This study investigated the degree of self-care practice to maintain the stable respiratory function and the required respiratory nursing needs upon the elderly with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. The research subjects were 115 elderly people over 60 years old, who were diagnosed to have chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (the mixed type, chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, emphysema) and were hospitalized in 3 university hospitals in Busan or treated as outpatient, and the data was collected over the period between June 1, 2002 and September 30, 2002. In order to measure the respiratory self-care practice degree and nursing needs of the subjects, the instrument on the self-care practice and the instrument on nursing needs were developed by the researcher. The research results are as follows: 1. The mean of respiratory self-care practice degree by the subjects was 2.41 out of 4 for each clause, and the degree of practicing general management was the highest(2.70), and nutrition control(2.66), respiratory exercise(2.65), expectoration of sputum (2.63), oxygen therapy(2.60), environment control(2.50), and medication control(2.36) succeeded. 2. The degree of self-care practice had a significant difference depending on age(F=2.82, P=0.02), frequency of hospitalization(F=3.11, P=0.01), and diagnosed disease(F=15.66, P=0.00). 3. The subjects nursing needs of respiratory system were 3.07 on the average out of 4.00, and 'I want to know how to prevent the infection of respiratory system such as cold scored the highest 3.83, while the clauses like 'want to know how to face the respiratory disorder properly'(3.77) and 'want the specific explanation of the symptoms of my disease'(3.66) also had scored high points. 4. The nursing needs of the respiratory system had a significant difference depending on diagnosed disease such as mixed type of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, emphysema, bronchitis, and asthma (F=6.70, P=0.00). The research showed that the subjects degree of self-care practice of respiratory system was low on the whole, while the nursing needs for managing respiratory organ were relatively high. Therefore, specific education concerning the nursing of the disease and self-care upon the elderly having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is necessary.