Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Revised 2017 Standards of Practice in Nutrition Care and Standards of Professional Performance for Nutrition and Dietetics Technicians, Registered

Abstract

Nutrition and dietetics technicians, registered (NDTRs) face complex situations every day. Competently addressing the unique needs of each situation and applying standards appropriately are essential to providing safe, timely patient-/client-/customer-centered quality nutrition and dietetics care and services. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy) leads the profession by developing standards that can be used by NDTRs (who are credentialed by the Commission on Dietetic Registration) for self-evaluation to assess quality of practice and performance. The Standards of Practice reflect the NDTR’s role under the supervision of registered dietitian nutritionists in nutrition screening and the Nutrition Care Process and workflow elements, which includes nutrition screening, nutrition assessment, nutrition diagnosis, nutrition intervention/plan of care, nutrition monitoring and evaluation, and discharge planning and transitions of care. The Standards of Professional Performance consist of six domains of professional performance: Quality in Practice, Competence and Accountability, Provision of Services, Application of Research, Communication and Application of Knowledge, and Utilization and Management of Resources. Within each standard, indicators provide measurable action statements that illustrate how the standard can be applied to practice. The Academy’s Revised 2017 Standards of Practice and Standards of Professional Performance for NDTRs along with the Academy/Commission on Dietetic Registration Code of Ethics, and the Scope of Practice for the NDTR provide minimum standards and tools for demonstrating competence and safe practice, and are used collectively to gauge and guide an NDTR’s performance in nutrition and dietetics practice.