As an affiliate of the American Dietetic Association, the Kentucky Dietetic Association (KDA) is charged with upholding the highest levels of professional standards and ethical conduct. In keeping with this commitment, KDA members honor and abide by the Code of Ethics of the American Dietetic Association. The public, clients, patients, and health professionals can be assured of the highest standards of practice of KDA members.

The following information describes the Code of Ethics. Readers are invited to visit the American Dietetic Association website for complete information pertaining to the Code of Ethics.

http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/education_779_ENU_HTML.htm

The following information was accessed from the America Dietetic Association website on 10-16-07.

Code of Ethics for the Profession of Dietetics

The American Dietetic Association and its Commission on Dietetic Registration have adopted a voluntary, enforceable code of ethics. This code, entitled the Code of Ethics for the Profession of Dietetics, challenges all members, registered dietitians, and dietetic technicians, registered, to uphold ethical principles. The enforcement process for the Code of Ethics establishes a fair system to deal with complaints about members and credentialed practitioners from peers or the public.

The first code of ethics was adopted by the House of Delegates in October 1982; enforcement began in 1985. The code applied to members of The American Dietetic Association only. A second code was adopted by the House of Delegates in October 1987 and applied to all members and Commission on Dietetic Registration credentialed practitioners. A third revision of the code was adopted by the House of Delegates on October 18, 1998, and enforced as of June 1, 1999, for all members and Commission on Dietetic Registration credentialed practitioners.

The Ethics Committee is responsible for reviewing, promoting, and enforcing the Code. The Committee also educates members, credentialed practitioners, students, and the public about the ethical principles contained in the Code. Support of the Code of Ethics by members and credentialed practitioners is vital to guiding the profession's actions and to strengthening its credibility.

Preamble

The American Dietetic Association and its credentialing agency, the Commission of Dietetic Registration, believe it is in the best interest of the profession and the public it serves to have a Code of Ethics in place that provides guidance the dietetics practitioners in their professional practice and conduct. Dietetics practitioners have voluntarily adopted a Code of Ethics to reflect the values and ethical principles guiding the dietetics profession and to outline commitments and obligations of the dietetics practitioner to client, society, self, and the profession.

The Ethics Code applies in its entirety to members of The American Dietetic Association who are Registered Dietitians (RDs) or Dietetic Technicians, Registered (DTRs). Except for sections solely dealing with the credential, the Code applies the all members of the American Dietetic Association who are not RDs or DTRs. Except for aspects solely dealing with membership, the Code applies to all RDs and DTRs who are not members of The American Dietetic Association. All of the aforementioned are referred to in the Code as “dietetics practitioners.” By accepting membership in The American Dietetic Association and/or accepting and maintaining Commission on Dietetic Registration credentialed dietetics practitioners agree to abide by the Code.

Principles

1. The dietetics practitioner conducts himself/herself with honesty, integrity, and
   fairness.
2. The dietetics practitioner practices dietetics based on scientific principles and
   current information.
3. The dietetics practitioner presents substantiated information and interprets controversial information without personal bias, recognizing that legitimate differences of option exist.
4. The dietetics practitioner assumes responsibility and accountability for personal competence in practice, continually striving to increase professional knowledge and skills and to apple them in practice.
5. The dietetics practitioner recognizes and exercises professional judgment within the limits of his/her qualifications and collaborates with others, seeks counsel, or makes referrals as appropriate.
6. The dietetics practitioner provides sufficient information to enable clients and others to make their own informed decisions.
7. The dietetics practitioner protects confidential information and makes full disclosure about any limitations on his/her ability to guarantee full confidentially.
8. The dietetics practitioner provides professional services with objectivity and with respect for the unique needs and values of individuals.
9. The dietetics practitioner provides professional services in a manner that is sensitive to cultural differences and does not discriminate against others on the basis of race, ethnicity, creed, religion, disability, sex, age, sexual orientation, or national origin.
10. The dietetics practitioner does not engage in sexual harassment in connection with profession practice.
11. The dietetics practitioner provides objective evaluations of performance for employees and coworkers, candidates for employment, students, professional association memberships, awards, or scholarships. The dietetics practitioner makes all reasonable effort to avoid bias in any kind of professional evaluation of others.
12. The dietetics practitioner is alert to situations that might cause a conflict of interest or have the appearance of a conflict. The dietetics practitioner provides full disclosure when a real or potential conflict of interest arises.
13. The dietetics practitioner who wishes to inform the public and colleagues of his/her services does so by using factual information. The dietetics practitioner does not advertise in a false or misleading manner.
14. The dietetics practitioner promotes or endorses products in a manner that is neither false nor misleading.
15. The dietetics practitioner permits the use of his/her name for the purpose of certifying that dietetics services have been rendered only if he/she has provided or supervised the provision of those services.
16. The dietetics practitioner accurately presents professional qualifications and credentials.
    a. The dietetics practitioner uses Commission on Dietetics Registration awarded credentials (“RD” or “Registered Dietitian”; “DTR” or “Dietetic Technician, Registered”; “CSP” or “Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition”; “CSR” or “Certified Specialist in Renal Nutrition”; and “FADA” or “Fellow of The Dietetic Association”) only when the credential is current and authorized by the Commission on Dietetic Registration. The dietetics practitioner provides accurate information and complies with all requirements of the Commission on Dietetic Registration program in which he/she is seeking initial or continued credentials from the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
    b. The dietetics practitioner is subject to disciplinary action for aiding another person in violating any Commission on Dietetic Registration requirements or aiding another person in representing himself/herself as Commission on Dietetic Registration credentialed when he/she is not.
17. The dietetics practitioner withdraws from professional practice under the following circumstances:
    a. The dietetics practitioner has engages in any substance abuse the could affect his/her practice;
    b. The dietetics practitioner has been adjudged by a court to be mentally incompetent;
    c. The dietetics practitioner has an emotional or mental disability that affects his/her practice in a manner that could harm the client or others.
18. The dietetics practitioner complies with all applicable laws and regulations concerning the profession and is subject to disciplinary action under the following circumstances:
    a. The dietetics practitioner has been convicted of a crime under the laws of the United States which is a felony or misdemeanor, an essential element of which is dishonesty, and which is related to the practice of the profession.
    b. The dietetics practitioner has been disciplined by a state, and at least one of the grounds for the discipline is the same or substantially equivalent to these principles.
    c. The dietetics practitioner had committed an act of misfeasance or malfeasance which is directly related to the practice of the profession as determined by a court or competent jurisdiction, a licensing board, or an agency of a governmental body.
19. The dietetics practitioner supports and promotes high standards of professional practice. The dietetics practitioner accepts the obligation to protect clients, the public, and the profession by upholding the Code of Ethics for the Profession of Dietetics and by reporting alleged violations of the Code through the defined review process of The American Dietetic Association and its credentialing agency, the Commission on Dietetic Registration.

For More Information Contact:
Kentucky Dietetic Association
Adrienne Grizzell, CAE
P. O. Box 23555
Lexington, KY 40523-3555
Phone & Fax: 859.245.0717