Nurses Named Most Trusted Profession Again; NM Nursing Leaders Call for Action to Strengthen Access to Care Statewide

PRESS RELEASE (JOINT)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: January 12, 2026

 

Nurses Named Most Trusted Profession Again; New Mexico Nursing Leaders Call for Action to Strengthen Access to Care Statewide

SANTA FE, N.M. — Nurses have once again been named the nation’s most trusted profession in Gallup’s 2025 Honesty and Ethics poll, reinforcing what New Mexicans experience every day: when health care is complex, personal, and urgent, nurses are the professionals patients and families rely on for competent, compassionate, evidence-based care.

In New Mexico—where many communities face persistent provider shortages, long travel distances for specialty care, and uneven access across rural and frontier regions—trust in nursing carries special significance. Nursing is the backbone of health care in New Mexico, and nurses and nurse practitioners are often the most consistent point of care, helping patients navigate prevention, chronic disease, behavioral health needs, and treatment decisions in clinics, hospitals, schools, long-term care settings, and home-based services.

“Being named the most trusted profession is an honor, but it’s also a responsibility—especially in New Mexico,” said Shawnna Read, [DNP(c), APRN, FNP, ACNP], President, New Mexico Nurse Practitioner Council. “Trust is built in exam rooms, hospitals, schools, and rural clinics—often in communities where access is already fragile. This recognition should be a call to action to strengthen and protect the nursing workforce, reduce barriers to care, and support nurse-led solutions that keep patients healthier and closer to home. We also have to address retention—New Mexico cannot afford to lose nurse practitioners and nurses to out-of-state opportunities when our communities need care close to home.”

NMNA and NMNPC emphasized that trust must be matched by sustained investment in the people and systems that enable safe, high-quality care. As New Mexico confronts persistent workforce pressures and widening access gaps in some regions, the organizations underscored shared priorities:

• Strengthen workforce stability and retention through supportive practice environments, safe staffing strategies, and improving recruitment and retention statewide.
• Protect patient access in rural and underserved areas by expanding local care capacity and reducing delays for primary and specialty services.
• Uphold high standards of nursing practice by protecting the integrity of the New Mexico Nursing Practice Act and supporting strong regulatory and policy frameworks.
• Advance nurse advocacy and leadership through legislative, regulatory, and policy engagement that improves patient outcomes and strengthens health care delivery across the state.

“New Mexicans trust nurses because nurses show up—consistently, competently, and compassionately,” said Gloria Doherty, PhD, MSN, RN, AHNS, ACNP, FAANP, NMNA and NMNPC Past President. “New Mexico Nurse Association is committed to advocating for all licensed nurses and strengthening the systems that allow nurses to deliver safe, timely care. According to data from NM Department of Workforce Solutions, there are over 7000 job postings for registered nurses and over 700 for nurse practitioners. Recognizing nurses as the most trusted profession should accelerate action to stabilize, protect, respect, expand and retain the workforce as we protect access to care for every New Mexican.”

Both organizations encouraged New Mexicans to recognize nurses in their communities and to support initiatives that strengthen nursing practice and patient access across the state.

About the New Mexico Nurse Practitioner Council (NMNPC)

Dedicated nurse practitioner leaders in New Mexico founded the New Mexico Nurse Practitioner Council in 1977 and incorporated as a nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization in 1997. NMNPC was established to serve the professional interests of nurse practitioners caring for patients throughout New Mexico and is the only statewide organization representing nurse practitioners in New Mexico. NMNPC exists to unite New Mexico’s nurse practitioners in a professional organization dedicated to promoting excellence in practice and optimal patient care. The organization strives to be informed and effective in protecting and promoting nurse practitioners’ professional interests and providing strong patient advocacy.

About the New Mexico Nurses Association (NMNA)

The New Mexico Nurses Association is committed to advocating for all licensed nurses, improving health care, and promoting lifelong learning. NMNA promotes high standards of nursing practice through professional and educational advancement of nurses, personal and professional self-advocacy, and recognition of the contributions of nurses in health care. NMNA also upholds the integrity of the New Mexico Nursing Practice Act through legislative, regulatory, and policy-making endeavors, develops alliances with other health care organizations on issues affecting nurses and health care, and works to improve access to health care services by expanding opportunities for nurses.

Contacts:

New Mexico Nurses Association (NMNA):

Deborah Walker, Executive Director

dwalker@nmna.org | www.nmna.nursingnetwork.com

 

New Mexico Nurse Practitioner Council (NMNPC):

Rachel Bevan, Executive Director

rbevan@nmnpc.org | www.nmnpc.org

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