Academic integrity in online examinations in a graduate nurse practitioner program: Student perceptions and lessons for nurse educators

Background: While nursing is repeatedly voted the most trusted profession, academic dishonesty is nearly as prevalent in nursing as it is in other disciplines and has been increasing for 30 years. The relationship between academic dishonesty in nursing programs and unethical behavior in clinical settings underscores the importance of exploring student perceptions of academic dishonesty. Method: This descriptive study used a survey methodology to examine graduate nursing students' perceptions of academic dishonesty (willingness to report cheating, exam cheating deterrents, and importance of academic integrity). Results: The results showed that students would report cheating, felt current processes were overall sufficient to deter cheating, value academic integrity, and take their studies seriously. Significant findings included this was more representative of students earlier in their programs vs. those nearer to graduation who felt the current program processes may not be as effective. Conclusion: It is vital that graduate nursing faculty hold students accountable and enact processes that deter cheating. Furthermore, based on the survey results, the researchers incorporated one new best practice from the literature: a syllabus statement for online courses.