For the 16th consecutive year, the American public has ranked nurses as the professionals with the highest honesty and ethical standards, according to a Gallup poll released today. The annual poll has ranked nurses as the most honest and ethical out of a wide spectrum of professions, including pharmacists and grade school teachers.
“Nurses provide much more than bedside care. We advocate for patients, deliver primary care, meet the complex needs of patients with chronic conditions, volunteer for disaster relief efforts, and are a trusted voice in boardrooms across the country,” said Pamela F. Cipriano, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, president of the American Nurses Association (ANA).
According to the poll, 82 percent of Americans rated nurses’ honesty and ethical standards as “very high” or “high.” The next closest profession, military officers, was rated 11 percentage points behind nursing.
“One of our greatest accomplishments this year has been the role nurses have played in fighting against any legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act,” said Cipriano. “Advocacy efforts have always been a core function and priority for our organization, but there is still work to be done, which is why we recently announced 2018 as the Year of Advocacy. The public relies on nurses to promote a healthy America, and that includes access to affordable, quality care. ANA is committed to supporting and encouraging nurses to be advocates at all levels and to be influencers of positive change for our patients, our colleagues, and our nation.”
