1. ^aPatient Education Resource Centre, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway. E-mail: roarstokken@mac.com
2. ^bFaculty of Social Sciences and Technology Management, Sunnmøre Hospital Trust, Volda, Norway

^*Current address: Patient Education Resource Centre, Volda Hospital, Volda 6100, Norway.

Abstract

Patient education is one of the four main hospital tasks in Norway. The intention is to reduce the impact of chronic diseases, and the rationality is obvious: knowledge of one's own disease should lead to a positive health outcome. But patient knowledge can challenge the health worker, for when it comes to taking care of own disease, interaction with health workers is important. This paper investigates the role and value of knowledge in the interaction. The investigation is done through analysis of stories in an inductive process informed by the connection between knowledge and power and systemization of the lifeworld. Five different relationships are identified: the classic relationship, the team relationship, the battle relationship, the inverted relationship and the powerless relationship. All five relationships are considered as double meetings: one meeting in the system between a patient and a health worker, and one meeting in the lifeworld between two human beings. The professional meeting is found to be subordinate to the human one.