Misplaced epistemological certainty and pharmaco-centrism in mental health nursing

Abstract

We read with interest a number of recently published papers in this journal, such as Jones & Gray (2008a,b) and wish to respond to these. In so doing, rather than take issue with individual specific points, we wish to draw attention to a trend that can be detected in these (and other similar) papers. The concerns we wish to raise should not be regarded as yet another debate paper on, for want of a better expression, the ‘biological versus interpersonal’ emphasis in psychiatric/mental health nursing as this literature is well developed.1 Instead, it is our intention to look at and subsequently consider the way arguments are presented in these (and similar papers); we wish to draw attention to the way that these pharmaco-centric arguments are constructed.