The Prevalence of Academic Dishonesty among Nursing Students in Kenya Medical Training Colleges in Western Province, Kenya

Documentary evidence of to amplify the number of investigations for academic dishonesty with nursing students was a reason for the study, the main aim was to investigate academic dishonesty in Medical Training Colleges in western region, specifically to scrutinize the nature and prevalence of academic dishonesty. Nursing studies provide an intersection for students to change to professional roles through various aspects of trainings including clinical practice. Despite the various studies conducted globally, regionally, nationally and county level, academic dishonesty is still a major problem, not so much effective strategies to detect and deter have been arrived at. The study therefore was to investigate more on the same. It was therefore essential to understand what predicts nursing students’ intention to behave with academic integrity; so that efforts could be directed to initiatives focusing on strengthening their commitment to have academic integrity. This would reduce the real role of students graduating with deficiencies in their knowledge and ethics. The main target population was450 nursing students from the three colleges from western Heads of departments, principals, examination coordinators, disciplinary committee chair persons and administrative officer totalling to population of 462, a cross sectional descriptive design was used in the study. Sample size determination was by Fisher’s method which was modified by Mugenda and Mugenda. Multistage sampling technique was employed, simple random sampling for the three campuses, purposive sampling for the staff in the three colleges in three counties and cluster sampling for students in terms of year of study. Proportionate allocation was used to sample students from different colleges and Systematic sampling was used to pick individual students. Data collection tools included structured questionnaires with closed ended questions for students. Interview schedules with open ended questions to key informants (principals, heads of departments, examination co-ordinators and disciplinary committee chairpersons and administrative officers). Data analysis was done using descriptive statistical analysis which was used to yield frequencies, means and standard deviations accordingly. Inferential statistical analysis was also used to test associations/relationships between variables and included chi square, MacNemar and Analysis of variance (ANOVA). Validation of the content will be measured by the use of content valid index; study reliability and validity was done