Nurses Take Top Honor Again
2008 Poll Finds Nurses as Most Honest and Ethical Profession
Dec 8, 2008
From November 7-9, 2008, USA Today/Gallup polled Americans about twenty one different professions and 84% ranked nurses as “high” (60%) or “very high” (24%).
USA Today/Gallup conducts the telephone poll every year. This year they surveyed 1010 adults, aged 18 and over via landline or cell phone. They state that,“ one can say with 95% confidence that that the maximum margin of error is +/- 3 percentage points.”
Nurses Have Lost Top Rank Only Once
Since 1999, when the nursing profession was added to the poll, nurses have ranked number one every year but one. That was 2001 when firefighters deservedly took the title in the poll which was held shortly after September 11.
Nurses play a key role in the health care team. It is essential for patients, caregivers and loved ones to trust nurses. Patient education is a major role for nurses and the success of patients outcomes depends on this level of trust. The fact that nurses continue to rank highest on this list year after year is a testament to the nursing profession.
The Nursing Shortage
Nursing is one of the most rewarding professions and yet it can be one of the most challenging both physically and emotionally. As the Baby Boom generation ages and begins to retire, a large portion of today’s nursing workforce will be lost. It is not being replaced at a pace necessary to keep up with this projected loss as well as the increasing need of an aging population.
It is important for young people to recognize the nursing profession as a career option and seriously consider a career in the nursing profession. This accolade helps to reinforce the opportunities and the recognition that nurses need and deserve.
Other Health Care Team Members
Other members of the health care field to be ranked fairly high were pharmacists (or druggists) who came in with a combined 70% of “high” or “very high” scores and medical doctors who had a combined “very high” and “high” score of 64%.
Bankers Take a Hit
The banking industry took a big hit in the poll this year with a 12 percent decline from 2007. Bankers fell from 35 to 23%. Given the state of the economy, this is not surprising. In 1988 during the savings and loan crisis, banker fell from 38% down to 26%. This is the first time bankers have fallen below 30% since 1996.
High school teachers ranked with a combined score of 65%; policemen and clergy each with 56%. Funeral directors scored 47%. On the lower end, journalists scored 25%, bankers 23%, building contractors came in at 22% and real estate agents at 17%. At the bottom of the list were telemarketers and lobbyists who scored in the "low" ranking from 60% and 64% of those polled respectively.
Source: Gallup.com
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