When nurses are dishonest, lives are at risk. So why is academic misconduct so prevalent among nursing students? This webinar was presented by JCU Nursing and Midwifery Professor Melanie Birks and Dr John Smithson.

1. Exploring the
Paradox:
Cheating in the
Most Noble
Profession
Professor Melanie Birks
Dr John Smithson
online.jcu.edu.au
Presented by JCU Nursing and Midwifery:

2. Introductions
Professor Melanie Birks Dr John Smithson

3. • Founded in 1961
• Campuses in Townsville, Cairns and Singapore
• Ranked in the top 2% of universities worldwide
• Reputation for excellence built on world-class
research as well as industry-leading
performance of our graduates
• JCU Online launched two accelerated
postgraduate degrees in 2017
About JCU

4. – Discuss the incidence and prevalence of academic
misconduct amongst nursing students
– Explore why students of the most noble profession
would engage in misconduct
– Describe the types of academic and professional
misconduct reported
– Examine factors that contribute to the problem of
academic and professional misconduct and consider
how these may be addressed
Aims

5. • Plagiarism and cheating are a growing
problem for universities
• Intentional vs unintentional
• The impact of technology
• What we already know
Some Context…

6. Do nurses really cheat?
<a href='https://jooinn.com/school-test-19.html?ref=2806'>Image credit</a>

7. Would cheaters admit to cheating?
<a href='https://jooinn.com/confess-deny-signpost-shows-confessing-or-denying-guilt-innocence.html?ref=2806'>Image
credit</a>

8. Our research
• Aimed to describe the nature and extent of academic
dishonesty among nursing students in Australia
• Questions included:
– 6 demographic items
– 6 items about their course
– 4 items about academic dishonesty
– 8 items about academic dishonesty
– 9 items about professional dishonesty
• A social desirability scale was also included

9. Results
• 467 surveys returned – 361 viable
• 90% currently enrolled in undergraduate degree
• 95% domestic students
• 90% indicated familiarity with university codes and
guidelines about misconduct
• 90% would be deterred from cheating by severe
punishment
• 75% would be deterred by signing a declaration

10. Cheating behaviours
• More than a quarter copied from the internet without
proper acknowledgement
• One fifth worked with another student when not
authorized to
• Figures were less for planned (3.3% or fewer) or
spontaneous (6.1% or fewer) cheating during an exam
• Just over 10% reported that they used unauthorised
material or fabricated data in an academic exercise

11. Of concern…
Question N (%)
No Yes N/A
Not reported an incident or error that involves a client. 279 (77.3) 41 (11.4) 41 (11.4)
Reported or recorded treatments that were not performed or
observed.
296 (82.0) 37 (10.2) 28 (7.8)
Reported or recorded vital signs that were not taken or recalled
accurately.
236 (65.4) 103 (28.5) 22 (6.1)
Attempted to perform a procedure on a client without adequate
knowledge or failed to obtain guidance from the instructor.
303 (83.9) 37 (10.2) 21 (5.8)
Broke sterile technique and neither reported it nor replaced
contaminated items.
297 (82.3) 36 (10.0) 28 (7.8)
Discussed clients in public places or with nonmedical personnel. 240 (66.5) 103 (28.5) 18 (5.0)

12. Social desirability
Question N(%)
No Yes
I like to gossip at times. 122 (33.8) 239 (66.2)
There have been occasions when I took advantage of someone. 264 (73.1) 97 (26.9)
I’m always willing to admit it when I make a mistake. 57 (15.8) 304 (84.2)
I always try to practice what I preach. 17 (4.7) 344 (95.3)
I sometimes try to get even rather than forgive and forget. 255 (70.6) 106 (29.4)
At times I have really insisted on having things my own way. 134 (37.1) 227 (62.9)
There have been occasions when I felt like smashing things. 167 (46.3) 194 (53.7)
I never resent being asked to return a favor. 89 (24.7) 272 (75.3)
I have never been irked when people expressed ideas very different from my own. 198 (54.8) 163 (45.2)
I have never deliberately said something that hurt someone’s feelings. 190 (52.6) 171 (47.4)

13. Interesting to note…
• Academic misconduct (45.4%) occurs at a rate similar to
professional misconduct (49.5%)
• Younger students were more likely to cheat
• Social desirability outcome was (weakly) negatively
correlated with age
• Only a minority reported any undesirable activity ‘often’ or
‘very often’
• Correlation test indicate that students who engaged in
academic misconduct were more likely to engage in
professional misconduct

14. Discussion
• Why are younger students more likely to cheat?
• How much does technology contribute to facilitating
and detecting the problem?
• Early work found gender to be a factor – why would
that be the case?
• Does academic misconduct result from students not
understanding, or just not caring?
• Are there different degrees of academic and
professional dishonesty?

15. Continue
learning
with JCU Online
online.jcu.edu.au 1300 535 919

16.  2 Majors available: Leadership & Management or Education
 Course Duration: 24 months part-time
 Course Subjects: 12
Online Master of Nursing
online.jcu.edu.au 1300 535 919
 Improve patient health outcomes
 Step up into leadership roles
 Diversify your skills

17.  100% online
o Course content is designed with the online student in mind
o Interactive online learning environment
 Student Support throughout
o Max. class size of 25 students
o Personal attention from tutors and success advisors
Online Master of Nursing
online.jcu.edu.au 1300 535 919

18. online.jcu.edu.au 1300 535 919