Published Dec 9, 2011
P B and J
98 Posts
First semester over, and I survived to see next semester (although my GPA has taken a hit, I did my best and am proud of my grade!). Great feeling! We lost 2 people right off the bat, lost 3 more after grades were calculated, so it's pretty tough to leave someone behind. This is where it gets hairy....
After the last day of classes and finals, we had a meeting to turn in all of our clinical documents for review. Turn those in, no problem. Get our paperwork filled out for next semesters clinical sites, no problem. Then the director of our program goes to the front, sets down a huge pile of papers, and tells us every single person passed the final for Fundamentals. Everyone cheers of course, we worked so hard! (More than a few people in our class needed to do excellent on the final to pass). But the look on her face said that we were mistaken.
She then told us one of 3 things happened.... 1) We mastered the course material. ("Not possible" she said, considering our percentages before the final). 2) One of us stole a copy of the final from the instructors' desk beforehand, and shared it with everyone else. Or 3) One of us went online and bought a copy of the test bank and shared that.
The whole class was shaking their heads in disbelief! One girl burst into tears at the mere thought of being accused of cheating. We were then educated on how it may be legal to purchase the test bank, but that it's unethical and that we put the whole program in jeopardy by doing so. She refuses to believe that we did great on the final on our own, and that we did not use any unethical or illegal means to do so.
I know that I can vouch for more than a few people in my class, we studied our butts off for this exam! I took 100 question practice exams from my book CD several times a day for weeks. I did practice exams from the PDQ N-clex CD. I went over and over the handouts and lecture notes I took. I read and reread chapters that I was having a hard time comprehending. And the final was incredibly easy, 100 questions, and I was finished in 20 minutes flat. I was very, VERY proud of my 99%! Now, it's tarnished.... For me and for everyone else, but most especially for those that needed 95% or better on the final to pass, and got through to the next quarter by the barest of margins.
Sorry this is long, and pretty rambling. I needed to vent my frustrations somewhere that won't get me in trouble
Streamline2010
535 Posts
Don't worry about it. Even if the rest of the class cheated, you didn't, so you have nothing to worry about. And get used to being insulted in nursing school. It's part of the training. I'm not sure whether it's done deliberately, but I suppose some of it might be, to see how you handle bad treatment from patients. So don't lose your cool.
teehee, if somebody did indeed steal a copy of the final exam off the instructor's desk. Confidential information should not be left unattended, out in the open, on desks. (Nor should students steal, but instructors should definitely know how to properly handle confidential information.)
nurse4forever
140 Posts
If I was an instructor and found out a copy of the final exam was stolen from my desk, I would have made a new test immediately. I'm sorry this has happened to you and many innocent students taking the blame of other people's action. Are they going to have you guys retake a new exam? I think that would be the only way to find out who cheated and who really knew their stuff. Good luck!!!
PedsHopeful
302 Posts
If she doesnt have any proof she's just blowing hot air. I would have smiled throughout the entire lecture. "Did I still pass?" Yup. "Still have my grade?" Yup. Well, she can think whatever she likes. Moving on.....
She had us take the exam from the last cohort... it was more difficult. The content was the same, but the wording was more confusing. She said it would be different, they have changed books and content since then, so the tests would be from the previous stuff, not ours.
Now she says the matter is closed, but still has not posted our grades, which worries me, as they were completely calculated by 5 on Wednesday...
I realize there is nothing I can do, you can't prove you didn't do something, it's just frustrating and hurts to have your integrity brought into question, knowing there is nothing you can do about it....
Thank you for the thoughtful replies, it does make me feel better!
ImThatGuy, BSN, RN
2,139 Posts
Who gives a **** what she thinks?! If you passed you passed. They can't do anything about it. Who cares if it's "unethical" to buy the test bank?! Idon't think it is. That's probably the most intelligent thing I've heard or a nursing student doing if you ask me.
The fact that you were tested over material, from content you were not provided, is what irritates me. I'd appeal that all day. I don't think I would've even agreed to take the second test.
I wouldnt have retaken a damn thing unless she was able to actually prove I cheated. And if she tried to fail me for it I would have taken it up with the Dean. No way in hell.
See someone else shares my sentiment.
srobb11
190 Posts
That's probably the most intelligent thing I've heard or a nursing student doing if you ask me.
No kidding. I didn't even know this was possible and wish I would have known about it 2 years ago.
Kaylsea209
5 Posts
Exactly. You guys should have gone way above her and brought it to the dean's attention. I'm pretty sure she can't make you guys re-take a final without any hard proof.
She played on their fears of failing. It was a dirty cheap trick, and the bad thing about not calling her on it is she will think she can pull this again on another class.
Wright88
6 Posts
First semester over, and I survived to see next semester (although my GPA has taken a hit, I did my best and am proud of my grade!). Great feeling! We lost 2 people right off the bat, lost 3 more after grades were calculated, so it's pretty tough to leave someone behind. This is where it gets hairy....After the last day of classes and finals, we had a meeting to turn in all of our clinical documents for review. Turn those in, no problem. Get our paperwork filled out for next semesters clinical sites, no problem. Then the director of our program goes to the front, sets down a huge pile of papers, and tells us every single person passed the final for Fundamentals. Everyone cheers of course, we worked so hard! (More than a few people in our class needed to do excellent on the final to pass). But the look on her face said that we were mistaken.She then told us one of 3 things happened.... 1) We mastered the course material. ("Not possible" she said, considering our percentages before the final). 2) One of us stole a copy of the final from the instructors' desk beforehand, and shared it with everyone else. Or 3) One of us went online and bought a copy of the test bank and shared that.The whole class was shaking their heads in disbelief! One girl burst into tears at the mere thought of being accused of cheating. We were then educated on how it may be legal to purchase the test bank, but that it's unethical and that we put the whole program in jeopardy by doing so. She refuses to believe that we did great on the final on our own, and that we did not use any unethical or illegal means to do so.I know that I can vouch for more than a few people in my class, we studied our butts off for this exam! I took 100 question practice exams from my book CD several times a day for weeks. I did practice exams from the PDQ N-clex CD. I went over and over the handouts and lecture notes I took. I read and reread chapters that I was having a hard time comprehending. And the final was incredibly easy, 100 questions, and I was finished in 20 minutes flat. I was very, VERY proud of my 99%! Now, it's tarnished.... For me and for everyone else, but most especially for those that needed 95% or better on the final to pass, and got through to the next quarter by the barest of margins.Sorry this is long, and pretty rambling. I needed to vent my frustrations somewhere that won't get me in trouble
Where did you get the NCLEX cd practice from? I'm in first semester and can use any help or tips please