Community Assessment

Community health nursing recognizes the community as client.  Thus, the practice of community health nursing is based upon the assessment of the community.  From this assessment the nurse identifies health problems of significance to the community.  Through analysis of the community assessment and in collaboration with community stakeholders, the nurse helps to develop a plan for interventions and evaluation. 

For this assignment, you will 1) conduct an in-depth assessment of a community, 2) identify, explore, and evaluate available community resources, 3) develop an appropriate and realistic plan of care targeted at resolving identified health problems and 4) identify evaluative measures. 

 

Community: Somerset-Bellvue, Washington

 

The Community Assessment is worth 200 points and is 30% of the final course grade.

Prompt:

Read the Community Assessment Instructions and Grading Rubric provided below.

Purpose of the Community Assessment Assignment:

Community health nursing recognizes the community as client.  Thus, the practice of community health nursing is based upon the assessment of the community.  From this assessment the nurse identifies health problems of significance to the community.  Through analysis of the community assessment and in collaboration with community stakeholders, the nurse helps to develop a plan for interventions and evaluation. 

For this assignment, you will 1) conduct an in-depth assessment of a community, 2) identify, explore, and evaluate available community resources, 3) develop an appropriate and realistic plan of care targeted at resolving identified health problems and 4) identify evaluative measures. 

Instructions:

1. Please follow the guidelines and rubric below.
2. Write a formal report, i.e. paper, for submission on Module 6 Community Assessment Submission site (this site).

 

 

please see specific guidelines in rubric

Community health nursing recognizes the community as client.  Thus, the practice of community health nursing is based upon the assessment of the community.  From this assessment the nurse identifies health problems of significance to the community.  Through analysis of the community assessment and in collaboration with community stakeholders, the nurse helps to develop a plan for interventions and evaluation. 

 

For this assignment, you will 1) conduct an in-depth assessment of a community, 2) identify, explore, and evaluate available community resources, 3) develop an appropriate and realistic plan of care targeted at resolving identified health problems and 4) identify evaluative measures. 

 

Community : Tell City, Indiana 

Community Assessment-Windshield Survey of Bridgeport, Connecticut

Conduct the Windshield Survey to gather data from eight subsystems. Use the Windshield Survey Worksheet as a guide for data collection

Be sure to provide as much detail as possible so the reader can obtain a full description of the community. Under Race/Ethnicity, provide community statistics to document this element. Health Indicators, provide epidemiology data to support health issues in the community. Provide leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Discuss the strengths and challenges of the community. Assess the political, religious, educational, health issues, and health care systems within the community. Provide supporting data.

The Windshield Survey will include all the following:

·       A cover page.

·       An introduction including the address of the community, the purpose of the survey, and community boundaries.

·       Content pages 5-7  pages.

·       Reference page-  Minimum of 3 references

Community Core

Observations on foot or in car

1.       History of the Community

What can you derive by observing the community (e.g. old established neighborhoods, new neighborhoods, or gentrification?

 

2.       Demographics

What do you observe on the streets? Do you see anyone you would not expect to see at that time of day? Is the population diverse? If so what makes it diverse?

 

3.       Ethnicity

Do you note indicators of different ethnic groups? What type of food stores, churches, or restaurants?

 

4.       Values and Beliefs

Are there churches, temples, or Mosques? Are there any historical markers? Is the neighborhood well cared for: lawns well-groomed, flowers and plantings? Art Galleries? Heritage museums. Do you see advertisements for youth groups, children’s groups, or family support services?

