(a) Preamble.

1. (1) The purpose of a code of ethics is to acknowledge a profession’s acceptance of the responsibility and trust conferred upon it by society and to recognize the internal obligations inherent in that trust.

2. (2) The following paragraphs delineate the standards governing the conduct of perfusionists in their professional interactions with:

   1. (A) Patients;
   2. (B) Colleagues;
   3. (C) Other health professionals; and
   4. (D) The general public.

3. (3) Realizing that no code can encompass all ethical responsibilities of the perfusionists, this enumeration of obligations in the code of ethics:

   1. (A) Is not comprehensive; and
   2. (B) Does not constitute a denial of the existence of other obligations, equally imperative, and not specifically mentioned herein.
4. (4) This code of ethics shall be binding on all perfusionists in Arkansas.

(c) Canon 2. Perfusionists shall:

1. (1) Respect the patients’ rights and dignity; and
2. (2) Uphold the doctrine of confidentiality regarding privileged patient information. INTERPRETIVE STATEMENTS Information about the patient’s clinical situation will be kept confidential, unless otherwise required by law, in order to protect the welfare of an individual or community. Written guidelines or protocols of an institution or department may be instrumental in deciding the manner in which confidential information is handled for release.

(d) Canon 3.

1. (1) Perfusionists shall provide only those services for which they are qualified.

2. (2) Perfusionists shall not misrepresent in any manner, either directly or indirectly, their:

   1. (A) Skills;
   2. (B) Training;
   3. (C) Professional credentials;
   4. (D) Identity; or
   5. (E) Services. INTERPRETIVE STATEMENTS Perfusionists will accept responsibility for the exercise of sound judgment in the delivery of services to the patient and shall be accountable for the quality of the service provided.Perfusionists will provide accurate information about the profession and services they provide, as well as the perfusionists’ own qualifications.The perfusionists shall not engage in practices beyond their competence or training.Perfusionists shall not delegate to a less qualified person any activity which requires the unique skill, knowledge, and judgment of a formally educated perfusionist. Services rendered by supportive personnel will be under the supervision of a formally educated perfusionist.

(f) Canon 5. Perfusionists shall maintain and promote high standards for perfusion practice which may include:

1. (1) Education;
2. (2) Research; and
3. (3) Scientific presentations and/or publications.

(g) Canon 6.

1. (1) A perfusionist shall:

   1. (A) At all times hold the well-being of the patient to be paramount; and
   2. (B) Not act in such a way as to bring the member’s interests into conflict with the patient’s interests.

2. (2) A perfusionist shall deliver healthcare services without regard to:

   1. (A) Race;
   2. (B) Color;
   3. (C) Creed;
   4. (D) National origin;
   5. (E) Sex;
   6. (F) Age;
   7. (G) Religion;
   8. (H) Sexual preference; or
   9. (I) Physical and/or mental condition. INTERPRETIVE STATEMENTS A perfusionist’s professional practice and adherence to ethical principles shall take preference over business practices. Perfusionists shall place service before material gain.A perfusionist shall fully disclose to clientele other business practices that may appear as conflicts of interest to clientele and/or the public. These may include but are not limited to: 1) Consultant for fee; 2) Clinical instructor (support staff for industry); 3) Sales representative; 4) Technical advisor; 5) Lecture for fee; and 6) Acceptance of fees, gratuities, or funding from industry. In that the ultimate concern is to improve patient care, it is our position that clinicians engaged in the practice of cardiopulmonary bypass are required to and must be allowed to periodically evaluate the equipment which is utilized in cardiopulmonary bypass in the effort of continuously improving patient care which should include not only patient outcomes but safety as well. To this end, the State Board of Health holds that each perfusionist has the following ethical and professional responsibilities: A. The perfusionist being the most qualified individual by training, education, experience, and job description has the responsibility to evaluate, recommend, select, and implement the components of the extracorporeal circuit so that patient safety and care are optimized; B. The perfusionist will always attempt to fairly evaluate all competing products and services, with the principal selection criteria being that of regard for patient safety and well-being; and C. The perfusionist shall always base any decision on product and service selection on clinical evaluations and documented clinical and scientific data. In conclusion, it is the responsibility of the perfusionist to make decisions regarding the selection of clinical products with the patient as the primary concern.