Nurses top an annual survey on the honesty and ethics of various professions, followed by other medical professionals like doctors, pharmacists, and dentists. Gallup News Service asked Americans to rate the honesty and ethical standards of 23 different professions. In a story posted on the Gallup News Service Web site December 1, 2003, author Joseph Carroll noted that 83% of respondents said the honesty and ethical standards of nurses are "very high" or "high."

By contrast, medical doctors were ranked by 68% of respondents as “very high” or “high.” And as in previous years, nurses rank higher than any other profession. The exception came in 2001, when firefighters (in their lone appearance on the honesty and ethics list) outscored nurses in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Veterinarians (68%) and pharmacists (67%) are the next-highest rated professions after nurses. The 68% rating for medical doctors is the highest Gallup has ever measured for that profession.

Go to http://www.gallup.com/poll/releases/pr031201.asp to see Carroll’s full report.