Nurses, physicians, pharmacists top list of most honest professionals, Gallup poll finds
Nurses retain the top spot for the 14th year in a row; physicians and pharmacists occupy the next tier, poll data shows.
According to a recent Gallup poll, the medical professionals who take care of us when we are injured and sick, specifically nurses, medical doctors and pharmacists, are the most honest and ethical professionals in the workforce.
In fact, nurses occupied the top spot in the Gallup Honesty and Ethics of Professions Ratings for the 14th year in a row.
Published at the end of 2015, the results were based on a poll performed between December 2 - 6. Gallup asked a random sample of 824 adults living in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to rate the honesty and ethics of 21 professions, everything from healthcare to law enforcement to Congress and telemarketing. The interviews were conducted over the phone.
According to Gallup, nurses were first added to the list in 1999 and have won every year since, except for 2001. That year, firefighters were included in the list on a one-time basis, shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks. Poll data shows 85 percent of those surveyed think believe nurses have a high or very high standards of ethics and honesty. 13 percent gave an "average" rating and only one percent said "low" or "very low".
The next closest ranking professionals were pharmacists. Of those surveyed, 68 percent rated their honesty and ethical standards as high or very high, 27 percent said "average" and 5 percent gave a "low or very low" rating, poll data showed.
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Close behind were physicians. 67 percent of those surveyed rated their honesty and ethics as "high or very high". Their percentages for average and low ratings mirrored those of pharmacists.
At the bottom of the pile were lobbyists, telemarketers and members of Congress. The highest ranking among these three was an eight percent rating of "high or very high". In fact, 64 percent of people rated Congress in the "low or very low" category.
The poll had a four percent margin of error at the 95 percent confidence level.
Twitter: @BethJSanborn
