According to the 2007 Gallup Poll survey on honesty and ethics, nurses topped the list of most trusted professionals in the United States. The survey showed that 81 percent of Americans described nurses' ethics as "very high" or "high."

Nurses have earned the annual survey's top spot for nine of the last 10 years. In the aftermath of Sept. 11, nurses relinquished the top ranking to firefighters in the 2001 survey.

"It's no surprise that nurses have ranked first as the most trusted profession all these years," said Andrea Higham, director of the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future.

In addition, the survey revealed that health care professions are among the most highly regarded. Of the 22 occupations rated in this year's poll, pharmacists ranked third and doctors were rated fifth.

TOBACCO TASK FORCE: Sharon Bennett, assistant professor in the Medical College of Georgia's Department of Biobehavioral Nursing, has been appointed to the American Psychiatric Nurses Association's Tobacco Dependence Task Force.

Bennett is one of 15 psychiatric nurses who will serve on the task force, created in partnership with the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center. The task force will develop goals and an action plan to help psychiatric nurses reduce smoking by patients in the mental health community.

About 50 percent of U.S. mental health patients smoke, compared to 21.9 percent of the general population.

Bennett is a certified clinical nurse specialist in adult psychiatric and mental health nursing and a certified tobacco treatment specialist.

NEW ANNA VP: Loretta Jackson Brown, MSN, RN, CNN, has been elected Southeast vice president of the American Nephrology Nurses' Association (ANNA) for 2008 to 2010.

Jackson Brown, of Lawrenceville, is chief nurse of the 94th Aeromedical Staging Squadron at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, where she is a lieutenant colonel. She will assume her new position next month during ANNA's 39th national symposium in Philadelphia.

As a regional vice president, Jackson Brown will manage the organization's day-to-day activities in the Southeast region. She will serve on ANNA's Board of Directors and act as a liaison between the board and local, regional and national members. She also will be assigned to special projects.

Jackson Brown, who has been actively involved in ANNA for 13 years, is a doctoral student at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

TOP-NOTCH EMPLOYER: For the third year in a row, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta was ranked among Fortune magazine's list of 100 Best Companies to Work For in the United States. Children's was selected from more than 1,500 organizations.

Children's also ranked 15th on the list of companies with the most diverse work force and was ranked third for the highest percentage of female employees (82 percent). To see the complete list, go to www.fortune.com.

MED-SURGE COURSE: A medical-surgical nursing review practice enhancement and certification course will be April 15-16 at Piedmont Hospital (1968 Peachtree Road in Atlanta.) This course is for nurses preparing to take a certification exam as well as those who are interested in improving their general knowledge.

The event will be in Classroom 7 on the sixth floor of the 77 Building. The cost is $225 and includes course materials, light breakfast and a light lunch.

Georgia Nurses Association contact hours are available. Space is limited.

For registration and information, e-mail kym.jones-hollinger@piedmont.org or call 404-605-4741. For credit card registration only, call 1-866-900-4321.

AUTISM WALK: The Marcus Institute and Autism Speaks are calling for teams of walkers to register for a three-mile walk to raise awareness and funds for autism. A disorder of unknown origin that has no known cure, autism affects one in every 131 children in Georgia.

The 2008 Georgia Walk for Autism will be April 12 at 8:30 a.m. at Atlantic Station in Atlanta. For information and to register, see www.walknowforautism.org/georgia or call 770-451-0570.

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