Community Nursing – Windshield Survey Essay Paper

WHAT ARE WINDSHIELD AND WALKING SURVEYS?

Windshield surveys are systematic observations made from a moving vehicle. Walking surveys are systematic observations made on foot. Either or both can help you better understand either the community in general or a specific condition or aspect of it.

Windshield Survey  Assignment Guidelines   (Turnitin Assignment)

A. Windshield Survey

 

ORDER PLAGIARISM -FREE PAPER HERE

 

The Windshield Survey is comprised of general qualitative observations that give you a snapshot of the community that you can capture as you drive/walk through the community. The demographic data can be obtained online, through the public library, county or township administration buildings. Please address the following in a narrative format following APA guidelines:Community Nursing – Windshield Survey Essay Paper

1.  Geographical description

• Boundaries, geographical, political, or economic, how is it seen.

• Housing an zoning

• Sign of decay

2. Health Resources

a. Type of services available: health department, private MD, dentist, hospital clinic.

b. Pharmacy, health promotion, mental health

c. School and occupational health services

d. Official and voluntary services

e. Self help and support groups

f. Service organizations, faith-based programs

g. Stores (grocery, retail, drug, dry cleaning, etc.

h. Transportation

3. Citizen safety and protective services

a. Police and fire

b. Shelters for victims of abuse

c. Others: neighborhood watch etc.

4. Services provided by senior citizens senior centers, meals on wheels, transportation, day care, long term care.

a. Parks and recreational areas

5. Community welfare services beyond city/state aid as provisions for emergency food, shelter and clothing.

 

 

A windshield survey is an informal survey where the health professional drives around the community/area they are researching, and records his/her  observations.

For  Nurses to be able to knowledgeably plan services for a community, it is essential to know a specific community, identify health-related resources that may be helpful to members, and learn about gaps in services. A windshield survey is conducted from a car and provides a visual overview of a community. Conditions and trends in the community that could affect the health of the population are noted. This data provides background and context for working in the community or for conducting a community assessment. A prize will be awarded to the best group using a grading scale of 4 (Meets or exceeds the objective), 3 (Good meets the objectives), 2 (addresses some of the objectives), and 1 (does not meet the objectives) by your peers using the survey.

Windshield surveys are particularly useful when the area you want to observe is large, and the aspects you’re interested in can be seen from the road. A walking survey might be a better choice when you’re seeking to understand things that are harder to see from a moving vehicle.

Windshield and walking surveys can be used to assess general community needs – to estimate the poverty level, for example – or to examine more specific facets of the community’s physical, social, or economic character. Some possibilities:Community Nursing – Windshield Survey Essay Paper

The age, nature, and condition of the community’s available housing
Infrastructure needs – roads, bridges, streetlights, etc.
The presence or absence of functioning businesses and industrial facilities
The location, condition, and use of public spaces
The amount of activity on the streets at various times of the day, week, or year
The noise level in various parts of the community
The amount and movement of traffic at various times of day
The location and condition of public buildings – the city or town hall, courthouse, etc.
WHY WOULD YOU CONDUCT WINDSHIELD AND WALKING SURVEYS?
Windshield or walking surveys can be structured to provide an objective view of the community.
They can be adapted to community-based participatory research, inviting community participation.
They can be the easiest and quickest way to get an overview of the entire community.
They allow clear comparisons among different parts of the community, and can help to determine where to focus your efforts.
They can be very useful in understanding specific aspects of a community.
If your concern is with the community’s relationship to the environment, the nature of street life, traffic, or with any other particular element of community life or functioning, a windshield or walking survey that concentrates on that element can provide you with an overview and help you decide where to go next for more information.
They give you a “feel” for the community.

WHEN SHOULD YOU CONDUCT WINDSHIELD AND WALKING SURVEYS?

Often in the Community Tool Box, the answer to the “When…?” question is that there are times when performing an action is politically, socially, or logistically more appropriate than others. Here, that’s not the case: windshield or walking surveys can be conducted whenever they’re needed. However, if you want to understand how people use the community, you’ll need to conduct your survey at a time – perhaps a number of different times – when they’re likely to be engaged in activity you can see. To get the best picture of the community, you may have to do a number of surveys at different times of the day, week, and/or year.

WHO SHOULD CONDUCT WINDSHIELD AND WALKING SURVEYS?

The answer to this question depends on a number of factors. How large is the area to be surveyed? How many times will surveys be conducted? Is this a participatory research project? Will you be conducting surveys in teams or as individuals?

A small neighborhood or rural village might be adequately surveyed in one day by a single person, whereas a large city might require several days with several teams of observers. If you’re engaged in participatory research, you might organize observers in teams, each of which has representatives of different ages, cultures, ethnicities, income levels, community sectors (business, government, health and community services), etc.

