This paper describes the output of a co-operative enquiry between Community Mental Health Nurses and their clients. Two nurses and two clients volunteered to participate as co-researchers and co-subjects with two facilitators in a co-operative inquiry group. The subject of the inquiry, agreed by the group, was the relationship between the nurse and client. The description of the nurse-client relationship and the influences on it is extremely rich and potentially useful with implications for clinical and managerial practice. Despite the limitations of the study, co-operative inquiry appears to be a useful vehicle for contributing to an increased understanding of the nurse-client relationship with potential for further research and development. Unsurprisingly, when both the relationship characteristics and the health care context are appropriate there seems to be more positive outcomes for both nurse and client. Within the current health policy context there are increased external demands with the potential to disrupt this relationship. Nurses need to be aware of the potential effects of these so that the relationship and the client do not suffer and health service managers need to be aware of the contribution their behaviour may have on the nurse-client relationship.

The aim of this study was to explore the utility of co-operative enquiry between community mental health nurses and their clients. The research design was a form of co-operative enquiry. Two nurses and two clients volunteered to participate as co-researchers and co-subjects with two facilitators in a co-operative inquiry group. The subject of the inquiry, agreed by the group, was the relationship between the nurse and client. The method for the inquiry was developed by the participants and consisted of dialogue groups. This paper provides a description of the research design and methodology with a first-person account of the research experience and reflections by the two facilitators. The process is considered with particular reference to the influence of the study facilitators. Their position changes from wanting to influence an 'external' relationship to one of being influenced within the research relationship over time through reflection and growing self-awareness. This results in the inquiry ultimately being driven by the agenda of the group rather than the process. The outcomes of the study were both informative and transformative and the content of the inquiry relating to the nurse-client relationship will be presented in a second paper.