Windshield Survey in the Community of School X

Windshield Survey in the Community of School X

Nurses are taught to first assess before intervening with patients. Assessment is also a critical component of the community nursing process and allows nurses to form partnerships and truly understand the health needs that are unique within a community. Windshield surveys are observational tools that allow nurses to gather pertinent data which will enable them to identify community needs, clarify problems, and identify strengths and resources (Stanhope, & Lancaster, 2010). Community diagnoses and nursing interventions can subsequently be made based upon the results of a Windshield survey. Successful surveys include the gathering of subjective and objective data and require a nurse to be sensitive, open, curious, and willing to "see life as it is lived in a community" (Stanhope, & Lancaster, 2010).

Windshield Survey

Housing and Zoning

The school is located in the middle of a residential neighborhood. Three sides of the school are bordered by homes that were built in the late 1980s and early 1990s. These homes are made of brick and mortar and are of slab foundations. The homes have attached single car or double car garages. The Dallas Central Appraisal District website indicates that the homes in this neighborhood have lost approximately 11 percent of their value over the past three years (Dallas Central Appraisal District, 2011). Homes are primarily owned, and there is an overall vacancy rate of 4 percent in the area (Movoto, 2011).

Yards within the immediate vicinity of the school are well maintained with the exception of Christmas lights and decorations that are still in place as of February 2011. Privacy fences surround each dwelling. There are limited established trees in the residential areas; however the open fields near the school have lots of trees. The houses appear to be in generally good condition and seem to be regularly maintained. Landscaping of homes outside of a 2 mile radius of the school is limited or non-existent. These homes indicate need for routine maintenance, including paint, fencing repair, etcetera.

Open Space

Immediately north of the school is a public park with an open field. Limited playground equipment is observed, and no children are found playing. The park has a baseball field and bleachers. Lighting around the park seems to be adequate and traffic signs warning of children at play are aplenty. A large field with a ditch lies to the east of the school. Undeveloped areas of land exist within a mile of the school in a more industrial area of the community. The homes in this area have medium size lots.

Boundaries

Borders around the community consist of major roadways. One of the major roadways leads to a more rural area of the community, while another major roadway leads into a larger city. Though no subdivision name is displayed, the school is located in a neighborhood division bearing a specific name.

"Commons"

While there are several parks within a 3 mile radius of the school, very few residents are observed at leisure in them. Several older residents were observed visiting at one of the fast food restaurants near the school in the mid-afternoon. Although there are adequate shopping and fast food restaurants in the immediate area, no other community gathering place was observed at the time of this survey.

Transportation

Public transportation is not currently available in this community, therefore, the majority of the residents travel by private automobile. The community does have a public transportation option that provides rides for elderly and disabled passengers and this service was observed picking up an elderly passenger in the older residential area located a few miles from the school. The majority of the automobiles in the area appear to be less than 10 years old and have few bumper stickers on them. Very few cabs were observed. Several residents were seen walking to their destinations throughout the course of the survey. Streets in the neighborhood are in very good condition with no potholes noted. The nearest major highway is approximately 4 miles away. Sidewalks are well maintained, and crosswalks are clearly painted offering residents safe passage to their destinations. Children are observed being dropped off by their parents, and riding the school bus.

Service Centers

Several small strip centers are located within a mile of the school. Within these strip centers are dental offices, home health care centers, nail and hair salons, and exercise and dance studios. Donut shops and fast food restaurants are plentiful, and no full service restaurants are noted in the immediate area. The city government has a service center within a mile of the school which appears to be primarily related to municipal purposes and closed to the general public. A Head Start Community Center is located within three miles of the school.

Stores

Most of the shopping in this community is located in strip centers. A few drugstores and convenience stores are stand alone. A large mall is within a 5 mile radius of the school located off of a major highway. Thrift stores, dollar stores, and specialty shops such as vacuum repair centers, personal care salons, and technology centers are located in these retail outlets. A major grocery chain store is nearby.

Street People

Homeless people are not observed on street corners or other community gathering places throughout this survey. Mothers with young children are observed walking in the afternoons. Door to door salespersons, servicemen, or city workers were seen in the residential areas. Those individuals observed throughout the survey were dressed casually, primarily in jeans and t-shirts. A few cats are observed within the neighborhood. No dogs are seen.

Signs of Decay

Initial observation of this neighborhood may give the layperson the impression that it is on the way up, however, the gathering of additional data indicates that the neighborhood is on the way down. Home values are on the decline, and the crime rate is on the increase. Gang activity has increased over the past several months. Theft and vandalism are the prevalent crimes within this community (Movoto, 2011).

Race

The community is diverse and is comprised of Hispanic, African-Americans, and Caucasions. No Asians were observed during the completion of this windshield analysis.

Ethnicity