Assessment of Academic Integrity among Nursing Students of Ebonyi State University Abakaliki, Nigeria

Academic integrity is a fundamental component of quality education and professional development in nursing. Dishonest academic practices such as cheating, plagiarism, and examination malpractice can undermine students’ competence and may negatively influence future professional conduct. This study assessed academic integrity among nursing students of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional research design was adopted. The study involved all 302 nursing students from 100 to 500 level using a total population sampling technique. Data were collected using a researcher-developed Assessment of Academic Integrity Questionnaire (AOAI). The instrument was validated by experts and demonstrated good reliability with a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.84. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while Chi-square and ANOVA tests were used to test hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. Results: The findings revealed that students demonstrated awareness of academic integrity and institutional regulations. However, overall compliance with examination rules and policies was low. Students showed poor adherence to proper citation practices and were reluctant to report examination malpractice. Significant associations were observed between compliance with academic integrity and course level as well as marital status (p < 0.001). Other socio-demographic variables showed no significant relationship with compliance. Conclusion: Although nursing students exhibited awareness of academic integrity, compliance with examination regulations remained low. Strengthening institutional policies, promoting ethical values, and fostering a culture of honesty and accountability among nursing students are essential to improving academic integrity and professional conduct in nursing education.