One important issue is safety. If there is hostility between races or ethnic groups, it may not be safe for some people to survey particular neighborhoods. Even if there is no real danger, but only a perception of danger, the resulting anxiety can affect the accuracy and completeness of a survey.

Another difficulty with conducting a windshield or walking survey as a participatory research project is that community members might already have set ideas about many of the questions that need to be asked. On the other hand, a windshield or walking survey can also serve to open community members’ eyes to the realities of their environment.

HOW DO YOU CONDUCT WINDSHIELD AND WALKING SURVEYS?

Windshield and walking surveys are similar in many ways, but there are some important differences. Here, we’ll give some guidelines that relate to both, and then look at each in turn.

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR BOTH WINDSHIELD AND WALKING SURVEYS

Determine who will conduct the survey

The reason this guideline is first is that you’re likely to get the best results if those who will be conducting the survey are involved in its planning. Their observations will be sharper if they understand what they’re looking for, which is most likely if they help to develop the survey.

The ideal, whether you’re driving or walking, is to use a team or teams if you have the resources to do so. The variety of perspectives will enrich the survey, and each team member can focus on a particular task – observation, recording, etc. – making for a more efficient survey.

Decide on the questions you want your survey to answer

The questions you choose will determine the scope and structure of your survey. If your basic survey question is something like “What is the nature of the community?” then there will be a number of secondary questions to ask that will help you answer that first one. If your focus is much narrower, you may need only one question, such as, “Do most streets in the community have sidewalks?” or perhaps one question with more than one part: “How, by whom, and how much are public playgrounds used?”

Decide on the areas you’ll include in your survey

If your work is in a large city – New York, Tokyo, Cairo, etc. – you’re probably only concerned with a small section, or with a particular segment of the population. But you might want to survey other parts of the city as well, to get a sense of the city as a whole and fit that neighborhood or population in its context.

Your choices will help shape your understanding of the community, so you should make them thoughtfully.What areas will best reflect the aspects of the community you want to know about? Which locations best relate to the work you want to do?Community Nursing – Windshield Survey Essay Paper

Decide when you’ll conduct your survey

Consider how the time of day, week day versus weekend, and the season will affect your survey. You may want to repeat your survey more than once in order to capture the differences between community conditions or activities at different times.

Train the people who are going to conduct the survey

Training here is fairly simple, but there are some important points to be covered:

Get well acquainted with your questions, the purpose of the survey, and what you’re looking for.
Make and use a checklist to ensure that you address all of your questions, and observe all the areas you want to.
Try to be unobtrusive. Not only do people act differently when they know they’re being observed, but they may also become suspicious or hostile.
Carry identification.
Take notes as you go along. You may also want to shoot photos or videos with a camera or cell phone, in order to both remember and illustrate what you’ve seen. If you wait to take notes until after the survey is done, you may not remember everything clearly, or you may ignore important details.
If you’re working in teams, assign roles. A team should have at least one observer and at least one recorder.
Discuss your findings as you go.
Pay attention to safety. Be aware of the neighborhood and situation you’re in, especially if you’re walking. If you feel threatened, leave.

