Abstract: Examines designated registered nurse (RN) prescribing among community health nurses. Aims to understand how RN prescribers interact with other members of the health care team and to identify the social processes at play. Employs Bourdieu's 'Theory of Practice' to explore health care teams as competitive social spaces where health professionals vie to establish social position and authority. Recruits three health care teams representing primary health and specialty practice for interviews and observation. Highlights three themes from the data: social topography, working with an RN prescriber; and patterns of communication.