Why are nurses such trusted sources of healthcare information?

Let’s think about the word trust.  Patients place their trust in us each time they are admitted to our care.  They expect, and they deserve, the best outcome possible.  Yet, healthcare is a risky business.  Life is a journey, and with well-placed trust, the journey can meet and exceed your expectations.  As nurses and patients, trust matters! Why trust?  Why does it matter?  It matters to each and every one of us as professionals because Americans have been asked to rate the honesty and ethics of various professions annually since 1990, and periodically since 1976 through the Gallup Poll.   Nurses have topped the list each year since they were first included in 1999, with the exception of 2001 when firefighters were included in response to their work during and after the 9/11 attacks. Since 2005, at least 80% of Americans have said nurses have high ethics and honesty.  Nurses advocate for patients and their families, they respond to concerns, they refer appropriately, and they are active listeners.  If you were asked to identify the 3 most significant factors in creating trust, what might your list look like?  My own choices would include:  1) honesty and openness – a willingness to tell the truth about a clinical situation, about a patient encounter, and knowing that the truth is honored within my organization; 2) ensuring transparency – creating a platform in which transparency is valued ; and 3) acknowledging the situation and using it as a learning opportunity. Hospitals are a center of trust, and nursing is at its core!