title: [A discussion of nursing management philosophy in the light of Mo-tzu's concept of love without distinction].
abstract: When one mentions the word, "management," people all too easily conclude that one is referring to the question of how to create profit for a business enterprise. This is because, in business, that is indeed the precise purpose of management. So what should the aim of management be in nursing? That is to say, how does the function of management apply to the nursing profession? It is not difficult to understand that behind the implementation of any practice is a key thought or guiding principle. To investigate the central idea or key thought about nursing management requires research into the philosophy of nursing management. The writer believes that the teaching of Mo-tzu, who advocated love without distinction, in ancient (pre-Chin) China, is the fundamental idea of nursing management, because that philosophy emphasizes impartial love of every person. It does not stress investigations of different levels of abstract theories; but simply calls for the practical application of the idea. The goal of nursing management is to care about patients impartially and strengthen nursing care. The aim of nursing care is completely different from that of business enterprises. We can also say that it is precisely because nursing means taking care of sick people, that the goal of nursing management is to care about achieving the recovery of body, mind, and spirit of a patient. The management of nursing, therefore, and the goal of nursing are united harmoniously into one in nursing care.
authors.affiliation: General Education Center, Yuanpei Institute of Science and Technology, No. 306 Yuan Pei Street, Hsinchu 30015, Taiwan, ROC. hsiaohe@mail.yust.edu.tw
authors.forename: Hung-En
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Hsiao
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008149:Love; D009729:Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing