The aim of the present study was to describe psychiatric nurses' experience of how the changing focus of mental health care in Sweden, from in-patient treatment to community-based care, has influenced their professional autonomy. Eleven psychiatric nurses were interviewed and a qualitative content analysis was used to identify major themes in the data. Three main themes were found: pattern of responsibility, pattern of clinical judgement, and pattern of control through support and supervision. All themes were related to the nurse's identity, moral responsibility and the feelings of loneliness and independence in his/her daily work. Together, the three themes were found to constitute a process. This study shows the complexity involved in nursing care provided in the patient's home. Achieving control over the patient's everyday life through support and supervision does not imply taking over the patient's autonomy, but rather reducing the stigma attached to mental illness and facilitating the process of rehabilitation.