Forensic psychiatric nursing. Discursive practices and the emergence of a specialty

1. While some authors argue that specialization is a threat to holistic nursing practice, others suggest that specialization is not only desirable and inevitable but should follow a rigorous process, including specific educational curriculum and examination procedures. 2. Two opposing views regarding forensic nursing are found in contemporary nursing literature. Some authors resist the discourse of specialization in nursing, while the discursive practices of others (e.g., leaders in forensic psychiatric nursing) could reflect a desire for power. 3. Using a poststructuralist approach, the controversy that has accompanied the development of forensic nursing through discursive practices is analyzed.