40 Volume 85 • Number 5 A D VANC EME N T O F T H E PRACTICE D I RECT FROM AAS The Ethics of Professionalism in Environmental Health Daniel B. Oerther, PhD, CEHS, DAAS, PE, BCEE, FCIEH, FAAN Previously, I discussed the importance of a global outlook—including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals—to meet the ethical obligations shared among environmental health professionals such as sanitarians, engineers, and community health nurses (Oerther, 2021). The constitution of the American Academy of Sanitarians (AAS, 2006a) notes that the purposes and objectives of AAS include, “promoting the highest levels of ethical conduct among professional sanitarians in every field of environmental health.” But what is ethical conduct and what are the ethical obligations shared among environmental health professionals? In Table 1, I provide the current code of ethics for professionals with a credential from the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA, 2022). The NEHA code identifies two areas of required action, namely: 1) keeping up-to-date on knowledge and 2) acting professionally. The code forbids behaviors that undermine the credential or impair the ability of a credentialled professional to discharge their duties. Further, the code promotes the credential through raising awareness within the public sphere. The NEHA code does not include details to define the meaning of professional manner (i.e., what to do) and it does not include examples of behaviors that undermine the credential (i.e., what not to do). Terms such as professionalism simultaneously seem to be important and yet often are poorly understood by the very individuals who have an obligation to apply their meaning. One readily available, free resource that may be useful to environmental health professions trying to understand these terms is the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (IEP, https://iep.utm.edu). Important, yet often confusing terms such as ethics, morals, principles, values, and virtues are carefully described in detailed articles in the IEP, written by and reviewed by a group of volunteers with earned doctorates in philosophy. Alternatively, the meaning of professionalism for environmental health professionals may be gleaned from a comparative reading of the code of ethics from sister organizations of similar stature. For example, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH, 2022) maintains a code of ethics for members and fitness to practice rules. Section 4 of the CIEH code notes four main domains of ethics: 1) integrity, 2) competence, 3) responEd i tor ’s Not e : In an e ort to provide environmental health professionals with relevant information and tools to further the profession, their careers, and themselves, the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) has teamed up with the American Academy of Sanitarians (AAS) to publish two columns a year in the Journal. AAS is an organization that “elevates the standards, improves the practice, advances the professional proficiency, and promotes the highest levels of ethical conduct among professional sanitarians in every field of environmental health.” Membership with AAS is based upon meeting certain high standards and criteria, and AAS members represent a prestigious list of environmental health professionals from across the country. Through the column, information from di erent AAS members who are subject-matter expects with knowledge and experience in a multitude of environmental health topics will be presented to the Journal’s readership. The conclusions and opinions of this column are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of NEHA. Professor Daniel Oerther is a leader who promotes transdisciplinary environmental health practice, teaching, research, and policy. He is a diplomate with AAS, executive director of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists, chair of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, and a lifetime honorary fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.
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