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Article History

Received: 28 December 2025

Accepted: 6 April 2026

First Online: 11 April 2026

Declarations

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: Ethical approval was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee of Faculty of Nursing, Mansoura University (approval number: 6577). The principles of the Declaration of Helsinki were strictly adhered to. All participants provided written informed consent after receiving detailed information about the study’s purpose, procedures, voluntary nature, and their right to withdraw at any time without consequences. Specific de-identification procedures included: (1) assignment of unique participant codes (e.g., P1, P2) replacing all names in transcripts; (2) removal of identifying details such as specific clinical placement sites, faculty names, or unique personal circumstances; (3) secure storage of the linking key (connecting codes to identities) in a password-protected file accessible only to the principal investigator; and (4) storage of audio recordings and identifiable consent forms separately from de-identified transcripts. To address potential concerns about power dynamics, data collection was conducted by a research coordinator who had no role in teaching, grading, or clinical supervision of the participants. Students were explicitly informed that their participation (or non-participation) would have no impact on their academic standing, grades, or relationships with faculty. The research coordinator emphasized confidentiality and the voluntary nature of participation at multiple points during recruitment and the consent process. Confidentiality was maintained by de-identifying all transcripts and storing data securely. Given the sensitive nature of discussions about academic integrity, particular care was taken to create a non-judgmental interview environment where students felt safe sharing their authentic experiences.

: Not applicable.

: An AI language model (Google Gemini) was used solely to assist with organizing sections of the manuscript and to refine wording, clarity, and consistency of the English language. It was not used for data collection, transcription, coding, theme development, interpretation, or any other aspect of the qualitative analysis. All qualitative data analysis, interpretations, and conclusions were conducted by the authors, who thoroughly reviewed the entire manuscript and retain full responsibility for its content and scholarly integrity.

: The authors declare no competing interests.