یکپارچگی در دانشجویان پرستاری
Abstract
1- Introduction
2- Method
3- Results
4- Conclusion
5- Recommendations
References
Introduction
The honesty and ethical standards of nurses are consistently ranked among the highest of professions in nationwide public gallop polls (Jones, 2011). The American Nurses Association Code of Ethics and Interpretive Statements (2015) challenge nurses to value the profession of nursing and to demonstrate qualities which preserve wholeness of character and integrity (ANA, 2015). The International Council of Nurses (ICN) Code of Ethics for Nurses (2012) defines nursing professional values which include respectfulness, responsiveness, compassion, trustworthiness and integrity. The value of integrity among nurses is evident in public polls, community expectations, and in professional codes of ethics. Nurses value honesty, integrity and professionalism, and therefore, nursing students preparing for this profession should equally value these qualities (Wilk and Bowllan, 2011). Although the public perceives nurses as honest and ethical, these qualities may be lacking in nursing students. Cheating on exams, plagiarizing writing assignments, lying, inadequately preparing for clinical assignments and falsifying documentation in a patient's chart are described in the nursing literature, and depict behaviors that demonstrate a lack of integrity in nursing students (Baxter and Boblin, 2007). Cheating behaviors among college and university students are a global problem, and occur so frequently that students often do not perceive these actions as immoral or dishonest (Arhin and Jones, 2009). Academic dishonesty is influenced by the student's desire to succeed, a lack of organizational skills, competition for grade dependent scholarships and awards, acceptance and assistance of cheating in the program of study, and the thrill of risk-taking (Faucher and Caves, 2009). Nursing students are often held to higher academic standards for academic progression, and in this high stakes environment feel tremendous pressure to succeed (Tippitt et al., 2009). Cheating is viewed by some nursing students in the millennial generation as acceptable and the judgement of what is and is not ethical has “a more fluid notion” than in previous generations of students (Faucher and Caves, 2009, p. 37). Healthcare educators are concerned with academic cheating behaviors because of the causal link to future unethical behaviors in professional practice (Park et al., 2013). Students who cheat in a nursing classroom are more likely to falsify clinical data in their future employment than students who do not cheat (Park et al., 2013). The professional nurse of today is required to demonstrate the knowledge, attitudes and skills associated with moral, ethical and legal behaviors as they provide care for patient populations (MDHE, 2010). Advancements in technology, diminished moral codes and cultures of cheating promote deceptive academic and professional practices among nursing students (Faucher and Caves, 2009; Harper, 2006; Woith et al., 2012). As nursing students prepare to enter a fast-paced and demanding healthcare climate of professional nursing characterized by high acuity patients and understaffed nursing units, an understanding and commitment to integrity is paramount. Preparation for role transition during the senior year of education can heighten the nursing student's awareness to the value of integrity in practice, and the many situational challenges (Duchscher, 2009). Academic and professional integrity are both valued and necessary qualities of nursing students. When integrity is discussed in the nursing literature, it is associated with honest, ethical and moral behaviors. However, in demonstrating the attributes and characteristics of integrity in the nursing student, the literature provides examples of behavior devoid of integrity, such as cheating, plagiarism, lying and deception (Tippitt et al., 2009; Faucher and Caves, 2009; Woith et al., 2012). As such, integrity is more often defined by behaviors that represent a lack of integrity resulting in blurred meaning and understanding of the concept of integrity as it relates to the nursing student. In order to provide a clear and consistent meaning of the concept of integrity in nursing students a concept analysis was undertaken.