The concept of burnout among health care professionals involved in AIDS care has been well documented in hospital and hospice settings, but no empirical research has been conducted among practitioners working with AIDS patients in the community setting. This study used a burnout measurement tool, namely the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), to measure the level and components of burnout in a sample of 47 community HIV/AIDS nurse specialists. The study also explored the under-researched relationship between different elements of the MBI. The main finding of the study was a high level of burnout among these practitioners, with over 50% of participants scoring as burnout ‘cases’. There was no link between burnout and caseload and length of time in practice, and female respondents rated marginally higher with regard to the number of burnout cases. There was also a close relationship between the intensity and frequency scales on the MBI. The importance of utilizing both a supportive model of clinical supervision and also the development of less formal peer support systems is suggested as a way forward in addressing burnout prevention in this group of practitioners.