The results of the 2023 Honesty and Ethics poll conducted by Gallup revealed some significant shifts in the level of trust placed in various professions in the United States. Nurses emerged as the most trusted profession, while medical doctors experienced a decline in their ranking, dropping to the fifth spot.
Out of the 23 professions surveyed, a remarkable 78% of adults rated nurses as having “very high or high” honesty and ethical standards. In contrast, only 56% of respondents felt the same way about medical doctors. Although nurses still hold the title of the most trusted profession, it is concerning to note that their rating reached its lowest level since 2004. This decline could be attributed to recent scandals such as allegations of fraudulent nursing programs. These incidents, such as the selling of fraudulent nursing diplomas and transcripts, have tainted the reputation of the nursing profession and eroded public trust.
In early 2023, federal investigators uncovered a network involved in selling fake academic credentials from nursing schools. This scheme allowed buyers to take the national nursing board exam and obtain nursing licenses, leading to employment as registered nurses or licensed practical nurses. The authorities have charged and convicted 27 defendants involved in this “diploma mill” scheme. Such unethical behavior undermines the integrity of the nursing profession, necessitating the implementation of strategies to prevent its occurrence in the future.
Nurses play a vital role in the healthcare system. They spend more time with patients than any other healthcare provider, fostering trust and establishing meaningful connections. Patients rely on nurses for their expertise, compassion, and guidance. The high level of trust placed in nurses can be attributed to their consistent presence and unwavering dedication to patient care.
Apart from nurses, the poll also shed light on trustworthiness in other professions. Veterinarians and engineers ranked second and third, with trust ratings of 65% and 60%, respectively. Dentists and pharmacists completed the top six, with ratings of 59% and 55%. On the other end of the spectrum, advertising practitioners, car salespeople, and senators found themselves in the single-digit range for trustworthiness. Members of Congress lagged behind with a trust rating of only 6%.
The Gallup poll revealed a general erosion of trust across various professions since 2019, excluding labor union leaders who only garnered a 25% trust rating. The writers of a Gallup news article, Megan Brennan and Jeffery Jones, hypothesized that the initial improvement in trust ratings during the COVID-19 pandemic was short-lived. Many professions, particularly those in the medical field, have seen their trust ratings decline to all-time lows.
It is noteworthy that the decline in trust ratings is not solely limited to doctors—it has affected pharmacists as well. Even though pharmacists ranked sixth in trustworthiness, their ratings have reached new lows in 2023. Overall, the ratings for honesty and ethics in the surveyed professions decreased by an average of 6 percentage points compared to the 2019 poll.
The Gallup poll also highlighted how education level and political affiliation influenced trust ratings. Respondents with a college degree tended to rate professionals more positively than non-college graduates. Among college graduates, 85% regarded nurses as having “very high or high” honesty and ethical standards, while for non-college graduates, the figure was 75%. Similarly, 64% of college graduates considered doctors trustworthy, while only 52% of non-college graduates shared that view.
Furthermore, there were significant partisan differences between Democratic and Republican respondents. Democrats were more likely to view nurses and doctors as having very high or high honesty and ethical standards, with percentages of 85% and 67%, respectively. In contrast, Republicans had lower trust ratings for nurses (74%) and doctors (48%). The authors of the Gallup article suggested that these political differences may be influenced by the presence of a Democratic president during the survey, as fewer professions showed meaningful party differences in 2019 when a Republican president was in office.
Gallup has been assessing the honesty and ethics of professionals since 1976 and has conducted annual polls since 1990. The latest ratings represent the responses of 1,013 adults from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It is important to acknowledge that along with the statistical margin of error, there may be inherent biases in the survey methodology and the way questions were phrased.
The Gallup Honesty and Ethics poll revealed both positive and concerning trends regarding public trust in professions. While nurses retained the top spot, their declining rating signifies the need for addressing unethical behavior and promoting the positive image of nursing. With trust in many professions decreasing, it is crucial for professionals to reflect on their integrity and work towards restoring the faith of the public they serve.
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