This paper aimed to better understand the meaning of caring for HIV/AIDS institutionalized children attributed by nursing professionals. It is an exploratory, qualitative study. The data was collected from April to June, 2007 through interviewing six nursing professionals who work at an institution housing HIV/AIDS children in southern Brazil. The meanings of the coded speech resulted in two convergent themes: experiencing the role of being mother or caregiver; understanding AIDS as an interactive possibility. The findings showed that even in the face of apparent failure or disorder, nursing professionals in the condition of care-givers of individuals as integral people are able to help and to facilitate de adaptation process and healthy living of institutionalized HIV/AIDS children. The study concluded that understanding the meaning of being a caregiver to a child with AIDS implies embracing the unique experience that integrates the health-disease process.
Pediatric nursing; Child care; Diagnosis of SIDA