Vulnerability in health care – reflections on encounters in every day practice Eva Gjengedal* † RN PhD, Else Mari Ekra ‡ RN PhD-candidate, Hege Hol* RN MSc, Marianne Kjelsvik § RN MSc, Else Lykkeslet* RN PhD, Ragnhild Michaelsen* RN MSc, Aud Orøy* RN PhD-candidate, Torill Skrondal* ¶ RN MSc, Hildegunn Sundal* RN PhD-candidate, Solfrid Vatne* RN PhD and Kjersti Wogn-Henriksen ¶ Cand.psychol. PhD-candidate *Faculty of Health and Social Care, Molde University College, Molde, § Faculty of Health Sciences, Aalesund University College, Aalesund, ¶ Moere and Romsdal Health Trust, Molde, † Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, and ‡ Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Agder, Grimstad, Norway Abstract Vulnerability is a human condition and as such a constant human expe- rience. However, patients and professional health care providers may be regarded as more vulnerable than people who do not suffer or witness suffering on a regular basis. Acquiring a deeper understanding of vul- nerability would thus be of crucial importance for health care providers. This article takes as its point of departure Derek Sellman’s and Havi Carel’s discussion on vulnerability in this journal. Through different examples from the authors’ research focusing on the interaction between health professionals and patients, existential, contextual, and relational dimensions of vulnerability are illuminated and discussed.Two main strategies in the professionals’ interactions with patients are described. The strategy that aims at understanding the patients or fami- lies from the professional’s own personal perspective oftentimes ends in excess attention to the professional’s own reactions, thereby impairing the ability to help.The other strategy attempts to understand the patients or families from the patients’ or families’ own perspective. This latter strategy seems to make vulnerability bearable or even transform it into strength. Being sensitive to the vulnerability of the other may be a key to acting ethically. Keywords: vulnerability, patients, relatives, health professionals, sensitivity. Correspondence: Eva Gjengedal, Professor, Faculty of Health and Social Care, Molde University College, Postbox 2110, 6402 Molde, Norway. Tel.: + 47 55586156; fax: + 47 55586130; e-mail: eva.gjengedal@himolde.no/eva.gjengedal@isf.uib.no Original article 127 © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd Nursing Philosophy (2013), 14, pp. 127–138