Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Standards of Practice and Standards of Professional Performance for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (Competent, Proficient, and Expert) in Public Health and Community Nutrition.

The need and demand for population-level disease prevention has increased, especially with the passage of the Affordable Care Act, a worldwide increase in obesity and chronic disease, and a global emphasis on preventative health care that includes behavioral, environmental, and policy interventions. In response to these evolving needs, the Public Health and Community Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, with guidance from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Quality Management Committee, has developed Standards of Practice and Standards of Professional Performance as tools for registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) currently in practice or interested in working in public health and community nutrition, to assess their current skill levels and to identify areas for professional development. The Standards of Practice address the four steps of the Nutrition Care Process for community and public health RDNs, which are assessment, diagnosis, intervention, and evaluation/monitoring. The Standards of Professional Performance consist of the following six domains of professional performance for community and public health RDNs: 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, specific indicators provide measurable action statements that illustrate the ways in which RDNs can address client and population nutrition and health. The indicators describe three skill levels (competent, proficient, and expert) for RDNs. These tools highlight the unique scope of expertise that RDNs provide to the field of public health and community nutrition.