Dietician 'In-Patients' Role In Nutrition
In the nutrition discipline, one must be capable of interacting with patients, fellow colleagues and other various bodies involved in the health and human service delivery. A dietician can be present throughout all levels of the healthcare system; at a primary level, for example they receive walk-in patients who are looking to improve their health through dietary means, at a secondary level, where, for example, general practitioners refer a patient with type 2 diabetes in an attempt to reduce the patients dependence on insulin injections, or at a tertiary level, where dieticians work closely with other healthcare discipline to ensure an in-patient is given the best chance of recovery. Due to the many professional relationships with diverse
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roles, one’s professional identity must be supportive for patients and collaborative with colleagues, both within the nutritional industry and surrounding governing bodies. The Dieticians Association of Australia, or DAA, according to the DAA constitution (2015), is a self-regulating body responsible for outlining and enforcing professional standards. Additionally, for global equality in the nutrition discipline, the International Confederation of Dietetic Associations, or ICDA, creates codes of good practice and ethics. These codes, however, do not replace existing national standards, but clarify common standards throughout the global nutrition discipline (International Confederation of Dietetic Associations, 2010, para 2).
A dietitian may have a broad spectrum of roles within the discipline, however, they must ultimately comply with the standards of professional practice.
Examples of practising dietician standards include striving for positive nutritional outcomes for all individuals, respecting all individual’s needs, collaborating with others and doing no harm (International Confederation of Dietetic Associations, 2010a). Dietetic students entering the nutrition profession find the shift from competitive students to professionals collaborating together in the industry a challenging transition (Lordly & MacLellan, 2012). In an environment where the goal of obtaining the best internship played a key role in the student’s dietetic education, the focus moved away from developing a professional identity to becoming the ideal internship applicant. Suggesting an individual’s education history, as well as their personal experiences and the discipline’s codes of conduct, can have either positive or negative influence on the person’s professional identity (MacLellan, Lordly, & Gingras, 2011). As such, a dietician’s professional identity is subsequently influenced by their codes of practice, their education, personal experiences and reasons for entering the
discipline.
The Dieticians Association of Australia (DAA) is the national agency within Australia responsible for setting the standards, guidelines and codes of practice for all Australian Accredited Practising Dieticians (APDs). The DAA ensure a national level of quality and service via APDs, as well as keeping patients informed of their dietician’s health care role. As the DAA are a self-regulating, national body, they collaborate and consult with various other health care agencies. These agencies include the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, where they provide feedback for the national body ensuring the delivery of primary healthcare in Australia is of high quality (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care 2011). Additionally, the DAA assist Victoria Department of Health where they outline a dietician’s role and where allied health assistants can provide support, all in attempts to improve and maintain the state quality of primary health care (Department of Health and Human Services 2013). Being the national association for the dietetic discipline, the DAA also acts as advocates for nutritional health and aim to influence external policies and international diet issues (Dieticians Association of Australia, 2015). With policies and goals of the DAA being so health-orientated, the professional identity of the APDs and nutritionists should consequently be ensuring optimum health outcomes for all. According to the Dieticians Association of Australia Constitution (2015), the DAA aims to facilitate diet and food skills and knowledge via advocation throughout Australia. For a national level of health, the DAA consults and collaborates with the Australian government, at local, state and federal levels, ensuring the
The dietetic association responsible for advocation of the dietetic and nutrition discipline at an international level is called the International Confederation of Dietetic Associations, or ICPA. The ICPA act in a supportive role for national dietetic associations, giving guidance and building respect and awareness of the dietician and nutritionist roles (International Confederation of Dietetic Associations, 2010b). The ICDA is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation that works collaboratively with national dietetic associations all over the world with the aim to educate and elevate the international standard of nutritional health care delivery and service. As the ICPA express the importance of advocacy and support in the nutrition discipline internationally, a nutritionist and dietician’s professional identity are expected exhibit these qualities in their daily practice.
