The Importance of Academic Integrity for Student Health Practitioner

What does it mean to act with academic integrity as a student health practitioner? This was a question with which I struggled when I began my foundations for professional health practice. As the course progressed, my many questions were answered, and I was taught why acting with academic integrity was so important in being an effective health care professional.

Academic integrity comprises many components. My personal interpretation is that if you use someone else's work, you must always give them credit. I often questioned why we needed to reference. I believed that if we developed our concepts on the basis of an author's idea, then it was technically considered our own work.

However, the significance of referencing and maintaining academic integrity was underscored as a major aspect of the communication skills learning outcome. Being an effective health professional requires being able to communicate your ideas to your peers and clients. Although I am a confident communicator, I appreciated how the foundations course enabled me to better reference other works, a skill I had previously struggled with. Classes on referencing were particularly valuable to me as they cost me valuable marks in assignments, and I was finally able to learn the proper technique. Referencing is distinctly highlighted in our student code of conduct, emphasizing our responsibility to credit correctly. The tutorials reinforced to me the importance of acknowledging an author's work, which they trust others will recognize and respect. This code of practice ensures the validity of academic writing. Reflecting on the effort I put into my essays, I now understand the importance of academic integrity. I would feel cheated if my ideas were presented by someone else as their own.

The most interesting learning outcomes for me were gaining knowledge about Australian and international health systems and the key aspects of ethics in a healthcare context. They are significant in gaining a better understanding of our professional roles. Reflecting on this, I tried to ascertain why these outcomes appealed to me more than others. I realized that my decision to study Nursing was largely influenced by the profession's strong ethical standing. A personal deficiency was my lack of understanding of other people's suffering, particularly in relation to ethical considerations. For instance, when we delved into the case study of Max Bernstein grieving the death of his wife, I initially felt he was being difficult as he wanted his wife moved. However, as we proceeded, my perception changed. Learning ethics and how to provide the best care for our patients is crucial to being a successful health professional. Reflecting, I find myself questioning: how can I be the best Nurse and deliver the most effective care?

In conclusion, my time studying the foundations has strengthened my understanding of the importance of upholding academic integrity as a student practitioner. Without academic integrity, the concept of academic writing becomes invalid. Scholars may be deterred from publishing their work if their effort is not acknowledged, leading to a decline in the validity of information.

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