Case Study Chapter 18a Group Of Nursing Students Are In

Case Study Chapter 18a Group Of Nursing Students Are In The Middle O

Case Study, Chapter 18. A group of nursing students are in the middle of an exam when two students witness another student pull out his phone and look up answers. Neither student informs the faculty member but after the exam they discuss what they witnessed. Describe the most common forms of cheating in the classroom and in the clinical area.

What should the nursing students do in regard to what they witnessed during the exam? Why is it important for them to do anything?

Paper For Above instruction

Cheating in educational and clinical settings poses significant ethical, professional, and legal challenges, particularly in nursing, a profession rooted in integrity, honesty, and accountability. Understanding the common forms of cheating in both academic and clinical environments is essential for fostering an ethical learning atmosphere and ensuring safe patient care. Furthermore, knowing appropriate responses to witnessed cheating underscores the importance of upholding professional integrity and safeguarding the standards of the nursing profession.

In the classroom, cheating manifests in various forms, including using unauthorized materials during exams, copying from peers, obtaining or sharing exam questions beforehand, and impersonation—where someone else takes an exam on behalf of another. With the proliferation of digital technology, mobile devices have become a common tool for cheating, enabling students to access online resources, communicate with others, or store unauthorized information. Academic dishonesty can also involve falsifying documentation, cheating on assignments, or submitting someone else's work as one's own.

In the clinical setting, cheating may not involve traditional academic dishonesties but can take forms such as falsifying patient records, taking shortcuts that compromise patient safety, or colluding with colleagues to manipulate documentation to cover errors or omissions. This form of dishonesty jeopardizes patient safety and violates legal and ethical standards. It erodes trust among healthcare professionals and undermines the integrity of clinical practice, which is essential for delivering high-quality patient care.

When nursing students witness such misconduct, especially during examinations, their response is crucial. First and foremost, students should consider the ethical implications—cheating undermines the integrity of the educational process and can compromise patient safety if unmerited pass/fail outcomes influence clinical preparedness. According to nursing ethics frameworks, students have a moral responsibility to uphold honesty and integrity (ANA, 2015).

Although the students in the scenario did not report witnessing cheating during the exam, their discussion afterward suggests a recognition of the misconduct. Ideally, they should have reported the incident to the faculty or exam proctor immediately. Reporting dishonest behavior is vital because it maintains fairness for all students who adhere to academic standards. Additionally, it helps educational institutions uphold their integrity, which translates into safer clinical practice when students graduate.

Not reporting known cheating can have several consequences. It enables dishonest behaviors to persist, potentially impacting the reputation of the educational program and the trustworthiness of future nurse graduates. The American Nurses Association emphasizes the importance of integrity in professional practice, including accountability for one's actions and advocating for the ethical standards of the profession (ANA, 2015). Therefore, students have a duty to act ethically by reporting observed misconduct.

From a broader perspective, addressing misconduct supports the development of competent, honest nurses committed to ethical practice. Such integrity ensures that nurses are trustworthy in their interactions with patients and colleagues. Moreover, reporting academic dishonesty promotes a culture of accountability and respect within educational settings, which directly correlates to professional behavior in clinical environments.

In terms of practical actions, students should approach the faculty or exam proctor to report the incident confidentially or utilize institutional reporting mechanisms designed to handle such concerns. It is important to consider the potential repercussions and address the situation with care and discretion, ensuring that the report is factual and free from personal bias. Nursing programs often have policies against cheating, and reporting can support institutional efforts to uphold these standards.

In conclusion, the most common forms of cheating involve the use of unauthorized resources, copying, impersonation, and falsification in academic settings, while dishonest behaviors in clinical environments include falsifying records and compromising patient safety. Nursing students have an ethical obligation to report cheating they witness, as doing so preserves the integrity of their education, fosters professional accountability, and ultimately ensures safe patient care. Upholding honesty and integrity remains fundamental to nursing practice, and students should actively participate in maintaining these standards to safeguard the reputation of the profession and promote a culture of ethical excellence.

References

• American Nurses Association. (2015). Code of ethics for nurses with interpretive statements. ANA Publishing.
• Gibbons, D. (2017). Academic dishonesty: The role of nursing students and faculty. Journal of Nursing Education, 56(4), 211-215.
• McCabe, D. L., & Treviño, L. K. (2017). Honesty and ethical behavior in nursing education. Nursing Ethics, 24(2), 224-235.
• National Council of State Boards of Nursing. (2020). NCLEX exam security and integrity guidelines. NCSBN.
• Rogers, M. E. (2016). Clinical ethics: Fostering integrity and professionalism in nursing. Nursing Ethics Journal, 23(5), 567-578.
• Smith, P., & Johnson, L. (2019). The impact of academic dishonesty on nursing education outcomes. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 91, 112-119.
• American Educational Research Association. (2014). Ethical standards in educational research. AERA Publications.
• Kaleta, D., & Ducharme, L. (2018). Addressing cheating in nursing schools: Strategies and ethical considerations. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 9(2), 18-25.
• Levin, R. P. (2014). Fostering academic integrity in nursing education. Nurse Educator, 39(2), 50-54.
• Steneck, N. H. (2015). Introduction to the responsible conduct of research. Office of Research Integrity, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.