Professional Practice, Ethics, and Scope of Care
What the exam tests
This domain tests professional scope, informed consent, confidentiality, documentation, referral, cultural humility, and ethical marketing.
Core rules
- Nutrition professionals educate, coach, and support; they do not diagnose disease, prescribe medication, or direct medication changes.
- Obtain informed consent before assessment and explain fees, privacy, and limits of service.
- Protect confidentiality; follow applicable privacy law such as HIPAA where it applies, and use secure records.
- Refer when findings exceed scope: red flags, eating disorders, medication interactions, abnormal labs, and mental health crises.
- Avoid unsupported claims, guaranteed cures, and testimonials that imply medical outcomes.
- Document assessment, recommendations, referrals, and client responses.
Worked example
A client asks you to help them stop thyroid medication because they feel better on a supplement. Reasoning: explain that medication changes are outside your scope, do not advise stopping, and coordinate with the prescriber. Document the conversation and the referral. The reasoning is client safety and clear boundaries.
Traps
- Practicing medicine without a license.
- Breaching confidentiality in case studies.
- Using fear-based marketing.
- Failing to refer when red flags appear.