Educating Future Nurses to Address Nursing’s Image–Prestige Gap

BACKGROUND: Public perceptions of nursing may shape students' understanding of the profession and nurse educators' approaches to professional identity formation. Although nurses are often viewed as caring and socially valuable, this image may not translate into recognition of nursing as autonomous, knowledge-based, and prestigious. PURPOSE: This study examined public perceptions of nursing by distinguishing professional image from comparative prestige and identifying implications for nursing education. METHODS: A convenience sample of 280 adults completed an anonymous questionnaire assessing nursing image, prestige relative to 8 health professions, prior exposure to nursing care, and sociodemographic characteristics. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used. RESULTS: Nurses' professional image was rated moderate to high, yet nursing ranked fifth in comparative prestige. Prior exposure to nursing care was associated with more favorable image ratings. CONCLUSIONS: Findings reveal an image-prestige gap that nurse educators can address by helping students articulate nursing expertise.