Eh, I'm going to get flamed for this, but here goes. My supervisor is going back to school for her BSN. She's been in school for about a year now, but hasn't done too many essays or papers. Why not? Because she has the nursing staff doing her school work for her. I have no idea how she manages to pass since different people have different writing styles, but whatever.
I'll admit, I wrote one paper. I'm against cheating and I cringed while doing it, but the "I'm 60, how can my school expect me to learn APA at my age" talk won me over. I have a soft spot for people like that (my mother was the exact same way but never got to finish school) but now my supervisor is asking me to do a whole research project . I need to tell her no, but I'm not really sure how.
I already told myself I will never help her cheat again, but now I need help telling HER that without succumbing to her "I can't do this, I need you" speeches.
Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.
I have an issue with everyone saying this woman's cheating is going to make her an unsafe nurse.
I have more concerns about her being in a supervisory role.
(the following is a fictitious example only)
Supervisor "Newboy write my assignment for me"
Newboy: "em no"
When performance evals role round "Newboy has major performance issues and is a less than stellar nurse"
An ADN and a BSN have the same job. This woman has to get her BSN to keep the job she already has. Fudging a few research papers is not suddenly going to make her incompetent at the job she has already been working at for years. It is really histrionic to suggest otherwise. Like, if I fudge a paper, do I suddenly forget how to do CPR or what a med I give all of the time is given for?
Cheating is despicable, but we are talking about someone who is already a licensed nurse and has been working for years, not a new grad. I think OP should absolutely not help her write the research paper, and I think turning her in anonymously is a good idea, but that's just based on my principles and not the effect it will have on her work ability.
Anyone who is willing to cheat repeatedly IMO is not someone who should be in a leadership position. She may be a stellar nurse, she may be holding multiple nurses over a barrel threatening to give them horrible performance appraisals. Not someone I'd want in a position of power over me
Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.
I may have missed it but I don't think anyone is saying she'll be an unsafe nurse. I think she's a crappy supervisor who is exploiting subordinates and is definitely a dishonest person, but I couldn't say if she's a safe nurse or not.
Wow, just wow. If it were me I would anonymously report her. But that's me.
As for APA, I used MS Word to auto-generate my citations for my BSN papers. It's not rocket science!!
As for being too old to learn APA at 60, one of my best friends from nursing school graduated with me at 62, had been out of school for 40 years. Legit as they come, did her own work, sharp as a tack, and summa cum laude!
Your manager is freaking LAZY! Hope karma bites her in the butt!
I almost did it myself to help out a very hardworking friend at work who was facing a deadline for one of those weekly assignments. Instead of doing that, I took the admission and told her to use her break and bang it out. She never asked me again. We had an unspoken understanding that if she was studying, I would watch out for everything else, within reason. In a way, I kept her on task. This became our routine and I did not mind. She is going to be a fantastic NP. ( This is not the same girl who is buying a capstone paper for $600)There are a lot of ways to support your night time student coworkers besides helping them cheat.
You are much nicer than I am. No way am I carrying the workload for a student that would rather spend her [or his] paid time at work to study. If you are getting paid to do the job, do the job. If you have down time by all means use it to study, but don't expect your co-workers to carry your load because you have chosen to go back to school.
I'm against cheating, I could never live with the guilt anyway but..
OP, you know her, is she a nurse whomis being unethically pushed into this just to keep her job and make a living so close to retirement because of the new BSN requirement? Or is she a passive agressive controlling opportunistic witch who'll have your head if you don't help?
I wouldn't turn the first one in, I just couldn't, not based on asking for help alone. She's too close to retirement and likely to be aged out anyway, I would let life's chips handle her.
I just don't agree with the way BSN is being handled. I'm for all nurses holding a higher degree but I think at a certain point existing ADNs should have been grandfathered in at their current positions. And telling a well performing 60 yr old to fit in obtaining a BSN on top of earning a living in today's kick ass healthcare culture or return to back breaking 12 hr bedside care that her 60 yr old body likely would struggle with is an unethical way to treat a good nurse. (..if she's a good nurse who has put in devoted years)
Both are wrong, but out of the two I wouldn't be the one to crucify the senior nurse, the circumstances she's facing are going to get her anyway.
I would however tell her NFW will I do her research paper for her and I'd also tell her straight up that it's not right for her to ask any of us.
Oh please. The push for BSN has been hard core for at least two decades. It's not like she didn't know. She didn't have to wait until 60.
I've noticed a growing problem with people thinking that once a certain age is passed, rules and ethics no longer apply. Age doesn't change right and wrong.
And besides, when did 60 become decrepit and incompetent? My dad is 62 and still runs and does all his own home maintenance. My step mom is approaching 70 and works as a produce clerk because she got bored with retirement. My grandma is 83 and just ran her own yard sale. Old doesn't mean washed up, incompetent and useless. And 60 isn't old, not anymore.
Oh please. The push for BSN has been hard core for at least two decades. It's not like she didn't know. She didn't have to wait until 60.
I've noticed a growing problem with people thinking that once a certain age is passed, rules and ethics no longer apply. Age doesn't change right and wrong.
And besides, when did 60 become decrepit and incompetent? My dad is 62 and still runs and does all his own home maintenance. My step mom is approaching 70 and works as a produce clerk because she got bored with retirement. My grandma is 83 and just ran her own yard sale. Old doesn't mean washed up, incompetent and useless. And 60 isn't old, not anymore.
Where did you read that I said any of that? Knee jerk lack of comprehension.
I just wouldn't take the burn her at the stake approach that you would, unless she's a true opportunist.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
You are much nicer than I am. No way am I carrying the workload for a student that would rather spend her [or his] paid time at work to study. If you are getting paid to do the job, do the job. If you have down time by all means use it to study, but don't expect your co-workers to carry your load because you have chosen to go back to school.
I agree. About half of my shift mates at any one time are in school . . . I will HELP them turn, toilet or clean up their patients, but I'm not going in there to deal with their patients while they continue to study. They're getting paid for the same hours I am; they can work those hours.
She doesn't have to learn APA - there are plenty of computer programs available that automatically format papers...her age is irrelevant...she is simply lazy and has found a way to pass her responsibilities to others (including those who work for her which is a whole other issues) but she reaps the benefits. I would never want to work for or with someone like her. Yuck.
Here's my update. I told her no. This lady is a rant queen, and she tried me. I'm not worried about her giving me a bad evaluation. I haven't even thought about that to be honest. She just plays the victim card all too well to get what she wants. That's just what she does. Anyways, I offered to help her with APA and she declined so I already know what that means - she'll ask someone else to do it. Anyways, I'm done. Cheaters never prosper.
. I need to tell her no, but I'm not really sure how.
AJ007
4 Posts
Great read