The nursing care of AIDS patients: caring, not curing.

In sum, examination of the complex issues surrounding AIDS brings the disease into clearer focus for the individual health care professional. One of the benefits is that AIDS is causing the nursing profession to re-examine its role in health care. Absence of a cure is not tantamount to having nothing more to offer. In fact, care rather than cure, becomes imperative. The highest quality care possible for all patients irrespective of their background, colour, religion, sexual orientation, diagnosis and prognosis, is a priority. Hopefully everyone in health care and society at large will learn valuable lessons from the AIDS experience. In this context, the role of health care professionals should be that of student learning from the patient.