Culturally construed beliefs and perceptions of nursing students and the stigma impacting on people living with AIDS: A qualitative study

Nursing curricula is vital to patient health and wellbeing and requires increased focus on the impact of HIV/AIDS. It is important for educators to recognise that simply providing information to students does not necessarily change their existing stigmatising perceptions. By addressing the effect of being stigmatised and marginalised by society nursing care to all patients will be enhanced. Students must also reflect on their perceptions and values so as to embrace diversity.