The first section of the book explores current professional, disciplinary and educational contexts. In the second section leading UK authors from diverse academic settings provide case studies of the knowledge and scientific traditions they draw on to inform their practice, understand patient needs, and foster different aspects of nursing practice.

In the final section the UK authors comment on each other's accounts. Those chapters and comments are then discussed by leading overseas academics to provide an invaluable international perspective. The final stage is a sociologically-informed analysis which identifies sociopolitical trends in order to make sense of the UK and international views. The editor then assesses the potential for intellectual integration and collective advance in psychiatric and mental health nursing.