Which statement best describes the transformational nature of virtue ethics in Crigger and Godfrey's view?

• A. It remains static across professional development
• B. It is primarily governed by external policy
• C. It relies on rote compliance with rules
• D. The experiential development process is transformational and reinforced when good choices are made

Answer: (D)

The idea being tested is that virtue ethics in Crigger and Godfrey views moral character as something developed through lived experience and deliberate practice, not as a static trait. In their view, nursing ethics grow as professionals encounter ethical situations, reflect on them, and repeatedly choose what is virtues-based. This experiential process is transformative because each good choice strengthens the underlying dispositions—courage, compassion, honesty, justice—and enhances one’s capacity to act virtuously in the future. Good choices reinforce and expand virtuous character, leading to ongoing growth rather than mere rule-following or reliance on external policies. So the statement that best captures this view is that the experiential development process is transformational and reinforced when good choices are made.