A survey of nearly 5,000 nurses in the United States conducted by the American Nurses Association (ANA) and COVID Vaccine Facts for Nurses found that most respondents said they support vaccine mandates for both employers and schools.

Details on the survey

The survey spoke to 4,912 nurses, 89% of whom were female, 75% of whom were white, and 48% of whom were ages 55 or older.

According to the survey, three-quarters of respondents said they trust that the available Covid-19 vaccines are safe and effective, and two-thirds said they feel they are receiving enough information on the vaccines. Overall, nearly 90% of respondents said they are vaccinated or plan to get a vaccine.

When asked if they would get a booster shot if it was recommended, the vast majority of respondents said they would.

Among the unvaccinated respondents, the most common reason for not getting vaccinated was not having enough information about the long-term effects of the vaccine. This was similar to the biggest concern the respondents said unvaccinated patients have expressed, which was a desire to wait until there's more data on the safety of the vaccines.

When asked how they felt about places of work requiring vaccination for employment, most nurses were in favor, while under a third were against.

ANA comments

"Nursing practice is both an art and a science," ANA president Ernest Grant said in a press release. "Nurses are highly skilled and knowledgeable health care providers, scientists, and researchers, so they understand the rigor and effort behind developing the Covid-19 vaccines."

"Nurses' knowledge, coupled with their frontline experience caring for those with Covid-19 over the past 16 months, is evident by these survey findings," Grant added. "By getting vaccinated themselves, supporting vaccine mandates, and ensuring that their patients have the most accurate and reliable information possible about the Covid-19 vaccines, nurses nationwide are fulfilling their professional and ethical obligations." (Davis, HealthLeaders Media, 8/18; COVID Vaccine Facts for Nurses survey, accessed 8/19)