Two different clinicians disagree about an ethical situation with a particular patient, so they discuss their ideas and come to a decision together. With which ethics model does this fit?

Two different clinicians disagree about an ethical situation with a particular patient, so they discuss their ideas and come to a decision together. With which ethics model does this fit?

• A. Virtue
• B. Ethic-of-care
• C. Principalism
• D. Narrative ethics

Answer: (D)

Decision-making through shared storytelling and interpretation within clinical relationships. In narrative ethics, ethical understanding grows from the stories, values, and lived experiences of those involved, and decisions emerge through collaborative dialogue that constructs meaning together. The scenario—two clinicians with differing views discussing the situation with a patient and reaching a joint decision—embodies this process: meaning is co-created, the patient’s context and story are central, and ethics evolves through conversation rather than just applying fixed rules or assessing character traits. By contrast, virtue ethics centers on the moral character of the clinicians; ethic-of-care emphasizes relational responsibility and responsiveness within care, but not necessarily the collaborative storytelling process; principalism relies on applying universal principles to guide choices, often through a more rules-based analysis. The narrative approach best captures the described collaborative, story-informed decision-making.

Decision-making through shared storytelling and interpretation within clinical relationships. In narrative ethics, ethical understanding grows from the stories, values, and lived experiences of those involved, and decisions emerge through collaborative dialogue that constructs meaning together. The scenario—two clinicians with differing views discussing the situation with a patient and reaching a joint decision—embodies this process: meaning is co-created, the patient’s context and story are central, and ethics evolves through conversation rather than just applying fixed rules or assessing character traits.

By contrast, virtue ethics centers on the moral character of the clinicians; ethic-of-care emphasizes relational responsibility and responsiveness within care, but not necessarily the collaborative storytelling process; principalism relies on applying universal principles to guide choices, often through a more rules-based analysis. The narrative approach best captures the described collaborative, story-informed decision-making.