What to examine in a general community assessment survey

Housing. What is the age and condition of housing in the neighborhoods you’re surveying? Are houses and apartment buildings kept up, or are they run-down and in need of repair? Are yards neat or overgrown?
Other buildings. Are the buildings mostly or fully occupied? Do public and commercial buildings seem accessible to people with disabilities – ramped, street level entries, etc.?
Public spaces. Are there public spaces where people can gather? Are they well kept up? Do they have seating areas, trees and plants, attractive design, cafes or food vendors, or other features meant to encourage people to use the space? Who uses these spaces? Is there diversity?
Parks. Are parks used by a variety of people?? Are they well kept up? Are there sports facilities – basketball courts, soccer pitches, baseball fields, cricket pitches, etc.? Are they used at night?
Culture and entertainment. Are there museums, libraries, theaters, restaurants, clubs, sports stadiums, historic sites, etc.? Are they accessible to all parts of the community (centrally located, reachable by public transportation)? Do they reflect the cultures of community members?
Streetscape. The streetscape is the environment created by streets and the sidewalks, buildings, trees, etc. that line them. Are there trees and/or plants? Are there sidewalks? Are building facades and storefronts attractive and welcoming? Are the streets and sidewalks relatively clean? Are there trash cans? Is there outdoor seating?Community Nursing – Windshield Survey Essay Paper
Street use. Are there people on the streets at most times of day? In the evening? How late? Do they interact with one another? Are streets and sidewalks well lit at night?
Commercial activity. What kinds of businesses are there? Are there boarded-up or vacant storefronts? Is there a mix of large and small businesses? Are there grocery stores and supermarkets, pharmacies, and other stores that provide necessities in all parts of the community?
Signs. What languages are business signs in? Are traffic signs informative? Are there signs directing people to various parts of the community (downtown, museums, highways, etc.)?
Industry. What kinds of industry exist in the community? Does it seem to be causing pollution?
Land use. How much open space is there? How are residential, commercial, and industrial areas distributed? Do major roads or railroad tracks divide neighborhoods, or are they on the edges of the community?
Infrastructure. What is the condition of roads, bridges, sidewalks, etc.? Are there differences in these conditions from one area of the community to another? Do all parts of the community seem to be equally served by electricity, water, phone, fiber optic, wastewater treatment, waste disposal, and other infrastructure services?
Public transportation. Is there a functioning public transportation system? Is it well used? By whom? Does it allow relatively easy access to all parts of the community? How easy is it to navigate and use? How much does it cost? Are its vehicles energy-efficient?
Traffic. How heavy is traffic in the community? Is it mostly commercial and industrial – vans, trucks, etc. – or mostly private cars? Is there ever gridlock? Is there much bicycle traffic? Are there bike lanes? Are there bike racks in many places?
Environmental quality. How much usable green space is there, and is it scattered throughout the community? Is there smog or haze? Does the air smell of smoke, garbage, car exhaust, chemicals, industrial waste, etc.? Does the water in streams, ponds, lakes, etc. seem reasonably clear?
Race/ethnicity. Who lives in the community? Are there identifiable racial and ethnic groups? Do particular groups seem to live in particular areas?
Faith communities. What kinds of religious institutions are there? Do the institutions of one particular religion or sect dominate? Are there separate houses of worship for people of different ethnicities or races, even if they share the same faith?
Health services. How many hospitals and clinics are there in the community? Where are they located? How big are they? How easy are they to get to?
Community and public services. Are there identifiable community service providers and organizations in the community – mental health centers, food banks, homeless shelters, welfare offices, etc.? Are they concentrated in a particular area? Are they easy to reach by public transportation?
Community safety. Where are police and fire stations located? Are they in good repair? Is the community well-lit at night?
Public schools. Are schools in different neighborhoods in noticeably different states of repair? Are schools well maintained? Or in some developing countries, are there schools in the community at all?
Higher education. Are there two- and four-year colleges and/or universities in the community? Where are they located? Do they seem open to the community, or do they seem self-contained and isolated?
Political activity. Are there signs or other indications of political activity? Is it clear that political activity is allowed and/or encouraged? Are there protests or demonstrations?
Community organizations. What evidence is there of organizations in the community? Are there service clubs – Lions, Elks, Masons, etc.? Are there other organizations – centered around community issues, the environment, sports or leisure pursuits, socialization, etc.?
Media. Are there local media outlets – radio and TV stations, newspapers, Internet sites devoted to local issues? Are they independent, or are they sponsored or run by government or corporations? Where are their facilities?
Differences among neighborhoods or areas of the community. What are the differences among different parts of the community? Are schools, stores, public and other buildings, streets, etc. in different areas in different condition? Do some areas seem neglected, while others are clearly maintained?
The “feel” of the community. What is your overall impression of the community?
GUIDELINES FOR A WINDSHIELD SURVEY
Use a map. Google Maps or similar services are an excellent resource
If you can, try to use a team of at least two. That way, one person can concentrate on driving while the other navigates and records observations. It’s difficult to observe closely and drive safely at the same time.
Drive at a moderate speed, and avoid unexpected actions
Drive both on major and minor streets, particularly in residential neighborhoods. You’ll want to get a sense of different parts of neighborhoods and different streets.
Pull over at regular intervals to make and compare notes
Try to be inconspicuous
Study a map beforehand, or do a drive-through so you’ll know where you’re going
Try to work in teams. Teams should probably not be larger than two or three, unless you’re splitting up. Two or three people walking together is a normal group, but five or six is a crowd, and stands out.
If you want to experience the community, take part in everyday activities. Take public transportation, eat in a local restaurant, buy something in a drugstore or supermarket or discount store. This will give you a chance to listen to people’s conversations and to get a sense of how they interact.
Go inside public buildings and cultural institutions
Sit down in a quiet place to take notes

Sometimes, the best survey can be a combination of walking and driving. You might survey the whole city or area in a vehicle, then use a walking survey to look closely at the area you’re most interested in. Or you might send out walking and driving teams to survey different aspects of a community or neighborhood. You’ll see different things and more detail on foot; you’ll cover more ground and get a broader perspective from a vehicle.

But even once your survey is finished, your job isn’t done yet. You have to analyze what you’ve seen and decide how to use it.

Some general questions you might want to consider:

What are the community’s outstanding assets?
What seem to be the community’s biggest challenges?
What is the most striking thing about the community?
What is the most unexpected?
Are you struck by the aesthetic quality of the community, either positively or negatively – i.e., is it particularly beautiful or particularly ugly?

