The following article represents the main results of studies in Germany treating the situation of nurses in hospitals and in long term care units focussing the image of nursing work--on the one hand from the public's and on the other hand from the nurses' perspectives. The article enters into the question what the general public and the nurses thinks about the nursing work, the nursing work conditions and trust in professional caring. As a result, it can be stated that the rating of nursing work and nursing work conditions in public differs. Nursing work is higher rated in public than the nursing work conditions and the quality of professional caring. In the nursing community a high identification with the nursing profession and nursing work can be determined. But there is lower job satisfaction and esteem for nursing work visible.