Group processes in a case discussion workshop for community psychiatric nurses

This paper describes a case discussion workshop with a team of hospital‐based community psychiatric nurses (CPNs). After describing the growth of the CPN movement in Britain and the conflicting ideas surrounding the professional role of CPNs, some of the group processes within a particular group of CPNs will be illustrated. Particular attention is paid to the way in which reading material distributed to the group may reflect group processes, and the way in which institutional factors impinge on case discussions. The case for various forms of psychodynamic input into community psychiatric teams is also made.