 

 

Subsystems

Observations on foot or in care

1.       Physical environment

 

How does the community look? Include information on climate, terrain, air quality, housing, commercial development, size, neighborhoods, open space, grass, trees, pets, people, natural beauty, cleanliness and ‘eyesores”

 

2.       Health and Social Services

Medical provider access: hospitals, clinics, private practitioner offices, EMS services (don’t forget to include the large extra community resources that residents will utilize) extended care facilities, pharmacies, social service agencies, mental health services, Complementary and Alternative Health Medicine(CAM) provider, dentists, physical therapists, shelters, support groups, free clinics/screenings

 

3.       Economy

Thriving community or struggling. Why do you believe this? Is there trash, dilapidated buildings, abandoned cars? Did you observe homes for sale, auction, local businesses closing/startups, abandoned buildings, shopping opportunities? (statistical research could also include information on median income, per capita income, poverty rates, unemployment rates, and food stamp usage)

 

4.       Transportation and safety

How do people get around?  What transportation options exist? Private or public? Are there walkers, bikes, taxis? Assess sidewalks, crosswalks, highways, bike paths, etc., What type of protective services are there? Police, fire, sanitation? (Statistical information could also include information on crime statistics, seatbelt use, bicycle helmet promotion programs, preventable injury data, neighborhood crime watch programs, disaster management plans, sanitation, and solid waste issues, water quality, etc.)

 

5.       Politics and Government

Do you observe signs of political activity? What are the political issues, styles of government, town council composition, recent referendum/results, and voter registration opportunities in your community? Is this a town or city? Is there a town council?

 

6.       Communication

Includes information on newspapers, community TV, radio, newsletters, town website, meetings, common areas where people gather to socialize, flyers, posters, emergency notification systems. Do you have a sense of territoriality, or are people welcoming?

 

7.       Education

What can you observe about the area schools and libraries? Research information on their performance/reputations, dropout rates, graduation rates, college attendance rates, per-pupil spending, school/health nurse services availability, and or head start programs.

 

8.       Recreation

What do your observations and research reveal about your community’s recreation options such as parks, programs, dances, athletic facilities, sports leagues, after school clubs, theaters?

 

 

 

Paper Criteria

Organization – All paragraphs relate to topic sentences, fully developed. Transitions effective. Uses academic voice throughout. All sentences are well-written. Fully addresses all aspects of the assignment.

 

Table/ Content Development – Proficient development; comprehensive knowledge of subject matter as evidenced by full application of course concepts and terms. Substantial, logical, & concrete development of ideas. Assumptions are made explicit. Details are germane, original, and convincingly interpreted.

 

Information Integration: All ideas or opinions of others attributed to credible appropriate sources, relevant to concept development. Combines material from a variety of sources, including personal observation, scientific data, authoritative testimony. Not overly dependent on quotations. Seamless integration of sources into narrative.

 

Spelling/Grammar/Punctuation – The paper is free from errors of spelling and mechanics.

 

APA style – No APA style errors. Academic writing flows and is easy to follow.

 

Citation and References – Correct use of APA formatting for in-text citations and reference page (no errors).

n this module, you will complete a full assessment of your own community. You may build upon this assessment in Community Health II by planning, implementing and evaluating a project within your community designed to address primary prevention of an identified health concern.

Defining the Community

Your community can be any geographically defined county, city, or town. Clearly delineate the following dimensions before starting the process of community assessment:

• Describe the population that is being assessed?
• What is/are the race(s) of this population within the community?
• Are there boundaries of this group? If so, what are they?
• Does this community exist within a certain city or county?
• Are there general characteristics that separate this group from others?
• Education levels, birth/death rates, age of deaths, insured/uninsured?
• Where is this group located geographically…? Urban/rural?
• Why is a community assessment being performed? What purpose will it serve?
• How will information for the community assessment be collected?

Assessment

After the community has been defined, the next phase is assessment. The following items describe several resources and methods that can be used to gather and generate data. These items serve as a starting point for data collection. This is not an all-inclusive list of resources and methods that may be used when a community assessment is conducted.

The time frame for completion of the assessment may influence which methods are used. Nonetheless, these items should be reviewed to determine what information will be useful to collect about the community that is being assessed. It is not necessary to use all of these resources and methods; however, use of a variety of methods is helpful when one is exploring the needs of a community.

