Which ethics model requires the clinician to listen to the patient's story?

Which ethics model requires the clinician to listen to the patient's story?

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

Answer: (B)

Narrative ethics centers on the patient’s story as the starting point for ethical reflection. By listening to how illness shapes a person’s life—values, priorities, relationships, and meaning—the clinician gains a deep understanding of what matters most to the patient and what kind of care aligns with their life narrative. This makes listening to the patient’s story the defining feature of the approach. Ethic-of-care focuses on relational responsiveness and the moral obligation to care within relationships; while listening is important here, the framework emphasizes ongoing caring dynamics rather than the patient’s story as the primary tool. Principalism uses general principles like autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice to guide decisions, not the patient’s personal narrative. Virtue ethics centers on the clinician’s character and virtuous dispositions, though listening can be part of virtuous practice, the framework itself is about cultivating moral character rather than prioritizing patient stories as the ethical basis.

Narrative ethics centers on the patient’s story as the starting point for ethical reflection. By listening to how illness shapes a person’s life—values, priorities, relationships, and meaning—the clinician gains a deep understanding of what matters most to the patient and what kind of care aligns with their life narrative. This makes listening to the patient’s story the defining feature of the approach.

Ethic-of-care focuses on relational responsiveness and the moral obligation to care within relationships; while listening is important here, the framework emphasizes ongoing caring dynamics rather than the patient’s story as the primary tool. Principalism uses general principles like autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice to guide decisions, not the patient’s personal narrative. Virtue ethics centers on the clinician’s character and virtuous dispositions, though listening can be part of virtuous practice, the framework itself is about cultivating moral character rather than prioritizing patient stories as the ethical basis.