Community Assessment Paper Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to provide an opportunity for the student to collaborate with fellow peers, community members and practice doing a modified community assessment, which is the first step in providing appropriate, competent nursing care to a home nursing client. Each student will be responsible for writing their own section of the assessment paper with their own title page, references and appendices. It will be marked out of 100 total percentage for each student (see rubric) and will account for 20% of your final grade.

There will be a maximum total of 4 marks for correct APA format, spelling and grammar (being able to communicate clearly, in all formats is vital for community health nurses!). This is worth 10% of the paper grade. For each mistake in formatting, grammar or spelling, marks will be deducted to a maximum of the final mark (see rubric).

Format: The paper must be processed as a Word document, typed, double-spaced and have a 1” margin on all sides. The font must be Times New Roman, size 12. It must include a proper title page: a title conveying the content of the assignment Title:

“Community Assessment Paper”, your name and student number, the course, teacher’s name and date of submission. Scholarly writing is expected and develops with practice; therefore it will be evaluated accordingly.

You must use your own wording. Do not copy wording from other sources.  If you need to copy a sentence, make sure you put quotation marks around the sentence and give the reference (author (s) last name only, date of publication) immediately following the quote. A reference list must be included at the end of your paper with references in alphabetical order for ALL references used for your assignment.

Graphs, tables of data, maps or pamphlets may be submitted as appendices to support the information provided in the body of the essay and should be properly labeled and referred to in the body of the paper.

The assignment should be 5-7 pages in length (for each student’s section) not including title page, maps, appendices and references.  An abstract is not necessary.

The assignment is to be submitted by email as an attachment with all group/pair members copied (listed) on the email.

Visiting nurses are given a client’s name, age, address, medical diagnosis and reason for the visit when they are asked to take on a new client to provide visiting nursing care. On the way to the first visit the nurse makes a survey of the neighbourhood and community in which the client lives.

Format of the Assignment

Usually the visiting nurse is familiar with a neighbourhood as they frequently work in the same geographic area, but part of the planning of a first visit to a new area involves a community survey. The survey (e.g. windshield survey) is done to help the nurse understand the physical and social environment in which the client lives.  The nurse is responsible for making a thorough assessment of the client and his/her family to determine client needs and strengths. An understanding and knowledge of the community resources available to the client is key to ensuring comprehensive care planning with the client.

A community nurse must have a complete and updated knowledge and understanding of social resources (e.g. volunteer organizations that provide free or low-cost services, government programs, neighbourhood resources), economic resources (e.g. employment, government support programs, private organizational funding for specific health conditions, etc.), physical resources (e.g. buses, taxis, transportation, hospitals, walk-in clinics, pharmacies, labs, parks, walking trails, housing, etc.), and spiritual supports (e.g. religious organizations, etc.).

The visiting nurse must be well equipped to problem solve issues with the community clients about use of resources to facilitate health and healing. Knowing the community resources and physical environment your client has at his/her disposal is an important part of community nursing.

Each student pair will be provided with a client scenario; brief information stating the client’s name, age, medical diagnosis, and reason for the nursing visit. The students will research their client’s health concern so as to understand the community resources and aids they might need. The student will then conduct a community survey of a specific area in Chatham-Kent, Windsor- Essex or Sarnia- Lampton.

An intersection of two roads will be chosen that will illustrate the hypothetical address of your client and conduct the survey of that community as well as around the supporting area. The community should not be much larger than 25-35 blocks. The student will conduct a windshield survey of the chosen community and then research the community resources available that might prove useful for their specific client. Search for available community agencies, government agencies, funding agencies, volunteer agencies, community resources, etc. in the chosen community that could potentially prove useful to the client/family. 

•Briefly reiterate the client’s name, age, medical diagnosis, and reason for nursing visit

•State the intersection that illustrates your client’s address that you have chosen

•Describe your chosen community in general terms (e.g. it is in a small town, 15 kilometers from Chatham, with a population of about 5000 people; or, it is in the southeast area of the city of Windsor, in a densely populated area, etc.). Attach (copy & paste) a map of your community. Use MapQuest or another map program and attach as Appendix A to your assignment .

What is a community survey and why do we care?

•Describe the time of day and day of the week you conducted your “walk through” of the community

•State why it is important for visiting nurses to do a community survey

•The “windshield survey” portion of the assignment is conducted by walking/driving the community.

•You will collect data by observation and communicating with residents of your chosen community.

•The idea is to use a variety of senses to capture the essence of the community, a sense of the tone of the community

•Observing the physical spaces where people meet and gather

•Plan or map out your route through the community

•Observations of the community should be made at different times of the day and different days of the week to fully capture the life of the community

•Be prepared to explain your presence to community residents if challenged – have your student identification and state your project.

•The following provides a guide for undertaking a windshield survey. There are key points to interest and suggested questions to ask as you experience the community.

•History: What can you glean by looking (e.g. old, established neighbourhoods, new subdivisions)? Ask people willing to talk: how long have you lived here? Has the area changed?

•Demographics: What sorts of people do you see? Young? Old? Homeless? Alone? Families? Is the population homogenous? 
Ethnicity: Do you note indicators of different ethnic groups (e.g. restaurants, festivals)? What signs do you see of different cultural groups?

•Values and Beliefs: Are there churches, mosques, temples? Does it appear homogenous? Are the properties cared for? Are the lawns cared for? With flowers? Gardens? Signs of art? Culture? Heritage? Historical markers?

•Physical environment: How does the community look? What do you note about air quality, flora, housing, zoning, space, green areas, animals, people, human-made structures, natural beauty, water, and climate? Can you find or develop a map of the area? What is the size (e.g. square kilometers, blocks)?

•Health and Social Services: Evidence of acute or chronic conditions? Shelters? Alternative therapists/healers? Are there clinics, hospitals, practitioners’ offices, public health services, home health agencies, emergency centers, nursing homes, social service facilities, mental health services? Are there resources outside the community but readily accessible?

•Economy: Is it a thriving community or does it feel “seedy?” Are there industries, stores, places for employment? Where do people shop? Are there food banks? What is the unemployment rate?

•Transportation and safety: How do people get around? What type of private and public transportation is available? Do you see buses, bicycles, taxis? Are there sidewalks, bike trails? Is getting around in the community possible for people with disabilities? What types of protective services are there (e.g. fire, police, sanitation, ambulance)? Is air quality monitored? What types of crimes are committed? Do people feel safe?

•Politics and government: Are there signs of political activity (e.g. posters, meetings)? What party affiliation predominates?
Communication: Are there “common areas” where people gather? What newspapers do you see in the stands? Do people have TVs and radios? What do they watch/listen to? What are the formal and informal means of communication?

•Education: Are there schools in the area? How do they look? Are there parent-teacher councils at them? What are the drop-out rates? Are there extracurricular activities available at the schools? Are there public libraries in the area?

•Recreation: Where do the children play? What are the major forms of recreation? Who participates? What facilities for recreation do you see?

•The residents: How do people feel about the community? What do they identify as strengths? Problems? Ask several people from different groups (e.g. old, young, blue collar worker, white collar worker, housewife/husband, and clergy) and keep track of who gives you what information.

•Your perceptions: General statements about the health of this community. What are strengths or potential problems you can identify in relation to the determinants of health