Majority of nurses agree their profession is widely misunderstood

Nearly nine in 10 American nurses believe that nobody understands the work they do, according to new research.

A recent survey asked 1,000 nurses about how they’re perceived in their profession and by the public, finding that 85% feel misunderstood by the general public.

Forty-seven percent said the biggest misconception about nurses is that their job is “easy” compared to other healthcare professionals.

However, results also showed that nurses think they’re portrayed in the media more positively now than prior to the pandemic (63% vs. 55%).

Even so, 63% still feel like nurses aren’t seen as “human” by patients and doctors.

Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of connectRN for National Nurses Week, the survey found that most believe there to be common misconceptions about what their job entails.

Similarly, 83% said nurses are underrecognized for what they do as front-line workers.

And 63% of nurses feel the typical ways in which their employers have shown appreciation feel “patronizing.”