This study examined the relationship between knowledge of HIV, fear of AIDS, and use of universal precautions in registered nurses. A descriptive survey design used a battery of questionnaires, including the National League for Nursing\u27s Caring for Persons with AIDS Test, the University of Texas Fear of AIDS Scale, and a demographic questionnaire. The random sample consisted of 109 registered nurses working at a county hospital in the southwestern United States. The Health Belief Model guided the study. Research hypotheses were: (1) There is a positive correlation between knowledge of HIV/AIDS and use of universal precautions among nurses; (2) there is a positive correlation between fear of AIDS and use of universal precautions among nurses; (3) knowledge of HIV/AIDS correlates negatively with fear of AIDS among nurses; (4) selected demographic variables correlate positively with fear of AIDS among nurses, the variables of race/ethnicity, age, and level of nursing education showing the strongest positive correlation. Research hypotheses 1 and 3 were accepted