Ethical Infractions by Students During the End of the Semester Push

Ethical Infractions 

So as educators in university settings, we have been bogged down with all sorts of end of semester grading. This grading may include, but is not limited to, grading of discussion boards, papers, and projects; and administering final examinations. While it is great to witness growth in our students over the course of the semester, it is sometimes fraught with breaches in integrity. Students, especially students that are worried about passing on to the next semester, will commit infractions just to be able to survive in their nursing program. This is not a problem unique to one school or one group of students. Rather, it has prevalence across schools, programs, and students. 


The Siciliano-McLaughlin Model of Ethics

This leads me back to my model of ethics, The Siciliano-McLaughlin Model of Ethics. Every time I teach about ethics and the use of my model, I challenge the students to look at the model and choose an area of concentration. In the case of ethical infractions related to assignments or testing, I would choose integrity. A conversation about integrity would ensue. I would have students discuss what they think integrity is, and what they think constitutes a breach in integrity. I would then ask them for examples of breaches in integrity that they have witnessed as students. Usually, this conversation turns into a long discussion with examples dating back to primary education. 

This conversation can turn into a discussion about how they deal with situations like these, if they witness them. Then I align an example about a breach in integrity with accountability. I remind them of my tag line, "Part of professionalism is accountability, accountability to your actions and the outcome of those actions". We continue our conversation about the possible actions which can be taken, what they chose to do in the past, and if they would choose that same action again in the future. I really try to reinforce with students that all of our actions have consequences for our patients - good, bad or indifferent.  We, as ethical nurses, need to be accountable to whatever happens as a result of our actions.  It's not that nurses intend to harm patients, rather an outcome may happen that the nurse was not anticipating. 

Professional Identity in Nursing 

This conversation with students can then segue into a conversation about professional identity in nursing. It is important for students to understand the four domains of professional identity in nursing. These domains include values and ethics; knowledge; leadership; and professional comportment (Liebig, Embree, & Lough, 2024).  Here I would focus on the domain of values and ethics in light of the ethical infractions being discussed. 

Professional identity in nursing is “a sense of oneself, in relationship to others, that is influenced by the characteristics, norms, and values of the nursing discipline, resulting in an individual thinking, acting and feeling like a nurse” (Godfrey & Young, 2021, p. 363). Without values and ethics, how can a nurse think, act or feel like a nurse?  They cannot. Some values are taught while students attend nursing school, and other times their values rise to the surface from their upbringing and societal norms (McLaughlin, 2016). 

"A crucial domain of professional identity in nursing is the area of values and ethics. Comprising a set of core values and principles, values and ethics are used to guide nurse conduct" (Liebig, Embree, & Lough, 2024, p. 279). The conversation with students can then center around values and ethics and how it guides our conduct as nurses. 

American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics for Nurses 

Provision 6: "Nurses through individual and collective effort, establish, maintain, and improve the        ethical environment of the work setting that affects nursing care and the well-being of nurses (ANA, 2025, p. 23). 

6.1 The Environment and Virtue

"Virtues in nursing and caring practices are learned, habituated attributes of moral character            developed in the context of nursing practice, education, and identity formation. Virtuous nursing expresses core values, including compassion, caring, dignity, integrity, and respect. As a profession that serves the public, there are certain attributes of moral character nurses ought to possess. These include the application of knowledge and skill in pursuit of wisdom, humility, and moral fortitude (ANA, 2025, p. 23). 

This is why I believe that it is so important to discuss ethical situations with students. Students need the guidance of their professors and school leadership to drive home these points and influence their values and ethics. 

I would love to hear from other educators, especially in relation to how you teach values and ethics to your nursing students. As always, I am open to receiving comments and questions. 


References

American Nurses Association (ANA). (2025). Code of ethics for nurses. Silver Spring, MD: Nursesbooks.org. 

Godfrey, N. & Young, E. (2021). Professional Identity. In Giddens, J. (Ed.). Concepts of Nursing Practice (3rd ed.). St. Louis: Elsevier Publishing. 

Liebig, D., Embree, J. L., & Lough, C. (2024). Values and Ethics Domain for Professional Identity in Nursing. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 55(6): 279-281. https://doi.org/10.3928/00220124-20240516-04

McLaughlin, M. A. S. (2016). The experience of accelerated nursing program graduates utilizing ethics in their nursing practice (Publication No. 10195870) [Doctoral dissertation, Columbia University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.  

University of Kansas Medical Center. (2022). Professional identity in nursing. https://www. kumc.edu/school-of-nursing/outreach/consulting/professional-identity/about/what


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