Whether you’re starting an all-encompassing campaign to eliminate poverty in your community, or simply looking for good places to paint murals to stimulate community pride, a windshield or walking survey can be a good way to begin your effort. It will give you a view of the community that you can use to help you decide how to take your next steps effectively in order to address real needs and improve the quality of community life

There are many changes that I have observed in my neighborhood since living here for 21 years. There has been a recent migration of homeowners moving out of the neighborhoods. The home owners are either renting out their homes, to a new influx of section 8 tenants or they have chosen to walk away from their homes leaving many in the area to go into foreclosure. Foreclosure and crime are two of the biggest element of change that I have noticed in my neighborhood, and many of these problems arise from the economy, health and illness, and familial structure breakdown. This has caused a change in the way the homes in the area appear. Currently, many of the homes have lost their curb appeal. At one time this neighborhood had…show more content…
Find ways for them to first be able to verbalize their feelings, make sure they understand what is happening, and find out their perceptions and fears. Address their education limitations/fears. Provide resources like GED programs, provide community fairs for local trade schools or community colleges to be present and counsel them to in the direction to fill out forms like applications and false. My second nursing diagnosis was also connected to my family that I am assessing for this class, they happen to live in the neighborhood also. One family is a part of many that make of the community. Alteration in family coping related to lack of emotional support/family support while family member is going through a stressful time. Interventions; counsel them and have them set aside one day a week to interact together by going to some of the community family night outings at the churches in the area, also seek counseling through local clergy or support groups like emotions anonymous to help them express their perceptions of what is happening to their family.

Nursing students in a Bachelor’s educational program in Canada are introduced for the first time to the practice of community health nursing in a 16 weeks clinical course. The community health nurses (CHN) works with people where they live, work, learn, worship, and play to promote health. CHNs partner with individuals, families, groups, communities, systems, and populations in various settings. These nurses view health as a dynamic process of physical, mental, spiritual, and social well-being and as a resource for everyday life that is influenced by circumstances, beliefs, and determinants of health. In the beginning of the clinical course, students are guided to conduct a Windshield Survey. The Windshield Survey is used as an educational strategy to effect community health nursing clinical outcomes. The survey provides students with a scan on the community, where students collect objective data, but also notice what they see, hear, smell and perhaps touch. The population health promotion model is used as a framework to guide information collection. Students ask relevant questions which affect populations, such as: What is public transportation like? Is the community accepting of diversity? Are health resources accessible? Are housing and food sources affordable? The Windshield Survey assists students to think like a CHN. This strategy provides students with opportunities to appreciate complex determinants, roles of team partners, and community strengths and capacities. Students learn to appreciate each community as a life of its own and every individual in this community as unique. During our presentation, the authors will share details of the Windshield Survey, including evidence based research, content in the survey, how the survey is conducted, results of the survey as a teaching and learning strategy, and pre and post evaluation by nursing students.Community Nursing – Windshield Survey Essay Paper

Caring for Populations: Milestone1: Community Windshield Survey Form Directions: Please refer to the Milestone 1: Community Windshield Survey Guidelines and grading rubric found in Doc Sharing for specific instructions in order to complete the information below. This assignment is worth 150 points. Type your name above and your answers below directly on this form. Click Save as and save the file with the assignment name and your last name (e.g., “NR443 Windshield Survey Form_Smith”). When you are finished, submit the form to the Week 2 Caring for Populations: Windshield Survey Dropbox by the deadline indicated in your guidelines. Your Name: Jennifer Russell Date: March 15, 2015 Your Instructor’s Name: Professor Terry Brennan…show more content…
What is their age range? What is the predominant age (e.g., elderly, preschoolers, young mothers, or school-aged children)? Median resident age: | 45.2 years | (City-Data., 2015)What ethnicity or race is most common?According to the city data statistics it is predominately Caucasian. What is the general appearance of those you observed? Do they appear healthy? Do you notice any obvious disabilities, such as those with walkers or wheelchairs, or those with mental or emotional disabilities? Where do they live?From my observations they all appear healthy. I did not notice anyone with a walker, wheelchair or cane. No one appeared to be with mental or emotional disabilities at this time. I do not know where they live. Do you notice residents who are well nourished or malnourished, thin or obese, vigorous or frail, unkempt or scantily dressed, or well dressed and clean?

The primary concern of community health nurses is to improve the health of the community. To address this concern, community health nurses use all the principles and skills of nursing and public health practice. This involves using demographic and epidemiological methods to assess the community’s health and diagnose its health needs.

A. Windshield Survey

The Windshield Survey is comprised of general qualitative observations that give you a snapshot of the community that you can capture as you drive/walk through the community. The demographic data can be obtained online, through the public library, county or township administration buildings. Please address the following in a narrative format following APA guidelines:

1. Geographical description

Boundaries, geographical, political, or economic, how is it seen.

