Abstract
A survey was carried out, using a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, to examine why nurses and doctors might be reluctant to care for patients with HIV/AIDS. The findings provided four main themes: perceptions about sexual promiscuity; blaming certain patients with HIV/AIDS; belief in the right to refuse to provide care; and discriminatory care. The paper concludes by acknowledging the limitations of the study and examining the implications of the findings for clinical practice.