Nurses Deemed Most Trusted Professionals in Gallup Poll - Statistical Data Included

AORN Journal, June, 2000

Nurses have moved to the top of the list as the most trusted professionals, bumping pharmacists to the number two spot, according to a Nov 16, 1999, press release from The Gallup Organization. Gallup's annual Honesty and Ethics poll, which was expanded this year to include nurses and 19 additional occupations not previously rated, revealed that 73% of Americans deem nurses' honesty and ethics as either very high or high.

Rounding out the top 10 are veterinarians at 63%; medical doctors at 58%; kindergarten through 12th grade teachers at 57%; clergy members at 56%; judges at 53%; and police officers, dentists, and college teachers each at 52%, according to the release. The five professionals considered least honest by the American public, based on the percentages of people rating the occupation as low or very low on honesty and ethics are telemarketers at 55%, insurance salespeople at 44%, health maintenance organization managers at 41%, lawyers at 41%, and automobile sales representatives at 8%.

Nurses Displace Pharmacists at Top of Expanded Honesty and Ethics Poll (press release, Princeton, NJ: The Gallup Organization, Nov 16, 1999). Available from http://www.colnurse, org/cno/new2/glp111899. html. Accessed 8 May 2000.