Housing an zoning

Sign of decay

2. Health Resources

a. Type of services available: health department, private MD, dentist, hospital clinic,

b. pharmacy, health promotion, mental health

c. School and occupational health services

d. Official and voluntary services

e. Self help and support groups

f. Service organizations, faith-based programs

g. Stores (grocery, retail, drug, dry cleaning, etc.

h. Transportation

3. Citizen safety and protective services

a. Police and fire

b. Shelters for victims of abuse

c. Others: neighborhood watch etc.

4. Services provided by senior citizens senior centers, meals on wheels, transportation, day care, long term care.

a. Parks and recreational areas

5. Community welfare services beyond city/state aid as provisions for emergency food, shelter and clothing.Community Nursing – Windshield Survey Essay Paper

Below please see the rubric that will be used to grade your survey and due date instructions.

Assignment must be presented in an essay style using APA format in the required Arial 12 font with minimum of 1000 words.

Windshield Survey Rubrics
Grading Criteria Accomplished Proficient Needs Improvement Score
Physical Environment 5 3 1
· Area

· Boundaries

· Housing

· Growth or Decline

Provides clear, concise summary clarifies with multiple examples. Provides summary but provides limited or unclear supporting details or examples. Student provides a general summary but provides no supporting details or examples.
People 5 3 1
· Demographics Homogeneous

· Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors

· Risk Behaviors

· Poverty Indications

Provides clear, concise summary clarifies with multiple examples Provides summary but provides limited or unclear supporting details or examples Provides a general summary but provides no supporting details or examples
Service 5 3 1
· Health

· Mental Health Services

· Social

· Fire/Police

· Educational Transportation Park / Recreational

· Religious Stores and Shops

Provides clear, concise summary of health services; clarifies with multiple examples. Provides summary of health services but provides limited or unclear supporting details or examples. Student provides a general summary of health services but provides no supporting details or examples.
Analysis 5 3 1
Summary of the Key Community Issues Two to three well-developed paragraphs.

Clearly and succinctly identifies and describes key community health issues.

References to the collected data support the student’s summary.

Conclusions are accurate, logical, and based on the collected data.

Two to three adequate paragraphs.

Describes community health issues. Interpretation of data could be strengthened.

Key data is relevant but may not fully support diagnosis.

Conclusions are based on data but argument could be stronger.Community Nursing – Windshield Survey Essay Paper

Summary length is insufficient.

The community health issues identified in the summary are weak or are inaccurate.

Data is misinterpreted or does not support diagnosis.

Conclusions are inaccurate or based on opinion.

Mechanics 3 2 1
Adheres to APA format; error free paper. 90%-100% of paper is well organized and consist of well-constructed paragraphs.

No spelling or grammatical errors.

80% to 89% of paper adheres to APA format, is well organized and error free, and consist of well-constructed paragraphs. Contains 1-5 spelling or grammatical errors. 70% to 79% of paper adheres to APA format, is well organized and error free, and consist of well-constructed paragraphs. Contains 6-10 spelling or grammatical errors.
Timeliness 2 1.5 1
Submits assignment on or before the due date. Submits assignment 1 day after the due date. Submits assignment 2 days after the due date.
Scores 16-25 7 – 15.5 6-15

A. Windshield Survey

The Windshield Survey is comprised of general qualitative observations that give you a snapshot of the community that you can capture as you drive/walk through the community. The demographic data can be obtained online, through the public library, county or township administration buildings. Please address the following in a narrative format following APA guidelines:

 

ORDER  HERE  NOW

 

1. Geographical description

Boundaries, geographical, political, or economic, how is it seen.

Housing an zoning

Sign of decay

2. Health Resources

a. Type of services available: health department, private MD, dentist, hospital clinic,

b. pharmacy, health promotion, mental health

c. School and occupational health services

d. Official and voluntary services

e. Self help and support groups

f. Service organizations, faith-based programs

g. Stores (grocery, retail, drug, dry cleaning, etc.

h. Transportation

3. Citizen safety and protective services

a. Police and fire

b. Shelters for victims of abuse

c. Others: neighborhood watch etc.

4. Services provided by senior citizens senior centers, meals on wheels, transportation, day care, long term care.

a. Parks and recreational areas

5. Community welfare services beyond city/state aid as provisions for emergency food, shelter and clothing.

Below please see the rubric that will be used to grade your survey and due date instructions.

