Academic Dishonesty: Ethical Issues For Nurse Educators

Ethical Issues for Nurse Educators
Sally Smith
NYU College of Nursing
Nursing Practice
Fall 2010

Nursing Students and Academic Dishonesty: Ethical Issues for Nurse Educators
Based on the caring nature of nursing, the nursing profession is held to very high ethical standards (Ganske, 2010, p. 1). Nursing, however, is not immune to ethical issues. There are many reports on ethical issues in clinical nursing practice, but often ethical issues in nursing education is rarely addressed (Ganske, 2010, p. 1). That being said, academic dishonesty, such as cheating and plagiarism, is a common ethical dilemma faced by nursing educators. As stated by Kolanko et al (2006), academic dishonesty is the “intentional participation in deceptive practices
Some students will do anything it takes to achieve a higher grade, to achieve a grade point average sufficient for graduate school, or to achieve special awards or honors, even if it includes cheating (Kolanko, et al., 2006, p. 35). Methods of cheating have become increasingly high tech over the last several years, with all of the increased technology available to students. Students have been known to text answers to other students, use micro recorders to tape test questions for students in later classes, and use ultraviolet pens to write test questions out so that the questions cannot be detected to the naked eye, but can be viewed under a special ultraviolet light (Kolanko, et al., 2006, p. 36). In addition to all of these fancy, high tech methods of cheating, the old fashioned cheating methods still do exist. Students are still known to use cheat sheets, copy off other students’ tests, and use textbooks when not allowed (Schmidt, 2006, p.
Although a student may find that cheating helps achieve a better grade, it is not helpful as the student moves into professional practice. As stated by Schmidt (2006), although a student may cheat throughout nursing school, that same student may be unable to pass the state licensing exam, which would not have made cheating worthwhile (p. 2). Nursing faculty has a responsibility to nursing students to discuss cheating and plagiarism, as well as implementing methods to deter academic dishonesty (Schmidt, 2006, p. 2). Decreased academic dishonesty would benefit not only the students and faculty, but the public who rely on educated nurses to care for themselves and their families (Schmidt, 2006, p.