Offering a detailed picture of the nursing profession in South Africa today, this study considers the profile, image, and status of nurses as well as the role education plays in the industry. Interviews and results from focus groups explore the issues that contribute to the vulnerability of nursing--one that registers an alarmingly high attrition rate--and present the views of various stakeholders, including the public sector, academia, and nursing students and professionals. Also providing a broad outline of the state of South African healthcare and the burden of the HIV and AIDS epidemic, this is an important look at the challenges of nurses and what can be done to reverse the worrying trends.