Assignment must be presented in an essay style using APA format in the required Arial 12 font with minimum of 1000 words.Community Nursing – Windshield Survey Essay Paper

Windshield Survey Rubrics
Grading Criteria Accomplished Proficient Needs Improvement Score
Physical Environment 5 3 1
· Area

· Boundaries

· Housing

· Growth or Decline

Provides clear, concise summary clarifies with multiple examples. Provides summary but provides limited or unclear supporting details or examples. Student provides a general summary but provides no supporting details or examples.
People 5 3 1
· Demographics Homogeneous

· Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors

· Risk Behaviors

· Poverty Indications

Provides clear, concise summary clarifies with multiple examples Provides summary but provides limited or unclear supporting details or examples Provides a general summary but provides no supporting details or examples
Service 5 3 1
· Health

· Mental Health Services

· Social

· Fire/Police

· Educational Transportation Park / Recreational

· Religious Stores and Shops

Provides clear, concise summary of health services; clarifies with multiple examples. Provides summary of health services but provides limited or unclear supporting details or examples. Student provides a general summary of health services but provides no supporting details or examples.
Analysis 5 3 1
Summary of the Key Community Issues Two to three well-developed paragraphs.

Clearly and succinctly identifies and describes key community health issues.

References to the collected data support the student’s summary.

Conclusions are accurate, logical, and based on the collected data.

Two to three adequate paragraphs.

Describes community health issues. Interpretation of data could be strengthened.

Key data is relevant but may not fully support diagnosis.

Conclusions are based on data but argument could be stronger.

Summary length is insufficient.

The community health issues identified in the summary are weak or are inaccurate.

Data is misinterpreted or does not support diagnosis.

Conclusions are inaccurate or based on opinion.

Mechanics 3 2 1
Adheres to APA format; error free paper. 90%-100% of paper is well organized and consist of well-constructed paragraphs.

No spelling or grammatical errors.

80% to 89% of paper adheres to APA format, is well organized and error free, and consist of well-constructed paragraphs. Contains 1-5 spelling or grammatical errors. 70% to 79% of paper adheres to APA format, is well organized and error free, and consist of well-constructed paragraphs. Contains 6-10 spelling or grammatical errors.
Timeliness 2 1.5 1
Submits assignment on or before the due date. Submits assignment 1 day after the due date. Submits assignment 2 days after the due date.
Scores 16-25 7 – 15.5 6-15

Before beginning this process, the community health nurse must define the community. The nurse may wonder how he or she can provide services to such a large and nontraditional “client,” but there are smaller and more circumscribed entities that comprise a community than towns and cities. A major aspect of public health practice is the application of approaches and solutions to health problems that ensure the majority of people receive the maximum benefit. To this end, the nurse works to use time and resources efficiently.Community Nursing – Windshield Survey Essay Paper

Despite the desire to provide services to each individual in a community, the community health nurse recognizes the impracticality of this task. An alternative approach considers the community itself to be the unit of service and works collaboratively with the community using the steps of the nursing process. Therefore, the community is not only the context or place where community health nursing occurs; it is the focus of community health nursing care. The nurse partners with community members to identify community problems and develop solutions to ultimately improve the community’s health.

Another central goal of public health practitioners is primary prevention, which protects the public’s health and prevents disease development. Chapter 3 discussed how these “upstream efforts” are intended to reduce the pain, suffering, and huge expenditures that occur when significant segments of the population essentially “fall into the river” and require downstream resources to resolve their health problems. In a society greatly concerned about increasingly high health care costs, the need to prevent health problems becomes dire. In addition to reducing the occurrence of disease in individuals, community health nurses must examine the larger aggregate—its structures, environments, and shared health risks—to develop improved upstream prevention programs.

This chapter addresses the first steps in adopting a community- or population-oriented practice. A community health nurse must define a community and describe its characteristics before applying the nursing process. Then, the nurse can launch the assessment and diagnosis phase of the nursing process at the aggregate level and incorporate epidemiological approaches. Comprehensive assessment data are essential to directing effective primary prevention interventions within a community.

Gathering these data is one of the core public health functions identified in the Institute of Medicine’s (1988) original report on the future of public health. The community health nurse participates in assessing the community’s health and its ability to deal with health needs. With sound data, the nurse makes a valuable contribution to health policy development (Wold et al., 2008).

The nature of community

Many dimensions describe the nature of community. These include an aggregate of people, a location in space and time, and a social system (Box 6-1).

BOX 6-1

Major Features of a Community

• Aggregate of peopleThe “who”: personal characteristics and risks

• Location in space and timeThe “where” and “when”: physical location frequently delineated by boundaries and influenced by the passage of time

• Social systemThe “why” and “how”: interrelationships of aggregates fulfilling community functions  Community Nursing – Windshield Survey Essay Paper

Aggregate of People

An aggregate is a community composed of people who share common characteristics. For example, members of a community may share residence in the same city, membership in the same religious organization, or similar demographic characteristics such as age or ethnic background. The aggregate of senior citizens, for example, comprises primarily retirees who frequently share common ages, economic pressures, life experiences, interests, and concerns. This group lived through the many societal changes of the past 50 years; therefore, they may possess similar perspectives on current issues and trends. Many elderly people share concern for the maintenance of good health, the pursuit of an active lifestyle, and the security of needed services to support a quality life. These shared interests translate into common goals and activities, which also are defining attributes of a common interest community. Communities also may consist of overlapping aggregates, in which case some community members belong to multiple aggregates.

