Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the impact of nursing professionalism on the nursing performance, job satisfaction and retention intention among clinical nurses. Methods: A descriptive correlational research design was used for this study. All 329 clinical nurses were obtained by convenience sampling from 3 National or public hospitals, 3 university hospitals, and two private hospitals located in Seoul and Kyunggi province. The data were collected using a self-reporting questionnaire contained four instruments and questions for demographic characteristics of subjects from April 21st to September 1st, 2008. Collected data were analyzed on SPSS Win 16.0. Results: There was a significant relationship between nursing professionalism, nursing performance, job satisfaction and retention intention among clinical nurses. The nursing professionalism was identified as a predictor of nursing performance, job satisfaction, and retention intention. Conclusion: The strategies to promote and enhance the nursing professionalism of clinical nurses, in this era in which the nursing shortage become more and more problematic issue, are needed to design and be integrated into the management of human resource in nursing organizations.