Individuals with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) or AIDS-related conditions (ARC) need continual care and support, at a level which can severely tax the health resources of a community. Public health nursing should have a central role in the effective and efficient response to this devastating problem. Since the early stages of the AIDS epidemic, public health nurses have provided a variety of services to AIDS and ARC patients. A standardized care plan to assist public health nurses in those services was developed. Eleven nursing diagnoses were identified as being commonly assessed in patients with AIDS: (1) inadequate knowledge base; (2) inadequate financial, housing, and health resources; (3) disturbance of psychosocial well-being; (4) ineffective coping mechanisms; (5) death and dying/grieving; (6) increased risk of infection; (7) alteration of nutrition and fluid status; (8) deficit in pain management; (9) alteration of activity level/immobility; (10) alteration in bowel/bladder elimination problems; and (11) circulation impairment. Parts of the care plan responding to these problems include coordination of discharge planning; case management including financial and housing services as well as appropriate health care; referrals to mental health services; patient education and counseling; nutrition counseling; monitoring of neurological changes and pulmonary condition; and prevention activities. The experience, training, and professional focus of public health nursing permit it to respond to the needs of patients affected by AIDS or ARC. (ABL)