Many human factors help delineate a community. Health-related traits, or risk factors, are one aspect of “people factors” to be considered. People who have impaired health or a shared predisposition to disease may join together in a group, or community, to learn from and support each other. Parents of disabled infants, people with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), or those at risk for a second myocardial infarction may consider themselves a community. Even when these individuals are not organized, the nurse may recognize that their unique needs constitute a form of community, or aggregate.

A community of solution may form when a common problem unites individuals. Although people may have little else in common with each other, their desire to redress problems brings them together. Such problems may include a shared hazard from environmental contamination, a shared health problem arising from a soaring rate of teenage suicide, or a shared political concern about an upcoming city council election. The community of solution often disbands after problem resolution, but it may subsequently identify other common issues.

Each of these shared features may exist among people who are geographically dispersed or in close proximity to each other. However, in many situations, proximity facilitates the recognition of commonality and the development of cohesion among members. This active sharing of features fosters a sense of community among individuals.

Location in Space and Time

Regardless of shared features, geographic or physical location may define communities of people. Traditionally, community is an entity delineated by geopolitical boundaries; this view best exemplifies the dimension of location. These boundaries demarcate the periphery of cities, counties, states, and nations. Voting precincts, school districts, water districts, and fire and police protection precincts set less visible boundary lines.

Census tracts subdivide larger communities. The U.S. Census Bureau uses them for data collection and population assessment. Census tracts facilitate the organization of resident information in specific community geographic locales. In densely populated urban areas, the size of tracts tends to be small; therefore, data for one or more census tracts frequently describe neighborhood residents. Although residents may not be aware of their census tract’s boundaries, census tract data help define and describe neighborhood communities.

Research Highlights

Development of a Dynamic Model to Guide Health Disparities Research  Community Nursing – Windshield Survey Essay Paper

Rew et al. (2009) reported on a 6-year project in which public health nurses were involved with 19 studies to analyze health disparities among low-income, rural, Mexican-American, and American Indian populations. Through a series of projects, the team identified a number of predisposing risk factors and barriers to access and utilization of services that contribute to disparities in health outcomes in the targeted populations. The risk factors they observed included gender, race/ethnicity, low income level, and geographic location. Identified barriers included language, transportation problems, lack of awareness of health problems, a distrust of the health system, cultural beliefs, lack of insurance, and lack of culturally sensitive providers.

The researchers noted several areas or needs for health promotion for the targeted populations. These were related to diabetes, mental health problems, and “life-span issues” (e.g., high rates of adolescent pregnancies, poor diet/nutrition, choice of occupation, end-of-life care). As a result, the researchers suggested a set of health promotion interventions including working to enhance interest in engaging in regular exercise, health promotion during pregnancy, and life-span efforts to prevent injury, focusing on prevention of accidents among infants/small children, elders, and those with occupational risks.

From Rew L, Hoke MM, Horner SD, et al: Development of a dynamic model to guide health disparities research, Nurs Outlook 57(3):132-142, 2009.

A geographic community can encompass less formalized areas that lack official geopolitical boundaries. A geographic landmark may define neighborhoods (e.g., the East Lake section of town or the North Shore area). A particular building style or a common development era also may identify community neighborhoods. Similarly, a dormitory, a communal home, or a summer camp may be a community because each facility shares a close geographic proximity. Geographic location, including the urban or rural nature of a community, strongly influences the nature of the health problems a community health nurse might find there. Public health is increasingly recognizing that the interaction of humans with the natural environment and with constructed environments, consisting of buildings and spaces for example, is critical to healthy behavior and quality of life. The spatial location of health problems in a geographic area can be mapped with the use of Geographic Information System software, assisting the nurse to identify vulnerable populations and for public health departments to develop programs specific to geographic communities.

Location and the dimension of time define communities. The community’s character and health problems evolve over time. Although some communities are very stable, most tend to change with the members’ health status and demographics and the larger community’s development or decline. For example, the presence of an emerging young workforce may attract new industry, which can alter a neighborhood’s health and environment. A community’s history illustrates its ability to change and how well it addresses health problems over time.

Social System

The third major feature of a community is the relationships that community members form with each other. Community members fulfill the essential functions of community by interacting in groups. These functions provide socialization, role fulfillment, goal achievement, and member support. Therefore, a community is a complex social system, and its interacting members comprise various subsystems within the community. These subsystems are interrelated and interdependent (i.e., the subsystems affect each other and affect various internal and external stimuli). These stimuli consist of a broad range of events, values, conditions, and needs.