Data Gathering (collecting information that already exists)

Demographics of the Community

• When demographic data are collected, it is useful to collect data from a variety of levels so comparisons can be made.
• If the population that is being assessed is located within a specific setting, it may be best to contact that agency to retrieve specific information about that population.
• The following resources provide a broad overview of the demographics of a city, county, or state:
• American Fact Finder—Find population, housing, and economic and geographic data for your city based on U.S. Census data
• State and County Quick Facts—Easy access to facts about people, business, and geography, based on U.S. Census data
• Obtain information about a specific city or county on these useful websites www.epodunk.com and www.city-data.com

Information from Government Agencies

• Healthy People 2020—this resource is published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It identifies health improvement goals and objectives for the country to be reached by the year 2020
• National Center for Health Statistics—this agency is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; this website provides statistical information about the health of Americans
  • National Vital Statistics System
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—The CDC website contains a large amount of information related to the health of the American population. The search engine within this website can be used to find relevant information
• Federal agencies with statistical programs
• Every state in the United States has its own specific health improvement plan and goals that are based on the Healthy People 2020 document. This information may be available on the state health department website.
• State and local health departments provide information related to vital statistics for the community.

Other Data Sources

• America’s Health Rankings—this website provides information about various health indicators for each state: https://www.americashealthrankings.org/
• Other relevant data sources may be found by conducting an Internet search related to the topic that is being examined through the community assessment.

After data are collected from various sources, it is important to review the information and to identify assets and areas for improvement in the community by comparing local data (if available) versus state and national data. This will facilitate organization of the information that has already been obtained and will provide direction for the next step of the process.

Data Generation (data are developed that do not already exist):

Windshield Surveys

With the use of public transportation or by driving a vehicle around the community, one can observe common characteristics of the community.

Examples of key observations to make when one is assessing the community through a windshield survey include the following:

• Age of the homes in the community
• Location of parks and other recreational areas
• Amount of space between homes and businesses
• Neighborhood hangouts
• Transportation in the community
• Quality and safety of streets and sidewalks
• Stores and other businesses
• People out in the community
• Cleanliness of the community
• Billboards or other media displays
• Places of worship
• Healthcare facilities

Participant Observation

Spend time observing the population that is being assessed. Through observation of interactions among group members, much can be learned about the community, including the following:

• Developmental level of the population
• Effectiveness of peer-to-peer interactions
• Respect for peers and others
• Safety in the environment
• Economic status

Informant Interviews

Informants could be people who are familiar with and interact with the population on a regular basis.

Examples of questions that may be asked of key informants include the following:

• Strengths/assets of the community
• Areas of improvement for the community
• Concerns of community members
• Access to health care
• Emergency plans for natural or man-made disasters

Focus Groups

Focus groups (usually small groups of 6-12 people) can be helpful when one is gathering information about specific areas of concern within the population. Use of a focus group involves open dialogue about the population, whereas an interview or survey yields only individual responses.

• Focus groups may be effective for assessing the following:
• Satisfaction with services provided
• Community resources used
• Transportation issues within the community
• Safety within the community
• General concerns of members of the population

Surveys

Surveys may be used to collect data from the community. Selecting a sample of the target population may prove helpful in the collection of data that are easier to analyze. It is important to ensure that the sample is representative of the target population.

A survey should be developed that takes into consideration the developmental level of the group that is being assessed. Questions should be written at the appropriate developmental level, so they are answered in a way that makes the data useful. Surveys might include closed-ended (yes/no), multiple choice (several responses to choose from), Likert scale (Strongly Agree/Agree/Neutral/Disagree/Strongly Disagree), or open-ended (“why”/“how”) questions.

Topics that may be addressed in a survey include the following:

• Demographic information
• Status of employment
• Safety within community
• Safety in environment
• Personal safety (seatbelts, helmets, etc.)
• Stressors/stress management patterns
• Risky behaviors
• Support systems
• Volunteer/community activities
• Rest patterns
• Nutrition
• Dental hygiene
• Health promotion activities

Your submission should be a minimum of 2000 words (maximum 2500 words) in length and should completely answer the proposed questions/items as listed under “Overview”. You should have a minimum of three (3) references. APA formatting is required and all responses should be combined into a single document for submission. Use the rubric as a guide for the evaluation method of the project.