PURPOSE: This study was aimed at comparing and evaluating one main role, the professional self concept and job satisfaction of public health nurses and clinical nurses. METHOD: The data was collected from 72 nurses in 8 health centers and 86 nurses in 5 hospitals in Daegu city and Kyungpook province from May 5th to June 5th, 2001. This study was interviewed by trained social workers. The origin of questionnaires used in this study were PSCNI(Professional Self-Concept of Nurses Instrument) to measure the professional self concept of nurses and JDI(Job Descriptive Index) to measure the job satisfaction of nurses. The data was analyzed by SAS(version 6.12) and statistical methods used were Chi-square test, t-test, ANOVA(analysis of variables) and ANCOVA(analysis of covariate). RESULT: The findings of this study were as follows: 1. The most important domain in the main role of public health nurses were as counsellors, managers, mediators and evaluators. In clinical nurses, their main roles were, directors of nursing, researchers, spokesmans, and informers. 2. Public health nurses showed lower scores in the professional self concept of nurses than clinical nurses, what statistically significant tool was used to suggest this finding. 3. Public health nurses showed higher scores in job satisfaction than clinical nurses, but again, explain the tool used in these findings for give a rationals. 4. For public health nurses, general characteristics which affected professional self concept were age, educational level, and duration of job. In clinical nurses, the general characteristics which affected professional self concept were age, religion, marital status, and duration of job. 5. For public health nurses, there was no general characteristic which affected job satisfaction. In clinical nurses, the general characteristics which affected job satisfaction were age, religion, and duration of job. CONCLUSION: Nursing profession should give a training to competent nurses who can deliver high quality care to meet the needs of health consumers. The role of nurses has been expended and specialized as health conception has been changed in Korea.