December 5, 2012 – The public continues to rate registered nurses (RNs) as the most trusted profession according to this year’s Gallup survey that ranks professions based on their honesty and ethical standards.
“This poll consistently shows that people connect with nurses and trust them to do the right thing,” said ANA President Karen A. Daley, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN. “Policymakers should do the same as they debate crucial budget decisions that will affect health care quality and access for millions of Americans.”
Registered nurses are increasingly being recognized as leaders in transforming the health care system to meet the burgeoning demand for prevention, wellness, and primary care services with a focus on improving quality and managing costs. In addition to their clinical expertise, they are being sought out to serve in a variety of leadership posts on bodies developing policy recommendations related to a wide-range of health care policy issues.
For the 13th out of 14 years, nurses were voted the most ethical and honest profession in America in Gallup’s annual survey. Eighty-five percent of Americans rated nurses’ honesty and ethical standards as “very high” or “high,” the highest rating for RNs since nurses were first included in the poll in 1999. Since the profession’s first appearance, nurses have received the highest ranking each year except in 2001, when firefighters ranked first after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Nurses consistently capture patient and public trust by performing in accordance with a Code of Ethics for Nurses that supports the best interests of patients, families, and communities. They often are the strongest advocates for patients who are vulnerable and in need of support.
Source: American Nurses Association
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