The American Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion (ABCP) is dedicated to the provision of safe, competent medical care for any and all patients. To that end, the ABCP administers certification examinations and monitors recertification, and therefore requires those participating in these credentialing processes to ascribe to the following ethical standards.
I. Each Certified Clinical Perfusionist (CCP) and applicant (or candidate for certification), (hereinafter, referred to as "individual,") shall comply with all existing and future rules, regulations and standards of the ABCP and will bear responsibility for demonstrating compliance with same. An individual is eligible to apply for and maintain certification/recertification only when in compliance with all the ABCP rules, regulations and standards.
If an individual is not in compliance with the ABCP rules, regulations or standards, the ABCP may impose one or more of the following sanctions: deny or suspend eligibility; deny, revoke, refuse to renew, or suspend certification; issue a reprimand; or take other corrective action regarding certification or recertification.
II. The individual shall not willfully fail to promote the safety and welfare of the public, whether through negligent acts, acts of omission or through misrepresentation. Failure to promote public safety and welfare or the provision of safe, competent medical care includes (but is not limited to):
A. impairment of professional performance because of habitual use of alcohol, drugs, or other substance, or any physical or mental condition;
B. gross or repeated negligence or malpractice in professional work;
C. noncompliance with laws related to the profession;
D. failure to maintain a current professional credential as required by the jurisdiction in which the individual practices (this may include a license, certificate, or registration);
E. the conviction of, plea of guilty to, or plea of nolo contendere to a felony related to public health and safety or the profession; and
F. disciplinary action by a licensing board or professional organization other than the ABCP.
III. The individual convicted of, or pleading guilty or nolo contendere to, a felony directly related to public health and safety or the provision of safe, competent medical care shall be considered ineligible to apply for certification/recertification for a period of one year from the exhaustion of the appeals, proceeds or final release from confinement (if any), or the end of probation, whichever is later. An individual who is incarcerated, or for whom incarceration is pending, as of the application deadline date is ineligible for certification or recertification to the end of incarceration.
Felony convictions considered for this standard include, but are not limited to, fraud, actual or threatened use of a weapon or violence, rape, sexual abuse of a patient or child, or prohibited sale, distribution, possession, or misuse of controlled substances.
IV. The individual shall not engage in unauthorized possession or misuse of the ABCP’s credential, examinations, and other intellectual property. The individual shall respect the ABCP’s intellectual property rights and comply with the ABCP use of Credential Trademark Policy.
V. The individual shall not misrepresent his/her certification status or misuse any title or membership in any professional organization or community.
VI. The individual shall abide by the ABCP’s reasonable test administration rules. The individual shall have had no unauthorized possession of, use of, or access to any examination documents or materials, nor shall the individual receive any unauthorized assistance, copy examination materials, or cause a disruption in the testing area during a test administration or the conduction of any portion of the certification examination. The individual shall not subsequently use or divulge information gained from his/her examination experience for any reason.
VII. The individual must truthfully complete and sign an application in the form provided by the ABCP, pay the required fees, and provide additional information as requested. The individual shall not make any material misrepresentation of fact during application for certification/recertification. Ineligibility for certification, regardless of when the ineligibility is discovered, is grounds for disciplinary action.
VIII. The individual shall report possible violations of these Ethical Standards and any other development bearing on certification in writing to the Executive Director of the ABCP.
Other persons concerned with possible violation of the ABCP rules are encouraged to contact the ABCP. The person making the complaint should identify him-/herself by name, address, email address, and telephone number. However, the ABCP may consider anonymous complaints.
This report should include information regarding the identity of the person(s) involved in the alleged misconduct with as much specific detail and documentation as possible. The identity of the person making the report must be made known as well as others with knowledge of the facts and circumstances surrounding the alleged misconduct.