The process that helps nurses understand their own values to guide decisions is called?

• A. Informed Consent
• B. Value Clarification
• C. Moral Reasoning
• D. Professional Ethics

Answer: (B)

Value clarification is the process by which nurses examine and articulate their own values, beliefs, and biases to guide decisions in patient care. This deliberate self-reflection helps ensure that choices align with patient preferences, rights, and professional standards. Informed consent, by contrast, centers on ensuring a patient understands options and agrees to treatment. Moral reasoning is the general thinking process used to evaluate ethical issues, which may involve values but isn’t the specific self-exploration step. Professional ethics refers to the profession’s standards and duties, rather than a personal value-discovery process.