PURPOSE: This study was done to examine effects of task performance style, communication ability and their interaction on problem-solving ability and nursing competency of nursing students participating in a nursing management practicum. METHODS: The study was a non-equivalent control group non-synchronized design. Participants were 56 fourth year nursing students (25 in the cooperative task group and 31 in the individual task group) and data were collected from March to September 2010. Additionally, two groups were classified based on communication ability of students and four groups were classified by their task performance style and communication ability. Problem-solving ability and nursing competency were measured pre- and post-test and compared between groups. Data were analyzed using SPSS Windows 17.0 program. RESULTS: Neither problem-solving ability and nursing competency were statistically significantly different according to task performance style. Nursing competency was statistically significantly higher in the high communication group compared to the low communication group. Problem-solving ability was significantly different among the four groups classified by task performance style and communication ability. CONCLUSION: Nursing educators may need to improve students' communication ability to improve nursing competency and also assign different tasks based on communication ability of nursing students to improve problem-solving ability.