windshield survey

Location/ Area : Queens Hospital center

zip code :11432

(No AI usage / no plagiarism)

Purpose

The Windshield/Walking Survey is a systematic community assessment method used by community health nurses to gather observational data about a neighborhood. By physically moving through your communitywhether by car (windshield) or on foot (walking)you’ll observe housing conditions, transportation, safety factors, health resources, and demographics. This data will form the foundation for your Part II Community Profile & Teaching Project.

WHY THIS MATTERS FOR YOUR NURSING CAREER

Before you can improve a community’s health, you need to understand it. The Windshield/Walking Survey is one of the most valuable skills you’ll develop as a community health nurseit’s the same systematic assessment method used by public health departments, visiting nurse associations, and community organizations nationwide.

By the end of this assignment, you’ll be able to:

Assess a community the way practicing CHN nurses do

Identify health needs that aren’t visible in statistics alone

Connect what you SEE to what you KNOW about social determinants of health

Build the foundation for a real teaching intervention (Part II)

This isn’t busy workit’s the first step in making a real difference.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

You’ll physically move through your clinical communitywalkingand systematically observe what’s really happening in the neighborhood. You’re looking at housing, transportation, safety, health resources, and the people who live there.

Think of yourself as a detective gathering clues about this community’s health.

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

STEP 1: Confirm Your Community (Week 3-4)

Your community should be the neighborhood where you’ll complete clinical. Not sure? Check with your clinical instructor before you begin.

STEP 2: Plan Your Survey (Week 4)

Schedule at least 2 hours to walk through the community.

Pro tip: Go with your clinical groupit’s safer, and you’ll notice different things.

STEP 3: Observe and Document (Weeks 4-5)

Use the Windshield/Walking Survey Template (attached below) to record what you see. Don’t rely on memorytake notes in real time.

STEP 4: Take Photos (During Your Survey)

Capture at least 3+ photos of public spaces: streets, buildings, parks, storefronts, transit stops.

Important: Photograph SPACES, not people. This protects community members’ privacy and keeps your focus on the environment.

STEP 5: Analyze What You Found (Week 5-6)

Look at your observations as a whole. What are this community’s strengths? What health concerns stand out? Your analysis here becomes the foundation for Part II.

WHAT TO OBSERVE: 14 CATEGORIES

As you move through the community, look for clues in each of these areas:

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

Housing & Zoning What types of housing do you see? Houses, apartments, public housing? What condition are they in? Is it all residential, or mixed with businesses?

Open Spaces Are there parks? Playgrounds? Green spaces where people gather? Are they well-maintained and being used?

Boundaries What defines this neighborhood? A highway? A river? A change in housing type? Where does it begin and end?

GETTING AROUND

Transportation How do people get around? Is there public transit? Are streets walkable? Do you see bike lanes? How’s the traffic?

SERVICES & RESOURCES

Health Resources Do you see hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, urgent care? What about mental health services or substance abuse treatment?

Social Services Schools, churches, community centers, food pantries, social service offices?

Stores & Services Grocery stores or just corner stores? Fast food or sit-down restaurants? Banks? Laundromats? What do residents have access to?

SAFETY & PROTECTION

Protective Services Do you see police? Fire stations? How visible are emergency services?

Signs of Decay Abandoned buildings? Graffiti? Litter? Broken windows? Overgrown lots?

Signs of Renewal New construction? Renovations? Fresh paint? Community gardens?

PEOPLE & CULTURE

Street Scene Who do you see on the streets? Families? Elderly? Young people? Do you see signs of homelessness?

Race & Ethnicity What diversity do you observe? What languages are on signs? What cultural indicators do you notice?

Religion Places of worship? Religious symbols or institutions?

Politics & Media Political signs? Community bulletin boards? Local newspapers? How does information flow here?

WHAT GOOD OBSERVATIONS LOOK LIKE

Vague (needs work):

“The housing is old.”

Specific (much better):

“Most housing consists of 3-story brick rowhouses built in the early 1900s. Approximately 1 in 4 buildings show signs of deferred maintenancepeeling paint, missing gutters, or boarded windows on upper floors. Several buildings have ‘For Rent’ signs, suggesting turnover.”

See the difference? Specific observations give you something to work with when you identify health concerns.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

GO BEYOND MAIN STREETS

Walk the side streets and edges of the neighborhood (safety first). That’s often where you’ll find the most revealing information.

NOTICE WHAT’S MISSING

Sometimes what you DON’T see is just as important. No grocery store? No pharmacy? No playground? That tells you something.

USE ALL YOUR SENSES

What do you hear? Smell? Feel? Traffic noise, industrial smells, or the quiet of a residential street all provide data.

TAKE MORE PHOTOS THAN YOU NEED

You can always delete extras, but you can’t go back in time.

WRITE WHILE IT’S FRESH

Don’t wait until you get home. Jot notes in your phone or on paper as you go.

COMPARE WHAT YOU SEE TO WHAT YOU EXPECTED

Were you surprised by anything? That surprise is often diagnostically useful.

COMMON QUESTIONS

Q: What if my community feels too big?

A: Focus on a specific areadefine it by street boundaries or zip code. A 10-15 block radius is usually manageable.

Q: Can I use Google Street View?

A: Only as a supplement, not a replacement. You need to physically be there to notice things like sounds, smells, activity levels, and changes since the last Google car drove through.

Q: What if I don’t feel safe in parts of the community?

A: Trust your instincts. Survey with your clinical instructor and group during daylight hours. Skip areas that feel unsafeyour well-being comes first. Note in your survey that certain areas weren’t accessible and why.

Q: How do I know if I’ve observed “enough”?

A: If you can speak knowledgeably about each of the 14 categories and support your conclusions with specific examples, you’ve done enough.

HOW YOU’LL BE EVALUATED 9 (see rubric attached)

Your survey will be assessed on four criteria:

COMPLETENESS OF OBSERVATIONS (20 points)

Did you address all 14 categories with specific, detailed observations?

QUALITY & ORGANIZATION (15 points)

Is your documentation clear, well-organized, and professional? Are community boundaries clearly defined?

PHOTO DOCUMENTATION (5 points)

Did you include at least 3+ photos of public spaces (no people) that support your observations?

COMMUNITY ANALYSIS (10 points)

Did you identify meaningful strengths AND health concerns? Are they connected to your observations?

Total: 50 points

FORMATTING CHECKLIST

Used the Windshield/Walking Survey Template (download below)

4-6 pages of written observations

Community name and boundaries clearly stated at the top

All 14 observation categories completed

At least 3+ photos embedded in the document after the reference list (public spaces only)

Community strengths section completed

Health concerns section completed

Your name and date on the document

This survey becomes the foundation for Part II: Community Profile & Teaching Project. The health concerns you identify here will guide your group’s teaching intervention. The better your survey, the easier Part II will be.