Registered Dietitian - Key Considerations

Entry-level RD - first 3 years
Consideration: Completing and passing the examination demonstrate minimum competence for practice. This is not well understood by members.

An individual who has not taken the exam practicing at the same capacity as an RD is not appropriate.

Prior to successfully passing the RD exam, there is no approved professional designation. Until such time as the RD exam is passed, registration eligible individuals should have all medical record documentation co-signed by an RD just as is required while the individual is completing the supervised practice requirement. Employers should use the RD credential as the baseline competency assessment for qualified individuals to practice independently. It is only after successfully passing the exam that the individual would meet the criteria outlined in the standards and elements of performance JCAHO relative to *qualified individual.

*Qualified individual - an individual or staff member who is qualified to participate in one or all of the mechanisms outlined in Joint Commission standards by virtue of the following: education, training, experience, competence, registration or certification; or applicable licensure, law, or regulation.

(Excerpt - The Scope of Dietetics Framework - Draft August 2004)