Hi, all. I'm an LPN student and I need some advice on a moral/ethical issue about one of my classmates.
Some background info: My class is mostly not-your-average students - most of us are in our mid-to-late twenties and early thirties, but quite a few are in their 40's and 50's. We all get a long pretty well - which is a miracle, a whole bunch of women shoved together (there's only one man in our class). Most of us are pretty tight nit and no one goes running to our instructor over little minuscule issues - such as so-and-so's tattoo is showing or so-and-so didn't do that, blah, blah, blah. But I've recently come into some information that is a HUGE issue.
A woman in my class recently told me that she hasn't written a single paper - a woman she works with writes the papers for her. This woman asks my classmate to take her shifts and in exchange for working these shifts, the woman writes the papers for my classmate.
I really like my classmate - but this really, really IRRITATES me. I have been working my butt off - trying to do clinicals, care plans, study for tests, write papers - well, all of you know the workload nursing students deal with. Not only that, but I have a 3 yr old at home and a husband who works sometimes as much as 70 hours a week, give or take. My classmate, on the other hand, has several children but they're all grown (the youngest is 17) and her husband is disabled and receives disability - he stays home all day, does ALL the cleaning and cooking, manages the entire household so that his wife can focus on school. I know it's wrong, but I wouldn't be so irritated if this classmate of mine was a single mom with several kids to raise on her own or something - at least then I could empathize. What makes me even more irritated is that this woman has all this help from her husband, someone else writes her papers for her, and she supposedly has tons of time to study - and she's barely passing!
Anyway, enough of my rambling - what should I do? Should I talk to my instructor face-to-face? Should I leave an anonymous note? Should I send her an email? Should I not tell her at all? Guys, I really don't know what to do. I live in a small town, I have to deal with these women for another 4-5 months and I don't want them to find out and think of me as a snitch - but I really don't think it's fair for someone to be skating by like this when all the rest of us are working our butts off, earning the good grades we receive, and she's having someone else do half the work for her!
Please reply as soon as you can. Thanks for your advice!
I think you should just let it go as well, it's her deal, not yours. If that's how she wants to conduct herself then it's her business. She's not hurting anyone (yet!) and like others said, if she doesn't really know her stuff then eventually that will be revealed in some way as well. Then again, life isn't always fair and sometimes the fastest person doesn't always win the race, it even says that in the book of Proverbs in the bible so sometimes it will appear for a very long time that someone is "getting away with something". I believe though, eventually it does catch up with you but it won't be in yours or my timing, if you know what I mean.
After reading this entire thread (and parts of it a second time), here is what I would recommend.
Go to an instructor you trust. Say only what this person told you. Not, "She's cheating," but, "She told me someone else has been writing her papers."
Because you have no way of ascertaining the validity of her statements, and because you do not wish to be drawn into the spotlight or any ensuing drama, suggest that the faculty not address the claim she made to you directly, but rather start keeping a closer eye on this person to see if they detect any problems on their own.
Surely, if she is avoiding a major part of the learning experience in the way she says, her ignorance (and her dishonesty) will be exposed in some fashion. The fact that she was bold enough to brag about her cheating suggests a reckless disregard for ethics that needs to be addressed at some point in her education. And indeed needs to be a vital part of her education.
This course of action should fulfill your obligation to the program, this person's potential patients, and your own conscience without putting you in harm's way.
I hope you can move forward in the way you need to.
I think the ethical thing to do would be to report what you know to a person in authority, perhaps anonymously. Just tell them exactly what she told you.
The ethical thing isn't always easy to do. It may give you more trouble down the line, but doing the right thing is sometimes the hardest thing.
I'm not a believer of karma. I've seen too many bad things happening to good people and vice versa. It's up to you to report what you know. Don't count on the universe to set things straight.
i don't see this as that big a dilemma. if she has been bragging to multiple people about cheating, she clearly isn't being very covert about it and isn't especially worried about getting caught. this has nothing to do with what is or isn't going on in her personal life. this is strictly about academic honesty and integrity, and clearly she has none. sending an anonymous note is not the way to go. that is the cowards way out, and how is the instructor supposed to take seriously someone who won't even give their name? you need to have a frank discussion with your instructor about your concerns so that she can address the problem. when someone comes to a superior with a legitimate concern, without malice, they will not be punished. how else would we be able to let people know about impaired coworkers?
if you can't address this problem, how will you be able to address a serious one, like an impaired coworker or doctor? (and they are out there, trust me)
i think you know what you want to do, you are just needing "outside" permission to do it. good luck!
Life is not fair. In grad school I had students in my group projects who did nothing yet they got credit for the project. We carried them. In work it is the same. Some people will be carried by others. Get used to it. Her lack of learning will show through and will catch up with her. You are only in competition with yourself. Remember that.
I would probably inform someone I thought I could trust....However...
I'm not a fan of the whole "Be a martyr for justice or admit to moral bankruptcy!" thing. A morally adept person naturally considers the consequences of his/her actions. Of course they would consider the greater ramifications of exposing bad behavior. It is a fair consideration. And in some circumstances, it is necessary (however unfortunately) to sacrifice some slight injustice to uphold some larger principle. As the ENFP said, this world is not black and white. It is a fool who believes so so firmly as to not only root their moral code in a theoretical world devoid of gray, but who also insists that others do the same despite their better judgement.
