Code of Ethics for the Dietetic Professional

1. Code of Ethics for the
Profession of Dietetics
ACADEMY/CDR
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2. “Right & Wrong”
“Moral & Immoral”
“Just & Unjust”
Ethics is the Struggle Between…
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3. 1. The study of standards of conduct and moral judgment.
2. The study of the general nature of morals and of the
specific moral choices to be made by a person.
3. The rules or standards governing the conduct of a
person or the members of a profession.
Ethics: (eth/iks)
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4. •Aspirational
•Educational
•Regulatory
Types of Codes
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5. 1. Fundamental Principles
2. Responsibilities to the Public
3. Responsibilities to Clients
4. Responsibilities to the Profession
5. Responsibilities to Colleagues and Other Professionals
Nineteen Principles
The Code Consists of Five Categories
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6. The code is intended to:
• Protect the profession and the credential
• Influence public and private policy
• Improve professional practice
• Educate dietetics practitioners about ethical decision making
• Meet the guidelines of the accrediting agency for the
Commission on Dietetic Registration
Functions of the Code of Ethics
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7. The Code is not intended to:
• Identify and reprimand all unqualified dietitians and
dietetic technicians
• Be a punitive force to take away credentials
Misconceptions about the
Code of Ethics
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8. Professional
Development
Portfolio
The Standards
of Professional
Practice
Lifelong
Learning and
Professional
Enhancement
The Code of Ethics
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9. History of the Academy/CDR Code
1934 – 1st Report presented to members.
1982 – 1st Code adopted. Enforced 1985.
1987 – 2nd Code adopted. Enforced 1987.
1998 – 3rd revised Code adopted by HOD in fall.
1999 – Revised Code published January.
2007 – New Task Force formed to review and revise the 1999 Code.
2009 – Revised Code approved by HOD, BOD and CDR.
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10. • Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, August
2009, pages 1461-1467.
• Academy Web site –
www.eatrightpro.org/resources/career/code-of-ethics
Accessing the Code
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11. • Ethics Committee
• Ethics Team at Headquarters
• Ethics For Further Reading List
• FNCE Sessions
• Ethics Opinions
• Ethics in Action columns
• Case Studies
• Case Studies and Discussion Question for Ethics Video Series
• Ethics Video Series
Tools & Resources
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12. Ethics Committee was established in 1982
Composed of three members who each serve 3 year terms
• One appointed by the Academy President
• One appointed by the Speaker, HOD
• One appointed by chair of CDR
• One new member is added each year
Academy Ethics Committee
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13. • Any member or non-member can make a complaint.
• Complaints are not anonymous but are confidential.
• If a complaint is made, it is forwarded to the member for a
response.
• The Ethics Committee then reviews the complaint and
discusses the response in executive session.
Access to the Ethics Committee
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14. • The enforcement procedures are intended to permit a fair
resolution of disputes on ethical practices in a manner that
protects the rights of individuals while promoting
understanding of ethical practice.
• The Ethics Committee has the authority and the flexibility to
determine the best way to resolve a dispute, including
educational means where appropriate.
Ethics Case Management Procedure
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15. • Case may be dismissed
• Further information may be requested
• Person may be contacted with specific actions for educational
intervention
What happens next…
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16. • Membership in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics may
be censured, placed on probation, suspended, or revoked
• RDN or NDTR credential or specialist credential may be
suspended or revoked
• Ethics Committee uses a defined policy and procedure
handbook to guide its decisions.
What happens next…
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17. 17
Recent Complaints
# Inquiries # Complaints Complaint Types
8 1 Personal dispute
15 5 Inappropriate advice (3); Practice
without a license; Copyright violation
16 6 Inappropriate advice; Personal
dispute; Poor business practice (4)
24 11 Poor business practice (5); Licensure
violation (4); Lack of scientific
support; Legal violation
18 5 Personal dispute; Lack of scientific
support (2); Misuse of RDN, Poor
business practice

18. Legal Issue:
Many state and federal laws apply to our profession. If a state or federal law has
been violated, the issue could result in action by the Ethics Committee.
