Academic Integrity in a Student Practice Environment--An Elicitation Study

Abstract

Higher education offers an environment to acculturate students to the values of academic integrity (AI) [honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility, courage] that align with the core values of most professions. Many professional programs include a practice or service component to the educational experience offering students the opportunity to embody and practice these values in workplace settings. Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour as a theoretical framework, students’ common attitudinal, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural controls in adopting AI values in their practice environments was the focus of an Elicitation Study. Thirty senior nursing students reported three major concepts related to their experiences with AI in clinical learning settings: Effects on Professionals, Effects on Students, and Effects on Patients. Respondents described the categories of helpful relationships, respect and trust, benefits and losses, patient safety and care that are connected and contingent on their ability to practice with AI. Thispaper describes the findings from the Elicitation Study that helped inform the creation of the Miron Academic Integrity Nursing Survey (MAINS) used in a large doctoral study.