OP, do what reconciles your conscience. Only you know the full extent on the circumstances surrounding and ramifications of your actions.
:mad:I'm amazed at how many people here advised the OP to keep quiet. HELLOOOOOOO People! As nurses/nurses to be, you will be placed in numerous situations where you will be asked to make a hard decisionabout what is right or wrong. This person is (supposedly) cheating. Would you advise the OP to look the other way if she was cheating on her boards? Or fudging the narc count? What about the fact that this person is also lying to her employer about her hours worked? I remember reading something on ALLNURSES about how the general public has named "Nurse" the topmost respected/trustworthy profession (except the year of 9/11) I'm proud to be a nurse. The letters after your name (no matter WHAT letters they happen to be) are something to be proud of, something earned through hard work. Keeping quiet cheapens that for all of us.
Perhaps those who are so concerned with the projected effects on the individual's nursing practice and so bent on speaking out would be willing to request the name and contact information of an authoritative body at the school and bring the cheater to justice themselves.
You all have just as much evidence as the OP. If she's not willing to answer the call of justice, perhaps you should step in.
Perhaps those who are so concerned with the projected effects on the individual's nursing practice and so bent on speaking out would be willing to request the name and contact information of an authoritative body at the school and bring the cheater to justice themselves.
You all have just as much evidence as the OP. If she's not willing to answer the call of justice, perhaps you should step in.
It's all in the name of moral aptitude, right?
The person in question, told the OP that she hadn't been writing her own papers. This was not an over-heard conversation or even a second-hand conversation. The gal told the OP herself.
This student has not said the same to me....so I have nothing to report.
I'm not sure how this conversation keeps coming back to "evidence?"
No student is required to "Prove" another is cheating. Student's are usually required to report any knowledge they have of cheating. Reporting and proving are not close to the same thing. Proof for things are obtained through investigation. It is never appropriate for another student to be involved in investigating allegations of cheating....that is for faculty to do. The student is responsible to report knowledge, that's it.
If someone cheats by having people write their papers for them it speaks to their character and is an indicator of future behavior. I strongly disagree with ignoring this. Take her aside and tell her you have had time to reflect on what she told you and you think it stinks and it is cheating.
Even though I think you should tell your administration, I doubt that her telling you is enough for them to do anything about. You could speak to your administration and tell them that, although you don't have enough information to give them details, someone has claimed that they are getting their papers written for them by a work colleague.
I think this is the best written piece of advice here, along with a later post by rn/writer. Instead of the knee-jerk, playground-mentality of "-gasp- I'm telling!", the so-called cheater should be addressed directly, and not behind her back. Treat her like an adult, despite her arguably childish behavior. Tell her that you are uncomfortable about what she has just told you, and briefly explain why. Let her know that you may have to report her, pursuant to the student code of conduct (or whatever is the governing body here).
OP, this is weighing heavily on your mind. Whether you're jealous or not, accurate or embellishing, it's obviously causing you grief. As adults, I believe that issues and situations that make us uncomfortable need to be addressed in an adult manner. You are upset, and you should tell her. Maybe this girl is doing this as a cry for attention; maybe being told, "hey what you're doing isn't cool - you could get kicked out for that" will help her put things into better perspective.
To me it's like following the chain of command: you deal with what you can directly, and then keep going up until things are resolved. Harsh judgments on her personal and moral character need not apply; no one knows for sure what her reasons are for what she is doing - or if she's even doing it.
The person in question, told the OP that she hadn't been writing her own papers. This was not an over-heard conversation or even a second-hand conversation. The gal told the OP herself.
And now you've been told...same level of knowledge as the OP and obviously more invested in the outcome. Do you not have the same level of responsibility the OP has?
Who cares if it's first or second or third hand, right? It's in the interest of JUSTICE! Justice must be served!!
And now you've been told, same as the OP. Do you not have the same level of responsibility the OP has?
Not even close to "same as the OP."
Surely you don't think that hearing something second-hand via an anonymous message board is of the same weight as a fellow student in your program confessing to you what they have been doing?
Even if you somehow do....I don't. Unsubstantiated gossip about people I've never seen face-to-face is radically different from someone I know, who knows me...telling me that they did something (no third party involved).
I also didn't sign the Student Code of Conduct/Honor Code at their school....I did at mine. It states that if I know of cheating by a fellow student (as in, in the same program) then if I don't report it I am as guilty of academic dishonesty as they are.
Chiggysmom
166 Posts
I think you should just let it go as well, it's her deal, not yours. If that's how she wants to conduct herself then it's her business. She's not hurting anyone (yet!) and like others said, if she doesn't really know her stuff then eventually that will be revealed in some way as well. Then again, life isn't always fair and sometimes the fastest person doesn't always win the race, it even says that in the book of Proverbs in the bible so sometimes it will appear for a very long time that someone is "getting away with something". I believe though, eventually it does catch up with you but it won't be in yours or my timing, if you know what I mean.