Nurses ranked most honest and ethical professionals for 21st year

The American Nurses Association (ANA) congratulates nurses for maintaining the number 1 ranking in Gallup’s annual Most Honest and Ethical Professions Poll. The American public rated nurses the highest among a host of professionals including medical doctors, pharmacists, and high school teachers.

“This recognition belongs to America’s 4.4 million incredible registered nurses,” said ANA President Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN. “For more than two decades now, the nation has recognized the vital role you play in keeping our friends, families, and communities safe and healthy, regardless of the setting you work in or the challenges you might face. Your ranking in this poll is an acknowledgement that without your bravery, professionalism, and clinical expertise, our healthcare system could not function.”

According to the poll, 79% of Americans rated 
nurses’ honesty and ethical standards as “very high” or “high.” The second highest-rated profession, 
medical doctors, was rated 17% behind nursing.

Nurses have been able to maintain their ranking in this poll by providing high-quality, patient-centered care to individuals, families, and communities across the country and in every conceivable healthcare setting. But this accomplishment doesn’t overshadow the serious challenges facing the entire nursing profession.

“Though COVID-19 may have receded from the headlines, it continues to weigh on nurses in communities and care settings in every corner of the country,” said Mensik Kennedy. “And the lurking menace of workplace violence can make what is already a difficult job, a deadly one.”

Throughout 2023, ANA will continue to advocate on behalf of our nation’s nurses in addition to 
educating the public about who nurses are, what they do, and how their vast knowledge and 
expertise touches and improves the lives of 
Americans everywhere.

New OJIN topic: The pandemic and mental health concerns for nurses

Check out the latest topic in OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, the official 
scholarly journal of the American Nurses 
Association (ANA).

“COVID-19: Addressing ongoing pandemic mental health concerns for providers” offers perspectives about trauma-informed approaches and mental healthcare for nurses.

The seven new articles cover a range of issues:

• A discussion of how to support nurses with a trauma-informed organization-level approach to address burnout.
• Strategies to apply a trauma-informed framework to graduate nursing education.
• A care initiative to offer virtual learning sessions for nursing staff during the pandemic.
• A study exploring the degree to which nurses reported stress, anxiety, and stress-related growth during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Tools to improve resilience among nurses who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and administrative strategies for creating a healthy workplace during times of pandemic stress.
• Challenges and strategies to support a post-COVID-19 pandemic future that features resilience, adequate working conditions, and investments in the nursing profession to protect mental health.
• A critical review about accessibility and financial barriers in the utilization of alternative to discipline programs in the United States.

Visitors to ojin.nursingworld.org will experience a new and improved website, launched in September, 2022. The redesigned site showcases the high-
quality, peer-reviewed, OJIN content members have come to rely on and value for more than 25 years. The new website aims to enhance readers’ experience via a more dynamic presentation and content visibility, enhanced navigation, and the ability to print, share, and save PDF versions of articles.

Only ANA members have access to the current OJIN topic. Previous topics are available to all viewers. Access the journal at ojin.nursingworld.org.

Celebrate America’s nurses in May: New toolkit now available

Nurses Month is an opportunity to recognize and honor America’s 4.4 million registered nurses and their contributions to the health 
of their patients, communities, and the world. Plan now to participate in Nurses Month in May. ANA 
expanded National Nurses Week in 2020 to a full month of celebration for the nation’s most trusted profession and the largest segment of the healthcare workforce.

The overall theme for Nurses Month each year is “You Make a Difference.” Each week will focus on activities to support nurses, advance nursing practice, and encourage future generations of nurses. The weekly themes are:

• Self-care Week: May 1-7
• Recognition Week: May 8-14
• Professional Development Week: May 15-21
• Community Engagement Week: May 22-31

To promote Nurses Month, access the Nurses Month toolkit, which includes a Nurses Month logo to use on promotional materials, in social media, and at celebrations and activities. You’ll also find tools to promote Nurses Month in local communities and media. You can download the toolkit and logo from nursingworld.org/ana-enterprise/nurses-month/.

National Nurses Month webinar on May 17

Save the date for the 2023 National Nurses Month Webinar, “Asking and advocating for what nurses need,” on May 17. Nurses’ voices are needed from 
the halls of hospitals to those on Capitol Hill. This 
webinar will inform you about the tools and skills 
to ask for what you need and help you optimize 
your workplace environment and foster a culture 
of self-advocacy that will improve patient care. 
Register now at nursingworld.org/continuing-education/2023-Nurses-Month-Free-Webinar.

All nurses, hospitals, and other stakeholders are encouraged to participate in Nurses Month to recognize nurses and educate the public about the profession’s invaluable work. Be sure to share your Nurses Month activities on social media channels like Facebook and Twitter with the hashtags #ANANursesMonth and #YouMakeADifference. With your help, this recognition event can raise the visibility of the nursing profession and express gratitude for nurses’ enduring commitment and expertise.

Recognize certified nurses on March 19

Each year, the ANA Enterprise recognizes Certified Nurses Day™ on March 19, the birthday of Margretta “Gretta” Madden Styles, EdD, RN, FAAN, a renowned pioneer and expert in nurse credentialing. It’s the perfect opportunity to invite all nurses to advance their careers by choosing certification. The American Nurses Credentialing Center provides free downloadable tools and recognition ideas at certifiednursesday.org.