The Standards of Professional Practice are practical guidelines for a registrant’s everyday professional practice. They apply to all practice areas regardless of specialization. The standards do not prescribe technical clinical management standards. The standards are, first and foremost, a tool designed to help professionals assess their practice relative to the expectations of peers, colleagues and the profession as a whole. The standards are performance baselines against which professionals may be measured if their practice is called into question.

Standard 1: Knowledge

Certified pedorthic professionals with exclusive rights to use one of the CPC’s designated titles, should hold themselves out as being knowledgeable in the practice of Pedorthics, according to the scope of their acquired credentials which are acquired through education and continuous learning.
Indicators
  1. Demonstrates an understanding of the knowledge, critical thinking and clinical judgment required for the provision of safe, competent and ethical pedorthic care.
  2. Keeps informed in their field(s) of practice and be aware of current research and developments in pedorthic care.
  3. Practices only in those fields where training and ability make them professionally competent.
  4. Expresses a professional opinion when it is founded through adequate knowledge and experience.
  5. Continuously evaluates whether they are practicing within the limits of their training and experience.
  6. Maintains appropriate documentation of increased knowledge or skills through additional learning.
  7. Accesses resources when needed to support the provision of safe, appropriate client care.
  8. Uses health promotion and health teaching appropriate to the client’s needs.
  9. Demonstrates awareness of evidence based practice and applies this understanding to the provision of client care.
  10. Participates in quality improvement practices to enhance pedorthic practice and health outcomes such as journal reviewing, attendance at conferences or educational events, engaging in evaluation of one’s own professional practice incorporating self-evaluation, peer feedback or other appropriate methods.
  11. Takes actions to address deficiencies to enhance practice.

Standard 2: Accountability

Certified pedorthic professionals need to be committed to the principle of accountability in their professional practice, in the practice of those under their supervision and in the profession as a whole as their service to society. Public interest takes precedence over self-interest, which protects the public from unethical or incompetent practice and is a core value for the profession.

Indicators:

  1. Demonstrates accountability and responsibility for own pedorthic actions and professional conduct.
  2. Maintains professional integrity and honesty when conducting professional services.
  3. Practices within applicable municipal, provincial and federal health and safety codes, legal requirements, societal conventions, By-laws, Code of Ethics, Standards of Practice and own level of competence.
  4. Provides client with medically necessary services in a conscientious manner and with the client’s best interests in mind. Does not exploit clients for personal advantage. Does not provide services when in a conflict of interest.
  5. In instances where pedorthic treatment has been ineffective, the pedorthist is instructed to redirect the patient to a medical professional. The pedorthist must acknowledge when referral to an allied health provider is indicated.
  6. Delivers pedorthic care in a manner that preserves and protects client autonomy, dignity and rights.
  7. Maintains appropriate boundaries between professional therapeutic relationships and non-professional personal relationships.
  8. Identifies and questions situations where directions, policies or procedures may be unclear or potentially unsafe and reports such situations to an appropriate person, agency or professional body.
  9. Monitors and maintains their own fitness to practice.
  10. Is responsible for all treatment and services rendered by the registrant or any non-certified personnel they supervise. Certified pedorthic professionals are responsible for ensuring they are up to date on established CPC Standards and/or position statements.
  11. Recognizes a responsibility to give generally held opinions of the profession when interpreting scientific knowledge to the public; when presenting an opinion that is contrary to the generally held opinion of the profession, indicate so. When speaking with the media regarding contentious issues, the CPC must be contacted to have its opinion clarified.

Standard 3: Client Safety

The certified pedorthic professional takes responsibility for safe pedorthic practice and client safety.

Indicators:

  1. Identifies potential risks in practice and in the practice environment and takes action to minimize these risks.
  2. Reports unsafe practice, abusive behavior or unprofessional conduct by others to the appropriate authority and to the CPC when indicated.
  3. Communicates to the client the likely timeline for provision of services to ensure that client safety is maintained.
  4. Refrains from any activity that constitutes sexual abuse, neglect or any other types of abuse such as emotional, financial or physical.
  5. Ensures that the appropriate infection control treatment measures are available within their facilities/workplaces. Certified pedorthic professionals must use appropriate infection control techniques: use of gloves when appropriate, handwashing, cleaning of equipment, treatment beds and examination rooms.
  6. Has knowledge of WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System) which is appropriate to their specific workplaces.

Standard 4: Continuing Competence

The certified pedorthic professional engages in self assessment of practice identifying strengths and learning needs requiring ongoing professional development.

Indicators:

  1. Assumes primary responsibility and accountability for maintaining competence.
  2. Participates in the Continuing Education Program (CEP) of the CPC.
  3. Endeavors to maintain and improve professional knowledge and skill on an ongoing basis.
  4. Maintains awareness of trends, issues and changes in pedorthic care.
  5. Is willing to participate in peer review of other pedorthists and to undergo review by peers.