The maintenance of quality of health care service and delivery in the nutritional discipline in Australia occurs through the DAA. They are responsible for managing and disciplining professional misconduct and breaches in codes of conduct. A governing board of eight directors and four executives ensures the enforce standards of practice and discipline. However, it is the responsibility of the Australian Dietetics Council to ensure the DAA are fulfilling their roles regarding accreditation and recognition of services in a just and fair manner (Dieticians Association of Australia, 2015a). Additionally, it is a requirement of all practitioners to inform the DAA board where there is a breach of the Code of Professional Conduct. APDs who fail to follow the codes of professional conduct, according to the Codes of Professional Conduct By-Law (2013a), may require formal reprimanding, demotion to provisional APD status, require formal mentoring, be suspended, expelled or any combination depending on the severity of the breach on conduct. According to the DAA Complaints and Disciplinary Procedures by-law (2013a), investigation and potentially subsequent disciplinary measures are conducted when a complaint is made against a practitioner and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) receives a signed complaint. This requires an initial investigation, where an audit of the Respondent’s APD log, further information from the individual filing the complaint, an independent third party may be required to form an opinion report on the matter or any other relevant information pertaining to the case can be reviewed. Depending on the severity of the breach in codes of professional conduct and Australian law, the offending practitioner will receive appropriate disciplining required, as mentioned previously.
The dietetic and nutritionist professions, a highly important for both public and individual health, are gradually gaining recognition, understanding and exposure. An individual in the dietetic and nutritionist discipline must possess the professional traits of any health care professional, such as collaborating with other health care professionals to create awareness for health issues and treat everyone seeking assistance equally. However, a dietician or nutritionist must also strive for public and individual well-being at a holistic level as well as conventional medicinal methods. The Dieticians Association of Australia, or DAA, set the standards of this care, as well as outline the ethics and codes of professional conduct all Accredited Practising Dieticians (APDs) must uphold. Furthermore, the DAA, enforce these standards and is responsible for disciplinary measures necessary when practitioners violate these codes and standards. Additionally, the International Confederation of Dietetic Associations, or ICDA, create conjunctive codes of good practice to assist national associations as well as bring awareness to the dietetic and nutritionist disciplines. In conclusion, the dietetic and nutritionist professions are complex fields supported by numerous associations to ensure a consistent quality of care for patients.
roles, one’s professional identity must be supportive for patients and collaborative with colleagues, both within the nutritional industry and surrounding governing bodies. The Dieticians Association of Australia, or DAA, according to the DAA constitution (2015), is a self-regulating body responsible for outlining and enforcing professional standards. Additionally, for global equality in the nutrition discipline, the International Confederation of Dietetic Associations, or ICDA, creates codes of good practice and ethics. These codes, however, do not replace existing national standards, but clarify common standards throughout the global nutrition discipline (International Confederation of Dietetic Associations, 2010, para 2).
A dietitian may have a broad spectrum of roles within the discipline, however, they must ultimately comply with the standards of professional practice.
Examples of practising dietician standards include striving for positive nutritional outcomes for all individuals, respecting all individual’s needs, collaborating with others and doing no harm (International Confederation of Dietetic Associations, 2010a). Dietetic students entering the nutrition profession find the shift from competitive students to professionals collaborating together in the industry a challenging transition (Lordly & MacLellan, 2012). In an environment where the goal of obtaining the best internship played a key role in the student’s dietetic education, the focus moved away from developing a professional identity to becoming the ideal internship applicant. Suggesting an individual’s education history, as well as their personal experiences and the discipline’s codes of conduct, can have either positive or negative influence on the person’s professional identity (MacLellan, Lordly, & Gingras, 2011). As such, a dietician’s professional identity is subsequently influenced by their codes of practice, their education, personal experiences and reasons for entering the
discipline.
