College of Dietitians of Alberta

The government has defined a restricted activity as a procedure or service that requires specific professional competence to be performed safely. The College is responsible for regulating the safe performance of restricted activities by its members. The College establishes the competencies, standards and guidelines for the performance of restricted activities, and determines how competence will be demonstrated and maintained. The College authorizes members to perform restricted activities.

The Restricted Activities that Registered Dietitians and Registered Nutritionists may be authorized to perform are:

To insert or remove nasoenteric, gastrostomy and jejunostomy tubes when providing nutritional support.
To prescribe parenteral nutrition, including schedule 1 drugs, when providing nutritional support.
To prescribe and/or administer oral diagnostic imaging contrast agents during a videofluorscopic swallowing study when providing medical nutrition therapy.
To distribute drugs regulated by a schedule to the Pharmaceutical Profession Act, according to a prescription when providing nutrition support or medical nutrition therapy.
To perform a psychosocial intervention when providing psychonutrition therapy in the treatment of disordered eating.

Registered Dietitians and Registered Nutritionists require special authorization from the College to perform these restricted activities. If you want to know if a Registered Dietitian or Registered Nutritionist is authorized to perform any restricted activities you can ask to see their practice permit, which lists their authorized restricted activities, or you can contact the College office for verification.