Standard 5: Collaboration

The certified pedorthic professional collaborates with clients, health care providers and stakeholders in the delivery of health care services.

Indicators:

  1. Utilizes effective interpersonal and communication skills and maintains adequate written communication.
  2. Uses constructive feedback and mediation strategies to resolve conflicts and facilitate collaboration.
  3. Mentors students, colleagues and others and shares experience and knowledge to advance the profession and the care of the client.
  4. Acknowledges and respects the role and competencies of other health providers in the delivery of health services.
  5. Provide clients with the information and advice needed to make informed decisions about their pedorthic care and answer their questions to the best of their ability. Make every reasonable effort to communicate with patients in such a way that the information exchanged is understood.

Standard 6: Leadership

The certified pedorthic professional demonstrates effective leadership knowledge and skill in their own practice, as well as in the management and supervision of others.

Indicators:

  1. Models professional values, beliefs and attributes that promote the profession to clients, learners, peers and other health care professionals.
  2. Evaluates safety, effectiveness and efficiencies when delivering pedorthic care and/or assigning duties to unregulated providers, in accordance with established CPC guidelines and/or position statements.
  3. Promotes innovation and openness to new ideas which may enhance or support pedorthic practices.
  4. Contributes to the development of policies and procedures for the delivery of safe, competent, honest and ethical pedorthic care.
  5. Recognizes when they is unable to provide an acceptable level of mentorship to others and does not act as a direct supervisor in these instances (or in instances where there is a perceived or real conflict of interest).

Standard 7: Professionalism

The certified pedorthic professionals, in private life and professional practice, always conduct themselves honorably and in ways which sustain and enhance professional integrity and the integrity of the profession as a whole.

Indicators:

  1. Recognizes that the self-regulation of the profession is a privilege and that each registrant has a continuing responsibility to merit this privilege.
  2. Replies promptly and completely to any communication from the CPC, its officials, committees, or delegates.
  3. Avoids impugning the reputation of colleagues for personal motives.
  4. Reports to the CPC all unethical conduct by colleagues.
  5. Enters into professional affiliations with others only if it is possible to maintain professional integrity.
  6. Honesty and integrity is fundamental to the delivery of the registrant’s high quality, safe and professional services.
  7. Only uses those professional designations that have been earned and maintained in accordance with the regulations of the appropriate certifying and governing bodies.
  8. Refrains from giving or receiving gratuities from allied healthcare professionals or clients.
  9. Refrains from soliciting clients from allied healthcare professionals and colleagues.
  10. Respects the client’s cultural, lifestyle, religious and ethical differences.

Standard 8: Consent

The certified pedorthic professional will obtain informed consent prior to the delivery of pedorthic care.

Indicators:

  1. Respects the right of a client to accept or reject any pedorthic care recommendations.
  2. Required to indicate client consent in client records and ensure informed consent throughout services provided.
  3. Understands and adheres to provincial regulatory, legislative and service requirements.
  4. Ensures that clients consent to all non-certified personnel and student involvement in clinical management where applicable.

Standard 9: Dual Healthcare Practices

The certified pedorthic professionals who have dual health care practices are responsible for administering their practices as separate and distinct.

Indicators:

  1. Clearly documented records must indicate which professional service the practitioner is providing.
  2. Inform the client that the proposed treatment is outside the Pedorthic Scope of Practice.
  3. Ensure consent to treatment is fully informed, voluntarily given and properly documented.
  4. Only use credentials and the registration number for which services have been provided.

Standard 10: Conflict of Interest

Indicators:

  1. A conflict of interest arises when a certified pedorthic professional puts themselves in a position where reasonable people, including patients, could conclude that their professional judgment is influenced by financial or personal benefit.  Instances where a Registrant has a multidisciplinary clinic may be considered a conflict if the certified pedorthic professional refers the pedorthic client for other non-pedorthic clinical services and there are no good clinical indicators for making such referrals.
  2. Certified pedorthic professionals will avoid all circumstances that may result in perceived conflicts of interest by refraining from participating in any activity or arrangement where their participation provides the potential for their professional judgment to be compromised.
  3. A certified pedorthic professional is perceived to be in a conflict of interest when employed by a non-certified employer who engages in unethical business practices.  A certified pedorthic professional shall be responsible for the prompt identification and proposed resolution of conflicts of interest.  If a real or potential conflict of interest arises, the Registrant will take all reasonable steps to resolve a conflict of interest by informing all parties of the need to resolve the situation.  This includes situations where a certified pedorthic professional may be asked to provide benefits to a regular referring party.  Such a request would be considered a conflict of interest.  Solicitation of referral agents where benefits offered would also be considered a conflict.
  4. It is a conflict of interest to offer free or deeply discounted items or substitute items as an incentive for using pedorthic services.