The people have spoken. And nurses are listening.
Americans have once again rated nurses highest on honesty and ethical standards in this year’s Gallup poll. (Related: Americans rated members of Congress and car salespeople the lowest among the 11 professions included in this year’s poll.) Nurses have generally topped this list since they were first included in the poll in 1999, and folks continue to rate those in the medical field highest on this list overall; runners-up for the number one spot were medical doctors and pharmacists.
Nurses are heralded as being on the front lines of patient healthcare. They are often able to provide more direct, one-on-one care, deliver information more frequently than other members of medical teams, and tend to develop more intimate and personal relationships with patients and their families as a result. But the value of a nurse doesn’t end there. Nurses also serve in leadership positions relating to health policy and reform, quality of care, administration, wellness and prevention, and more. We advocate on patients’ behalf whether we are at the bedside or in the boardroom,” says American Nurses Association President, Karen A. Daley, Ph.D., RN, FAAN.
If history is any indication, it appears that Americans continually value and have confidence in our nurses, and this is nothing but good news for the profession as a whole as demand for nurses in the workforce continues to increase. While we can all agree that paychecks are important, most nurses don’t go into the profession solely for monetary gain. Nurses become nurses because they are called. They have an unrelenting passion for helping people and strive to make the world a better place by providing compassionate and knowledgeable care to those in need. Hearing that calling, following it, and knowing that you’re in a respected and trusted field brings a deeper sense of job satisfaction that can be difficult to find elsewhere.
So, if you’re already a nursing student or a working nurse – keep up the great work! If you’re considering a future in nursing, rest assured that your choice will be sound one, because you just can’t do much better than having the most respected career in the country.
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