This study was conducted from July to December 1990, in order to diagnose nurses' educational need for home care. The study subjects consisted of 145 nursing educators, and the 3 groups of nurses, namely 250 senior nursing students of diploma and collegiate program, 235 health center nurses, 521 university' hospital nurses in Seoul. Four types of questionaires were formulated by Delphi method. Two questionaires for the nursing educators were designed to measure their expectations of nurses' knowledge and of their skill for home care, and another two questionaires for the nurses to measure their actual home care knowledge and skill. The results of the study were as follows : 1) The mean scores of educators' expectation for home care knowledge were 17.68 for the care of dependence on medical equipment, 17.44 for the care of mobility impairment patient, 16.56 for the care of cardiopulmonary impairment patient, 16.40 for the care of nutrition and elimination impairment patient, '1.20 for the care of psychiatric disorder patient and 9.03 for the care of cancer and terminally ill patient,. 2) The mean scores of nurses' home care knowledge tested by 20 items were 14.36 for the care of mobility impairment patient, 13.28 for the c8;re of dependence on medical equipment, 13.78 for the care of cardiopulmonary impairment patient, 12.92 for the care of nutrition and elimination impairment patient, and those of tested by 10 items were 7.08 for the care of psychologic disorder patient, 7.80 for the care of cancer and terminally ill patient. The sum of means marked 69.23. As for the nurses' home care knowledge categorized by tasks in terms of the group, significant difference were shown in the care of mobility impairment(P=0.00), cancer and terminally ill(P=0.03), nutrition and elimination impairment(P=0.00) and psychologic disorder patient(P=0.00). No significant difference were shown in the care of dependence on medical equipment and cardiopulmonary impairment patient. 3) Regard to educational need of nurses' home care knowledge categorized by task according to the group it was found that all sampled nurses had educational need in the care of mobility impairment, dependence on medical equipment, cardiopulmonary impairment, cancer and terminally ill patient. It was found that health center nurses had educational need in the care of psychologic disorder. No educational need were found in the health center nurses whose career less than 2 years, in the care of mobility impairment, cardiopulmonary impairment and psychologic disorder patient, and in those of career with 2-5 year in the care of psychologic disorder patient. No educational need were found in the hospital nurses whose career more than 15 years, in the care of cardiopulmonary impairment patient and in those of career with 11-15 year, in the care of cancer and terminally ill patient. 4) The mean scores of educators' expectation for home care skill measured by Likert 5 points scale were 4. 21 for assessing, 4.49 for planning, 4.29 for basic care, 4.42 for curative care, 4.40 for rehabilitative care, 4.36 for emergency care, 4.53 for medication, 4.31 for nutritional care, 4.32 for other means for care, and 4.38 for evaluation. 5) Regard to nurses' home care skill measured by Likert 5 points scale of self evaluation, there was a significant difference between the nurses' home care skill and group(P=0.00l). The higher scores reported by students were vital sign checking and basic care while the scores of below medium were curative care and emergency care. The higher scores reported by health center nurses were vital sign checking, other means for care and care of specimen while the scores below medium were curative, emergency and nutritional care. The higher scores reported by hospital nurses were vital sign checking, care of specimen and basic care, while the score below medium was emergency care. 6) Regard to educational need of nurses' home care skill by nursing process activity according to the group it was found that health center nurses had educational need in all nursing skills including vital sign checking, care of specimen, health assessment, socioeconomic assessment, nursing diagnosis, care plan, basic care, curative care, rehabiitative care, psychological care, emergency care, medication, nutritional care, other means for care and evaluation. And students had educational need in all nursing skills except vital sign checking, and hospital nurses had educational need in all nursing skills except vital sign checking, care of specimen and basic care. 7) In short, the result of this study suggests that the curriculum should be organized in accordence with nurses' educational background and their career for the education of nurses for home care. It should be considered to develop the short term educational program focused on curative and rehabilitative care for health center nurse or community health nurse practitioner and which was focused on family care for hospital nurse. Concerning about this field practice for home care nurse, they are required not only community practice but also . clinical practice including emergency, curative and rehabilitative care.