Development of a community outreach project: An interprofessional partnership for thalassemia families guided by nursing students.

Children with chronic illnesses have improved physiological and psychosocial outcomes when they are able to identify and converse with others who experience the same challenges. Support groups are one way to enhance this interaction. To facilitate this process, student nurses worked with an interprofessional healthcare team, thalassemia patients, and their families to determine their support needs. The purpose of this article is to describe the innovative development and outcomes of the Thalassemia Patient Support Project, a community engagement partnership. This partnership provided a unique educational clinical experience for nursing students where they had an opportunity to help develop a support group and a pediatric to adult transitional care program. The outcomes could be used as a guide for community nursing education, in US and international settings.