The aim was to investigate the perception of nursing faculty about their responsibility in teaching practice on HIV/AIDS and if they value the construction of knowledge on the subject of HIV/AIDS focused on parameters aimed to citizenship. This qualitative study had its theoretical framework on Morin Complex Thought. Seven professors from five institutions of higher education in Sao Paulo participated of the study in the period from January to July 2010. Data were collected through focus group and analysed through content analysis. The semantic categories were: The importance of reflection and criticality of the professor in teaching HIV/AIDS; the exercise of citizenship through education of HIV/AIDS and; the understanding of the human in learning from the experience of a person with HIV/AIDS. The study shows that the role of the professor when teaching HIV/AIDS is essential to an ethical and a citizen development for the future nurse.
AIDS; Education, nursing; Philosophy, nursing; Education, higher