Are nurses more honest than teachers? Are their ethical standards higher than those of physicians? According to a recent survey, the answer to both questions is yes.

Nurses topped Gallup’s 2008 annual Honesty and Ethics of professions survey for the seventh year in a row. More than 1,000 Americans aged 18 or older participated in the survey, rating the ethics and honesty of 21 types of workers. Nurses won the vote of 84% of participants, who attributed the bedside caregivers with “high” or “very high” honesty and ethical standards. Less than 0.5% of respondents rated nurses with “very low” honesty and ethical standards.

Pharmacists were behind nurses, receiving 70% of votes for “high” or “very high” honesty and ethical standards, followed by high school teachers with 65%. Telemarketers and lobbyists were found the two least well-rated professions in the survey that was conducted in November.

Do these results surprise you?