The Dieticians Association of Australia (DAA) is the national agency within Australia responsible for setting the standards, guidelines and codes of practice for all Australian Accredited Practising Dieticians (APDs). The DAA ensure a national level of quality and service via APDs, as well as keeping patients informed of their dietician’s health care role. As the DAA are a self-regulating, national body, they collaborate and consult with various other health care agencies. These agencies include the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, where they provide feedback for the national body ensuring the delivery of primary healthcare in Australia is of high quality (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care 2011). Additionally, the DAA assist Victoria Department of Health where they outline a dietician’s role and where allied health assistants can provide support, all in attempts to improve and maintain the state quality of primary health care (Department of Health and Human Services 2013). Being the national association for the dietetic discipline, the DAA also acts as advocates for nutritional health and aim to influence external policies and international diet issues (Dieticians Association of Australia, 2015). With policies and goals of the DAA being so health-orientated, the professional identity of the APDs and nutritionists should consequently be ensuring optimum health outcomes for all. According to the Dieticians Association of Australia Constitution (2015), the DAA aims to facilitate diet and food skills and knowledge via advocation throughout Australia. For a national level of health, the DAA consults and collaborates with the Australian government, at local, state and federal levels, ensuring the
The dietetic association responsible for advocation of the dietetic and nutrition discipline at an international level is called the International Confederation of Dietetic Associations, or ICPA. The ICPA act in a supportive role for national dietetic associations, giving guidance and building respect and awareness of the dietician and nutritionist roles (International Confederation of Dietetic Associations, 2010b). The ICDA is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation that works collaboratively with national dietetic associations all over the world with the aim to educate and elevate the international standard of nutritional health care delivery and service. As the ICPA express the importance of advocacy and support in the nutrition discipline internationally, a nutritionist and dietician’s professional identity are expected exhibit these qualities in their daily practice.
The maintenance of quality of health care service and delivery in the nutritional discipline in Australia occurs through the DAA. They are responsible for managing and disciplining professional misconduct and breaches in codes of conduct. A governing board of eight directors and four executives ensures the enforce standards of practice and discipline. However, it is the responsibility of the Australian Dietetics Council to ensure the DAA are fulfilling their roles regarding accreditation and recognition of services in a just and fair manner (Dieticians Association of Australia, 2015a). Additionally, it is a requirement of all practitioners to inform the DAA board where there is a breach of the Code of Professional Conduct. APDs who fail to follow the codes of professional conduct, according to the Codes of Professional Conduct By-Law (2013a), may require formal reprimanding, demotion to provisional APD status, require formal mentoring, be suspended, expelled or any combination depending on the severity of the breach on conduct. According to the DAA Complaints and Disciplinary Procedures by-law (2013a), investigation and potentially subsequent disciplinary measures are conducted when a complaint is made against a practitioner and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) receives a signed complaint. This requires an initial investigation, where an audit of the Respondent’s APD log, further information from the individual filing the complaint, an independent third party may be required to form an opinion report on the matter or any other relevant information pertaining to the case can be reviewed. Depending on the severity of the breach in codes of professional conduct and Australian law, the offending practitioner will receive appropriate disciplining required, as mentioned previously.
The dietetic and nutritionist professions, a highly important for both public and individual health, are gradually gaining recognition, understanding and exposure. An individual in the dietetic and nutritionist discipline must possess the professional traits of any health care professional, such as collaborating with other health care professionals to create awareness for health issues and treat everyone seeking assistance equally. However, a dietician or nutritionist must also strive for public and individual well-being at a holistic level as well as conventional medicinal methods. The Dieticians Association of Australia, or DAA, set the standards of this care, as well as outline the ethics and codes of professional conduct all Accredited Practising Dieticians (APDs) must uphold. Furthermore, the DAA, enforce these standards and is responsible for disciplinary measures necessary when practitioners violate these codes and standards. Additionally, the International Confederation of Dietetic Associations, or ICDA, create conjunctive codes of good practice to assist national associations as well as bring awareness to the dietetic and nutritionist disciplines. In conclusion, the dietetic and nutritionist professions are complex fields supported by numerous associations to ensure a consistent quality of care for patients.