in your opinion, what action should be taken if it is determined that students cheated on this exam?
exam results raise red flag
unusually high scores on a nursing test first brought joy, then roused spc's suspicion.
by nicole hutcheson
published april 22, 2007
st. petersburg college administrators are investigating what they suspect could be a widespread case of cheating on a nursing exam this month.
administrators said friday they are trying to determine whether students got a copy of the test before it was given. they have not determined what the consequences of any cheating could be.
the test, administered april 9 to 130 students, is given twice a year as a final step before nursing students graduate with an associate's degree.
the state of florida does not require the test, but the college makes students take it before they graduate to help prepare them for the required national licensing exam.
of the students who took the test on april 9, 51 percent scored 90 percent or higher, according to the college. that's nearly three times as many as scored that high previously.
It is a shame that everyone had to take it over again, but I have to wonder how this happened in the first place.
Who got the "study guide" and from where? I hope they get to the bottom of it so that no other students need to go through such an ordeal.
The students I talked to didn't use the study guide and they are unsure where they it originated from. Probably someone was doing some cheating somewhere that made it bad for everyone as the "practice test" spread.
I live in Tampa too and read that same article in the paper. I don't know any SPC nursing students, but that's really awful if they didn't deliberately cheat. What test was it? The article didn't mention it, just said it was "a nursing exam". Why wouldn't you use any and every study guide that was available to you?
I thought of something. Is it cheating if you have to repeat a class and you remember the answers from the test from the previous semester? We review all our tests after they are given.
I'm just saying, it is really unfair these people had to retake this test; doesn't even sound like they knew and just thought they were using a study guide.
I know people have to remember some of the answers.
I live in Tampa too and read that same article in the paper. I don't know any SPC nursing students, but that's really awful if they didn't deliberately cheat. What test was it? The article didn't mention it, just said it was "a nursing exam". Why wouldn't you use any and every study guide that was available to you?
Some kind of exit exam they have to pass to graduate and get their sit pass for boards. Probably like HESI, but from another company.
its always sad to hear something like this happen. I feel for the students that didnt know the review they got was the ACTUAL test. However for those that actually cheated and knew it, they shouldnt be allowed to continue in the program and I would question if they would be allowed into another program.
Integrity is so very important with nursing. If a student is purposefully cheating on an exam, who says they wouldnt cheat at the job? Making up s/s or vitals on thier patient? Stealing meds from patients? How can someone be an advocate for a patient when they themselves have no integrity? Its just so sad that this happened. Reality is that this isnt the first time and wont be the last we hear of such a story. I just hope that our fellow nursing students just work that much harder to maintain themselves and thier profession!
It's what they call the "End of Program" test, but it's an ATI test. We have to take ATI's before entry into the program, after 2nd, 3rd and 4th semesters. I just took my 3rd semester ATI today. (They tightened up security...had to remove my Timex. ) It doesn't figure into my grade at all. It's more for the school to see how the students are learning the material and where they (the school) needs to make changes. You do not need to pass the ATI to move on to the next level, you just get "counselled" on where you need improvement. It's also supposed to be an indication of the probabilities of passing the n-clex. This is where I have a problem. 4th semester students are required to pass the End of Program test in order to graduate. But if the student has been able to pass muster over the entire 4 semesters, what is the point of the test? It's purely to protect the school's n-clex pass rate percentile!!! They want to keep those that are weak on the ATI from failing the n-clex and marring their precious pass rate. But if a student isn't up to snuff, why have they passed their classes right up to graduation? It's totally not fair to put that pressure on the students and it doesn't even count for a grade. If the student truly is not up to passing the n-clex, then they will fail it. Isn't that how it's supposed to work?
Oh, and I don't approve of cheating, but I would much rather see the school under-react than over-react and hurt the innocent, especially for a test that I don't believe in.
Well the fact of the matter was that it wasn't a practice test. Someone hacked into ATI, got the information and then spread it like wildfire. I'm in my first semester at this school and the bummer is a few jackasses have put a black eye on the one school in our county that cranks out the most (well qualified) nurses. Anyhow, we got the speach today in Level I (almost over thank god) and we all take it to heart. I think I would have questioned the material a bit before studying it so hard. Something on there must have indicated it was more than a study guide if you get my drift. Plus, they were in semester 4 and with the way they preach citation and quoting your sources, I would have hoped they would have "questioned the source" before using the material, eh?
) It doesn't figure into my grade at all. It's more for the school to see how the students are learning the material and where they (the school) needs to make changes. You do not need to pass the ATI to move on to the next level, you just get "counselled" on where you need improvement. It's also supposed to be an indication of the probabilities of passing the n-clex. This is where I have a problem. 4th semester students are required to pass the End of Program test in order to graduate. But if the student has been able to pass muster over the entire 4 semesters, what is the point of the test? It's purely to protect the school's n-clex pass rate percentile!!! They want to keep those that are weak on the ATI from failing the n-clex and marring their precious pass rate. But if a student isn't up to snuff, why have they passed their classes right up to graduation? It's totally not fair to put that pressure on the students and it doesn't even count for a grade. If the student truly is not up to passing the n-clex, then they will fail it. Isn't that how it's supposed to work?
Tweety, BSN, RN
36,318 Posts
The students I talked to didn't use the study guide and they are unsure where they it originated from. Probably someone was doing some cheating somewhere that made it bad for everyone as the "practice test" spread.