Professional Practice, Ethics, and Scope of Practice
Core concepts
Know the boundaries of the nutrition professional's scope: what can be done independently versus under supervision or referral. Understand ethical principles-beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, justice-and how they apply to informed consent, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, and cultural humility. Familiarize yourself with referral pathways (physician, speech-language pathology for swallowing, behavioral health) and the duty to practice within competence.
Traps
Questions often test the line between counseling and medical advice-recommending a diet is in scope; diagnosing disease or prescribing medication is not. Watch for scenarios involving a client refusing care (respect autonomy), a conflict of interest (disclose and recuse), or a request outside competence (refer). Distinguish confidentiality exceptions required by law.
Rule of thumb
When unsure, ask: is this within my competence and scope, and does it respect the client's autonomy? If either answer is no, refer or consult. Worked example: a client asks for a supplement to "cure" diabetes-explain the evidence, avoid promising a cure, and coordinate with the care team.
Study anchor
Frame every ethics item around the four principles and the scope boundary between education/counseling and medical diagnosis/treatment.