Business Issue:
An issue may be a business issue, but not an ethical issue, if it arises from a
business dispute or breach of a contractual obligation, or a failure to provide
products or services of an expected quality.
Employment Issue:
Employment issues can be addressed by an employer’s policy or policies or can be
resolved in the workplace via the appropriate structure to provide oversight (i.e.,
Human Resources) or through federal and state laws that protect employees.
Ethical Issue or Not ?
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19. • Attends all meetings of Ethics Committee
• Reviews files and correspondence
• Provides counsel as to legal implications of decisions, actions
Utilization of Academy’s Legal Counsel
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20. • Three ethics case studies will be presented.
• Work in small groups to discuss each case study.
• Choose a reporter to report the discussion.
Self Assessment
- Ethics Case Studies -
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21. •Is the situation described an ethical issue?
•Is the situation described a business dispute?
•What category and principle(s) of the Code of Ethics does it
relate to and how/why?
•What are the key issues?
•How might you handle as a colleague?
Questions to Discuss for
Each Case Study:
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22. A registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) has just taken a position as part of
a treatment team in an ambulatory care setting. After several sessions,
one of the clients he is counseling for obesity management discloses that
she is being physically abused by her spouse and feels depressed. After
this revelation, the RDN encourages the client to continue the nutrition
counseling sessions so that he might better understand the relationship
between her domestic situation/psychological state and weight issues.
During a regular treatment team meeting, the RDN reports on the client
and is questioned by one of the team members about why he did not refer
the client to the mental health professional. What should the RDN and the
team member do in this situation?
Case Study #1:
Referral to Other Heathcare Professional
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23. • Is the situation described an ethical issue?
• Is the situation described a business dispute?
• What category and principle(s) of the Code of Ethics does it
relate to and how/why?
• What are the key issues?
• How might you handle as a colleague?
Small Group Discussion
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24. •What Was the Ethics Committee’s
Reaction to the Case?
•Key Discussion Points
Results of Discussions
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25. A Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) student, who is a
student member of Academy, is in a computer lab at the
university taking an online examination for one of his courses.
The course syllabus specifically states that the exam is to be
taken without the use of the textbook or class notes. One of
the student’s classmates observes the student referring to the
text and class notes while completing the online exam. What
should be done in this situation?
Review Case Study #2:
Observing Unethical Behavior
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26. • Is the situation described an ethical issue?
• Is the situation described a business dispute?
• What category and principle(s) of the Code of Ethics does it
relate to and how/why?
• What are the key issues?
• How might you handle as a colleague?
Small Group Discussion
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27. •What Was the Ethics Committee’s
Reaction to the Case?
•Key Discussion Points
Results of Discussions
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28. A faculty member (PhD, RDN) asks a graduate doctoral student (Academy RDN
member) to assist with a paper she is writing. She asks the graduate student to
update the paper’s literature review, add additional data to the analysis and do a
draft revision to the results section based on the additional data. The primary
author prepares the discussion and methods section. The graduate student decides
to discuss this with a junior faculty person and with her encouragement; she asks
to be listed on the paper as an author. The primary author replies no and states
that student contributions to a paper do not merit an author byline. The PhD, RDN
agrees to an acknowledgement. The student feels compromised as he/she cannot
refuse to do the work and must accept the professor’s decision. The junior faculty
member agreed with the student and also felt she could not address her colleague
on the issue. When the article is published in Journal of the Academy of Nutrition
and Dietetics, the student is highly disappointed and reflects on this compromising
situation as a very unpleasant professional encounter early in her academic career.
Case Study #3: Authorship
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29. •Is the situation described an ethical issue?
•Is the situation described a business dispute?
•What category and principle(s) of the Code of Ethics does it
relate to and how/why?
•What are the key issues?
•How might you handle as a colleague?
Small Group Discussion
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30. •What Was the Ethics Committee’s
Reaction to the Case?
•Key Discussion Points
Results of Discussions
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31. Questions and Summation
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