a pain in my behind as i don't worry about what others are doing. if i see someone cheating i don't worry about it. we're adults that know we're not supposed to cheat, so i leave that up to them. what i said i do not agree on is the 'policy' making us feel responsible for reporting someone, kind of like, making us feel guilty when we've done nothing wrong. most of my instructors do nothing at taking measures when we're taking exams, it's their fault, not mine nor yours students cheat in their classroom. most of the teachers sit down read a book, or do nothing at their desk, when i think and believe they should be paying attention at us while we take the exam. like i said before, all they have to do is walk around, even if its just in the front of the room, that will scare and put doubts on any student that wants to cheat as the students will know that the teacher is on guard and paying attention to us while we test.
I could make an exaggerated example here, but I don't think its necessary. I think you can find the point here on your own.
No, we don't live in a black and white world.....but there aren't situations where cheating is right.
Again, I've never made the point that cheating was right. Thats not the issue. Cheating is wrong. Lets all agree on that and move on. The issue is whether or not the op should have the maturity to handle her own buisness without going out of her way to bring others down. Those that cheat are making their own bed, and they'll have to lie in it eventually. Or maybe, they'll realize that taking the shortcuts aren't going to give them the tools they need to succeed, and they'll get their acts together and shape up and move on to become excellent nurses. If thats the path they're going to take, is it really your place to sabotage them because you don't feel they deserve it?
If you happen to pull up in a parking spot and notice the parking meter for the car next to you is expired, is it really your place to call up the meter maid and report it? Or does that make you the proverbial *******?
Bottom line, theres plenty of people that bust their asses out there to be a nurse, and don't make it. It's a long and vigorous screening process. And anyone that manages to obtain their liscence deserves to be a nurse.
I could make an exaggerated example here, but I don't think its necessary. I think you can find the point here on your own.
Again, I've never made the point that cheating was right. Thats not the issue. Cheating is wrong. Lets all agree on that and move on. The issue is whether or not the op should have the maturity to handle her own buisness without going out of her way to bring others down. Those that cheat are making their own bed, and they'll have to lie in it eventually. Or maybe, they'll realize that taking the shortcuts aren't going to give them the tools they need to succeed, and they'll get their acts together and shape up and move on to become excellent nurses. If thats the path they're going to take, is it really your place to sabotage them because you don't feel they deserve it?
If you happen to pull up in a parking spot and notice the parking meter for the car next to you is expired, is it really your place to call up the meter maid and report it? Or does that make you the proverbial *******?
Bottom line, theres plenty of people that bust their asses out there to be a nurse, and don't make it. It's a long and vigorous screening process. And anyone that manages to obtain their liscence deserves to be a nurse.
The difference between your parking example and nursing school is that first of all, I never signed a driver's honor code in which I said I would report traffic violations, and if I didn't I would be equally as guilty of that violation, and secondly the person who parked there is not part of my class or profession, with a defined set of ethics that it's my job to partially uphold.
We're not training for a job, we're training to be a part of a profession, and a profession that, in order to keep the trust of the public, has to have a higher set of standards than the general population. That's why my school adheres to the honor code so closely. That's why it's the right thing to do when someone reports a cheater.
It's not about me trying to "sandbag" the person who cheated; truly, no matter what happens "I" didn't sandbag them or "get them in to trouble"....any consequences were brought on by their decision to cheat. Honestly, I hope the worst that would happen is that they would have a small penalty and be counseled (hopefully learning their lesson). This isn't about revenge, this isn't about the other person at all (I'm far to busy to worry about someone else's business). It's about upholding what is expected of me. Reporting cheating that I witness or know about has been clearly outlined as one of my responsibilities as member of the Class of 2011 at my school of nursing. I sign to indicate my understanding of that every year.
Additionally, as I'm 40 yrs old....it's been decades since I took into consideration that someone might think I'm (well any of the colorful words that were denoted with symbols, which you've used to describe someone who reports a cheater) for doing the right thing....that sounds like a high school problem to me. Some folks will like me others won't, I'll like some folks and I won't others....whatever. Honestly, I'm not terribly concerned about the opinion of someone who would judge me for upholding my commitment.
i don't want to go on-on a you said, i said, so for curiousme: i agree with you on: 'we'll have to learn agree to disagree'
have a good day.:wink2:
i wish you the best, and hope your perspective doesn't come back to you in a bad way in the future. someone in my program failed a class for her "minding her own business" and not reporting something she clearly knew and witnessed.
As I can see this has become a heated topic let me clarify a few things. I've been through one nursing school before so I do know about being in school and allowing some things to roll off of your back.
The concept that I cannot understand is how letting cheaters cheat..is none of my business? Some of you FAIL to understand that these people will be responsible for one of your family members care and you would be PRAYING that someone had caught them cheating that long ago. Too much trust is put into our profession to allow people to cheat. They are not ONLY cheating themselves, but they will be cheating by upholding a PUBLIC SERVICE job in which much responsibility/faith is put into them.
Let me remind you again that I graduated with quite a few people who were COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY INCOMPETENT..the wholeee two years I said "their never going to pass and if they do they'll never pass their boards." Anddd let me tell you..they are now licensed nurses walking around a local hospital or nursing home caring for someone elses family member and I wouldn't let them touch anyone with their pinky finger.
So to go back to the original topic I myself would not be "screwing someone over." They are screwing themselves by cheating.
My goal by submitting an anonymous letter was just to make the teachers in that classroom more aware of their students..or maybe we could work out different testing arrangements. You know why? Because regardless of whether they pass their boards or not they will still have a dazzling college transcript that they didn't earn. I have way too many friends that worked their butts off to keep the grades they needed and FAILED! I have so much more respect for them for trying so hard and failing rather then cheating and doing extremely well.
My main concern was a solution for the problem as a whole--Not to point fingers at specific students.
I think that the school system relies on the revenue of the masses who do not pass (government free money). So between instructors' job security being threatened often by angry students, and the motivation factor of marginal students who will never make it all the way: the instructors are playing the game as per design. It makes me mad to no end, but then I just blow a percentage of my test when I lose my cool. So to hell with the illegal aliens who get pell grant money, etc... and cheat their way through. They are doing it for grant money mainly anyway. I just hope none of them make it through and kill anyone I care for. Then it would be my fault. But I have enough to worry about with just myself. Then again, I have seen cute RN grads starting a job on her first day at HR, who had a mini-skirt and legs up to her neck, that did not know how to operate an elevator.
hiddencatRN, BSN, RN
3,408 Posts
Here's my school's honor code as an fyi- we sign a sheet with this statement before taking every quiz and test:
*By signing this statement, I agree that I will not engage in any cheating on this or any other exam. If I see cheating occurring during this exam, I will immediately notify a proctor. If I become aware that cheating occurred on the exam after the fact, I will notify a course faculty member. If I fail to do so, I am in violation of the program's test taking policy and may be subject to discipline.