Background & Aim: The &beta-Thalassemia major is a chronic disease that needs a regular blood transfusion. The blood transfusion is a complex process with high probability of human errors during the process which results in serious adverse events in patients. Nurses should deliver care based on the best available evidence or best practice. The aim of this study was to develop an evidence-based clinical guideline of blood transfusion in children with thalassemia .

  Methods & Materials: This study was conducted during 16 months from 2013 to 2014 based on three-step process of guideline adaptation including set up, adaptation and finalization. During these steps, topic and aims of the study were clearly identified. Then health questions were designed based on the PIPOH method. After conducting systematic searches, quality of the retrieved clinical guidelines was evaluated using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) instrument and a committee consisting of experts and policy-makers in nursing field. After external review, expert panel meetings and consensus between members, the final version of the guideline was developed . 

  Results: The criteria of clinical practice regarding stages of blood transfusion were determined based on the evidence, cultural and health conditions and were presented in twelve sections.

  Conclusion: This clinical practice guideline developed based on evidence can guide blood transfusion process in clinical practice.

Background & Aim: Improving the mental health of mothers of children with thalassemia major who experience great caregiving burden, requires an efficient supportive training to be developed and implemented. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the impact of a group supportive training on caregiving burden in the mothers of children with thalassemia major.

Methods & Materials: A quasi-experimental study (IRCT2016122731612N1) was conducted on 80 mothers of children with thalassemia, referred to Aliasghar hospital in Zahedan in summer 2016. The mothers were selected through convenience sampling method and divided into two intervention and control groups of 40 each. The intervention group received four sessions of supportive training during four weeks. Data were collected by the Caregiver Burden Inventory. SPSS version 21 and independent t test, paired t-test and the analysis of covariance were used to analyze the data.

Results: The mean score of caregiving burden before training in the intervention and control groups were respectively, 86.60±13.55 and 92.37±8.54 and declined to 59.62±9.90 and 89.57±5.83 after the intervention. Furthermore, The caregiving burden score in  five dimensions including  temporal,  developmental, physical, social and emotional was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group  (P<0.05).

Conclusion: The findings showed that collective supportive training leads to a decrease in caregiving burden in the mothers of children with thalassemia. Thus, this training could be an effective method in reducing the mothers’ caregiving burden. This program could be used in health centers in order to maintain and improve the mental health of mothers.