A health care system is an example of a complex system that consists of smaller, interrelated subsystems. A health care system can also be a subsystem because it interacts with and depends on larger systems such as the city government. Changes in the larger system can cause repercussions in many subsystems. For example, when local economic pressures cause a health department to scale back its operations, this affects many subsystems. The health department may eliminate or reduce programs, limit service to other health care providers, reduce access to groups that normally use the system, and deny needed care to families who constitute subsystems in society. Almost every subsystem in the community must react and readjust to such a financial constraint.

Example of Systems Interrelationships

Health problems can have a severe impact on multiple systems. For example, the AIDS epidemic required significant funds for AIDS clients and public AIDS education and prevention. It made unrelenting demands on many communities that were already strapped for funds to meet their citizens’ basic health needs. In San Francisco, the allocation of funds for AIDS programs initially reduced funding for other programs, such as immunizations, family planning, and well-child care.

Healthy communities

Complex community systems receive many varied stimuli. The community’s ability to respond effectively to changing dynamics and meet the needs of its members indicates productive functioning. Examining the community’s functions and subsystems provides clues to existing and potential health problems. Examples of a community’s functions include the provision of accessible and acceptable health services, educational opportunities, and safe, crime-free environments.

The model in Figure 6-1 suggests assessment dimensions that can help a nurse develop a more complete list of critical community functions. The community health nurse can then prioritize these functions from a particular community’s perspective. For example, a study of Americans’ views on health and healthy communities suggested that the public is more concerned with quality-of-life issues than the absence of disease. Figure 6-2 indicates that the most important determinants of a healthy community are low crime rates and a child-friendly neighborhood environment (Healthcare Forum, 1994).Community Nursing – Windshield Survey Essay Paper

Community health nursing can play an important role in conducting community needs assessments that provide critical data upon which programming, planning, and evaluation should be based. The community health services developed for any given community should be planned with the specific needs of the community residents in mind. A community needs survey is one method that should be periodically employed to ascertain the specific needs and concerns of community residents. Nursing conceptual models developed by CHNs are very appropriate to the assessment of all aspects of community life related to health and well-being. Comprehensive community needs surveys should include assessment of environmental, psychosocial, and physiological aspects of health as well as indicators of health-related behaviors in the population. The Omaha classification system adapted for this study provides a broad conceptual framework that facilitates the development of comprehensive programs of assessment. Public health services are in a state of crisis in many states. Traditional program offerings may no longer be the key to providing the types of services most needed by some communities. Analysis of data on problems related to personal and family well-being in one upper middle class suburban community indicate a need for health promotion and services focused on many of the psychosocial aspects of health. The stress experienced by younger community residents appears to be related to issues of parenting and balancing the dual roles required at work and home. Families of elders are also confronted by issues concerning the decreasing independence of these individuals and the need to find additional support services for them. Community health services must be designed that take these factors into account. Professional nurses can provide the leadership necessary to assess health needs and current public health practices in these communities and to recommend and implement programs appropriate to the needs of the present and the goals of the future.

There are many changes that I have observed in my neighborhood since living here for 21 years. There has been a recent migration of homeowners moving out of the neighborhoods. The home owners are either renting out their homes, to a new influx of section 8 tenants or they have chosen to walk away from their homes leaving many in the area to go into foreclosure. Foreclosure and crime are two of the biggest element of change that I have noticed in my neighborhood, and many of these problems arise from the economy, health and illness, and familial structure breakdown. This has caused a change in the way the homes in the area appear. Currently, many of the homes have lost their curb appeal. At one time this neighborhood had …show more content…

Since visually you can sense what some of their needs are have companies present that may offer them solutions. Debt counseling services, mortgage loan representatives, school counselors, Red Cross services, Catholic Charities, Neighborhood service centers, children and family services, city council members and the mayor. The difficulty that I faced in this project is separating myself from what I viewed as the norm in my neighborhood, and incorporating my education, diversity teachings and cultural competence as well as new title as the nurse of the community even though I am a part of this community. I must also take this experience and be able to apply it to any neighborhood representing any ethnicity or culture. The Office of Minority Health states that cultural ‘Competence’ implies having the capacity to function effectively as an individual and an organization within the context of the cultural beliefs, behaviors, and needs presented by consumers and their communities.
Biography

Magdalene Ho-Asjoe has diverse experiences as a community health nurse, and a clinical instructor. Magdalene is passionate about facilitating students to integrate skills and knowledge acquired in community health nursing into their practice. She continues to utilize well researched educational strategies to yield effective learning outcomes, and incorporate valuable student feedback to make ongoing improvements. Community Nursing – Windshield Survey Essay Paper