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SILVER SPRING, MD  – The American Nurses Association (ANA), the premier organization representing the nation’s more than 5 million nurses, congratulates nurses for ranking #1 in Gallup Poll’s annual Most Honest and Ethical Professions Poll for the 22nd consecutive year. The American public rated nurses the highest among a host of professionals, including medical doctors, engineers, and veterinarians.

“This is an incredible accolade for our nation’s nurses,” said ANA President Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN. “Given the considerable hardship and obstacles the nurses we advocate for are facing, including unsafe work environments, severe burnout, and barriers to practice to name a few, this recognition is a true testament to the positive influence of nurses on their patients and their undeniable impact on the health care system. It’s a tremendous honor to receive this special validation from the very public these nurses serve. And it’s equally important for nurses to hear this acclaim as it raises the morale of our nurses – it couldn’t be more timely or appreciated. This is important.”

According to the poll, 78% of Americans rated nurses’ honesty and ethical standards as “very high” or “high.” The second highest-rated profession, veterinarians, was rated 7 percentage points behind nursing. 

“Nurses, this well-deserved recognition belongs to you. It signals the deep appreciation, understanding and respect that the people you serve every day still have for you – even in the face of adversity. Your matchless expertise, scientific knowledge, and unique patient care insights are invaluable and touch countless lives within a variety of care settings, both in and outside the health care system. You deserve to be applauded. The dedication, hard work and bravery you demonstrate in order to ensure your patients, their families and the surrounding communities in which you live and work receive high-quality and equitable health care should never go unnoticed,” said Kennedy.

ANA will continue to advocate for, support and work on behalf of all nurses across this nation. Additionally, continuing to prioritize the education of the public about who nurses are, what they do, and how their vast knowledge and indisputable expertise touches and improve the lives of Americans everywhere.