Healthcare providers are some of the most trusted professionals in the U.S., according to the 2016 edition of Gallup's annual poll, and nurses topped the list for the 15th year in a row.
Each year, Gallup asks a random sample of Americans how they would rate the honesty and ethical standards of various professions — very high/high, very low/low or average.
Healthcare providers took four spots in the top five most trusted professions, with a high percentage of respondents rating their honesty and ethical standards as very high or high. They are listed below along with their rank:
- Nurses (1) — 84 percent rated honesty and ethical standards very high or high
- Pharmacists (2) — 67 percent
- Medical doctors (3) — 65 percent
- Dentists (5) — 59 percent
Nurses have topped the list every year but one since Gallup put them on the survey in 1999. In 2001, they were dethroned by firefighters, who were added to the survey after the 9/11 attacks.
"Whether nurses are by the bedside or in the board room, we continue to be a trusted resource and a vital part of our nation's healthcare system," said Pamela F. Cipriano, PhD, RN, president of the American Nurses Association. "This poll reflects the trust the public has in us, and we'll continue to work hard to keep that trust."