The Issue Of Academic Dishonesty In Nursing

The field of Nursing is a highly valued and honorable profession. Honesty begins in the academic school setting where learning practices are formed. It is found that students from colleges around different parts of the country have participated in some type of academic honesty. Researchers show cheating has occurred among nursing students and has made negative impacts as they progress onto the clinical floor (Maring et al., 2018). Students in health care programs such as nursing can be held to liabilities with serious consequences if they choose to perform dishonest behaviors.

Academic Dishonesty Affects Nursing Client Care

Patients in the setting of a hospital, or in home health may be experiencing complicating health issues that affect their entire lifestyles. Nursing roles comes into play as they have a duty to assist patients and families through challenging times. Attributes and qualities of students are developed as they attend schooling. The habits and activities pursued while in school will carry with them as they approach the clinical health care setting. It is considered dishonest for students to chart or document tasks on a patient that they did not actually complete. It is not safe to make false records of giving a medication, completing vital signs, changing linens on a bed, or bathing a patient when the work was never performed. This will only hurt the patient and family members who care for them (Maring et al., 2018).

Honesty and Ethics for Future Nursing Practice

Students may have difficulty recognizing the importance of developing academic honesty for future roles as nurses. Even though cheating is a current issue with students it’s something that can be evaluated and prevented (Arhin, 2019). Students need to be aware of their school code of ethics to be familiarized with what is expected. Instructors need to work along with the students by enforcing rules and consequences. Students should also know how they can show good ethics by not joining in on cheating methods when the pressure of peers is among them. If nursing students properly practice their assignments, tests, and patient care duties, they will be able to perform efficiently as a future nurse.

Conclusion 

Nursing is a profession that is dependent on the honesty of the nurse when administering care. If students will make proper decisions “in order to promote honesty and integrity beyond the classroom to the clinical setting” (Bultas, et al., 2017, p. 62), they will be the most influential nurses. Patients deserve to receive the higher level of care that comes from the value of honesty.

References

• Arhin, A. (2009). A Pilot Study of Nursing Student’s Perceptions of Academic Dishonesty: A Generation Y Perspective. The ABNF Journal, 17–21.
• Bultas, M., Schmuke, A., Davis, R., & Palmer, J. (2017). Crossing the “line”: College students and academic integrity in nursing. Nurse Education Today, 57–62.
• Maring, J., Vail, M., Wright, K., Tebbenhoff, B., Canova, K., & Costello, E. (2018). Attitudes Toward Academic Dishonesty in Health Profession Students. Journal of Allied Health, 97–103.