Thalassemia
Structured condition card with NCLEX priority cues and nursing action focus.
Hematologic / ImmuneAutoimmune / GeneticPediatricsmedium priorityneeds review
Thalassemia
Also testable as: Alpha thalassemia, Beta thalassemia, Cooley anemia
Etiology / Pathophysiology
- Inherited reduced globin chain production causes chronic microcytic anemia.
- Ineffective RBC production and hemolysis can cause anemia, marrow expansion, splenomegaly, and iron overload from transfusions.
Medications
No specific medication class was seeded for this card.
Signs / symptoms
- Microcytic anemia not corrected like simple iron deficiency.
- Transfusions can create iron overload.
Nursing actions
- Assess fatigue, pallor, growth, splenomegaly, and transfusion history.
- Monitor for iron overload and chelation teaching if ordered.
- Teach genetic counseling relevance and infection precautions if splenectomy is involved.
Complications
- Iron overload
- Heart/liver endocrine damage
- Splenomegaly
- Growth delay
NCLEX cues
- Microcytic anemia not corrected like simple iron deficiency.
- Transfusions can create iron overload.
Memory hooks
- Thalassemia is globin production problem plus iron overload risk.
Labs / Diagnostics
- CBC indices
- Iron studies
- Hemoglobin electrophoresis
- Ferritin
Review notes
- Supplemental wife-requested study card. Use for NCLEX review only and verify against school materials, ATI/NCLEX review sources, current orders, and facility policy.
Cross references
Related cards are generated from the shared study map, not hand-built per page.
Source entitycondition card
Thalassemia
Condition card for Thalassemia: recognize the testable cue, prevent the complication, and choose the safest first nursing action.
Procedureprocedure
Blood transfusion
Administration of blood products such as packed RBCs, platelets, plasma, or cryoprecipitate.
Procedureprocedure
Genetic counseling
Education and risk discussion for inherited conditions, carrier status, testing, and family planning.