title: Human values and ethics: professional responsibility.
abstract: Following professional codes does not automatically lead to ethical decision-making. Because the health professional makes a commitment to care for human beings and these persons are in a state of need which only expert advice can rectify, a professional decision requires ethical analysis of values. Such analysis engages the whole person in a process of self-reflection and critique of action, something a code of ethics does not provide. For health professionals, including nutritionists and dietitians, the insight is not just philosophical; it stems from the very nature of the profession.
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D032781:Codes of Ethics; D003657:Decision Making; D004046:Dietetics; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D004995:Ethics, Professional; D005260:Female; D006281:Health Occupations; D006808:Humanism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D012945:Social Values