Lance: a gay recovering alcoholic misdiagnosed as HIV-positive

Lance is a 29-year-old gay alcoholic who was misdiagnosed as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive. In reaction to the diagnosis, Lance subsequently engaged in a series of destructive behaviors towards himself and others. When he was told that his diagnosis was in error, Lance was able to break out of his self-destructive cycle. This article explores the symbolic interactionist concepts of definition of the situation and of stigma and provides nursing implications for caring for people with HIV infection and the acquired immune deficiency syndrome.