[HIV/AIDS: expression of nursing students imaginary through photography]

Caring for people with HIV is an exercise of reflection and self-analysis in relation to our own beliefs about it. Along with the personal and social values, future nursing professional' beliefs have an important paper in the field of stigmatized diseases such as HIV infection, and may have an impact on nursing care. The aim of this study is to deeply know the meaning of the possibility of living with HIV among nursing students, bringing us a closer understanding of the subjective beliefs that give meaning to the act of caring.

Qualitative study with a phenomenological approach. Data collection was done through photographs and reflective stories.

Living with HIV would change their lives, associating it to illness and fear of social rejection. Planning the future appears difficult, generating kind of uncertainty. However, some light of hope and social change is also observed.

The possibility of acquiring HIV is lived as a negative experience associated with old fashioned experiences. It is necessary to facilitate forms of expression to visualize the internal processes of the opinions and invite discussion and permeation to other perspectives that may have an impact, direct or indirect, in nursing care.