Organization development approaches to improving nursing practice, especially survey feedback and team development approaches, are described, and differences from organization development in industry explored. Problems encountered in developing effective interdisciplinary teams with nurse participation are examined in the context of studies of intergroup relationships, especially studies of interprofessional relationships in the health and social services fields. Reference is made to a specific intervention with a community drug team in order to highlight issues of goals, roles, procedures, skills and accountabilities in such teams. Some problems encountered in developing interagency collaboration between nursing and social work staff are illustrated with reference to a specific intervention made in a West Yorkshire maternity unit antenatal clinic, and some recommendations for increasing the success of such projects are made.