Nutrition Practice Legal

Dear students,

Please view the below PPT on the legal issues and important things to take into considerations by practicing nutrition in different states. Also look at the procedures that need to be taken in case a legal case is brought against you, in the form of a "malpractice suit"

Download Legal.pptx

 

Read the below Informed Consent (IC) Legal PDF, once you have seen the importance of having a proper "IC" view the two sample IC - release documents also attached. Since you are designing a business plan for your hypothetical business, you also need to design and IC - document, on your own letterhead/business documents. The protection a proper IC document can provide you legally is the most valuable asset for your legal protection. You may use the  wording from either sample, the NHC document is my personal IC, drawn up by lawyer specializing in malpractice suits. You may use it as a base, obviously adding or taking out what you feel is not relevant to your "business model".

Download Informed Consent Legal - Cam.pdf

NHC New Patient -combined.doc

Download Sample 1Client Release Form.doc

Download Malpractice.pdf

Check with your State

http://nutritionadvocacy.org/ Links to an external site.

For example, New York defines practice of medicine as: “diagnosing, treating, operating, or prescribing for any human disease, pain, injury, deformity or physical condition”.

Student needs to go on: www.nutritionadvocacy.org Links to an external site. find their state and provide an update on their states legal requirements, the student also needs to find an adjacent state and compare. Students need to write up a letter to the appropriate state assembly voicing their concerns about "practicing nutrition legally", if they are allowed in their state, then a letter needs to be written to the adjacent state. CNS certification is only allowed in 13 states at present, writing this letter should be an actual action from student, you need to provide a copy of the actual letter sent to appropriate assembly person, voicing your concerns. Most assembly representatives are not aware of the difference between RD and Nutritionist, they are not aware that for CNS you need a graduate level degree and RD is just a bachelors.  Get involved on this site voicing your opinion there are currently actions in NJ, NY, CA and MI. Even if you are not in these states, these outcomes good or bad can affect your profession!

Provide copies of your letters and e-mails that show your actions and responses.