Background: Emphasis in healthcare during the 1990s has been to provide both optimal wellness and function with quality in a Cost-effective manner. Critical pathway was developed to meet the need to guide clients along the continunm of care and to achieve continuity of care. The purpose of this study is to review and analyze articles related to the critical pathway that had developed and applied in Korea and abroad from 1995 to 1999. Methods: Total 39 studies were analyzed in terms of group of application, need of development, horizontal axis: time frame, vertical axis : items of care, task force team, identification of preliminary critical pathway, validation of preliminary critical pathway, types of final critical pathway, a person who coordinates and effects on critical pathway. Results: In the aspect of group of application, there were various diseases in the overseas than in Korea. In domestic and overseas, the horizontal axis included mainly the time from the start of hospitalization to discharge and vertical axis of the critical pathway included commonly the following nine items : tests, diet, medications, consultations, activity, assessments, treatments, education, discharge planning. Preliminary critical pathway was mainly drawn up through chart review in both. Types of final critical pathway were mostly for medical team use in Korea and were for medical team and patient use in abroad. A person who coordinates critical pathway was mostly nurse in abroad. There was positive effects on critical pathway in both. Conclusion: Staff education and information about critical pathway are needed to use it effectively.