Purpose: This study was done to identify the relationship of self-directedness, clinical competence and practice satisfaction to clinical practice for nursing students and to investigate the mediating effect of their clinical competence between self-directedness and clinical practice satisfaction. Method: The data were collected form 291 nursing students in clinical practice using self-report questionnaire on April 25 and June 20, 2011. Results: There were statistically positive relationships between self-directedness, clinical competence and practice satisfaction to clinical practice in nursing students. Clinical competence was found to completely mediate the relationship between self-directedness and clinical practice satisfaction. Conclusion: This study shows that self-directedness to clinical practice for nursing students have no direct effect on clinical practice satisfaction. It has an indirect effect by clinical competency.