NSG-440 / NSG-440C Population Health

Assignment 6: Community Windshield Survey and Population-Focused Care Plan

1. Assessment Overview

Unit/Program: Pre-Licensure BSN
Course: NSG-440 Population Health (theory) with NSG-440C Population Health Clinical
Assessment Type: Individual community assessment report plus population-focused nursing care plan
Placement: Early to mid course after introductory topics on population health, epidemiology, and community assessment
Length: 4–5 page written report (approximately 1,400–1,600 words)
Weighting: 20–25% of course grade; frequently used as a signature or benchmark assignment in community or population health

The assignment develops core competencies in community and population-focused nursing by asking you to complete a windshield or walking survey, synthesize community data, and design an initial population-focused care plan for a priority health problem.

2. Community Assessment Context

You will conduct a windshield or walking survey in a defined community such as a neighbourhood, town, or catchment area approved by your instructor and consistent with NSG-440C clinical guidelines.

• Use the NSG-440 Windshield or Walking Survey Assessment Template or equivalent structure provided in your course.

• Observe environmental, social, and health-related features such as housing conditions, transportation, green spaces, healthcare facilities, schools, places of worship, businesses, signage, and visible health risks.

• When possible, supplement observations with publicly available data such as local health department reports or census data to strengthen your community profile.

3. Task Description

3.1 Community Windshield / Walking Survey Report (4–5 pages)

Organize your report using headings that align with common NSG-440 templates and public health frameworks.

i. Introduction and Community Profile

• Define the community assessed, including geographic boundaries, approximate population, and urban, suburban, or rural context, without using identifying addresses.

• Provide a brief overview of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics using available data such as age distribution, visible indicators of income level, and population characteristics.

ii. Windshield / Walking Observations

• Summarize observations across key domains such as housing, environment, transportation, safety, economic activity, schools, healthcare services, recreation, and social cohesion.

• Highlight health-related strengths and health-related risks evident within the community.

iii. Priority Community Health Problem

• Identify one priority community or population-level health problem based on observations and available data.

• Write a community-focused nursing diagnosis that reflects the problem, the affected population, and contributing environmental or social factors.

iv. Determinants of Health and Disparities

• Discuss at least two social or environmental determinants of health contributing to the priority problem.

• Consider any visible or documented health disparities affecting specific groups within the community.

3.2 Population-Focused Nursing Care Plan (within the same 4–5 pages)

Develop a brief population-focused care plan that addresses the identified health problem at a prevention or early intervention level.

i. Goals and Expected Outcomes

• Write one long-term goal and two short-term objectives measurable at a community or group level.

• Ensure objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

ii. Population-Focused Interventions

• Propose at least three interventions targeted at the community or a defined sub-population, clearly indicating the level of prevention.

• Identify key partners such as public health agencies, schools, community organizations, and describe how they would be engaged.

iii. Evaluation Plan

• Outline how success would be evaluated using measurable indicators such as attendance, screening rates, survey results, or process outcomes.

• Explain how community feedback would inform improvement of the plan.

The care plan should reflect population health thinking by focusing on groups and systems rather than individual bedside care and integrating prevention, partnership, and equity.

4. Assignment Requirements and Formatting

• Length: 4–5 typed, double-spaced pages excluding title page and references.

• Organization: Use headings such as Community Profile, Windshield Survey, Priority Community Health Problem, Determinants of Health, Goals and Interventions, and Evaluation.

• Sources: Use at least three current scholarly or governmental sources published between 2018 and 2026.

• Academic Integrity: Use your own words for observations and analysis and cite all external sources correctly.

• Confidentiality: Avoid identifiable personal information and keep descriptions at the community level.

5. Marking Criteria / Scoring Rubric (Summarized)

Total: 100 marks

5.1 Community Assessment (60 marks)

i. Community Profile and Description (15 marks)

• High Distinction: Clear, accurate, and well-organized community description using relevant data.

• Pass: Adequate description with some missing detail.

• Fail: Vague or incomplete profile.

ii. Windshield / Walking Observations (20 marks)

• High Distinction: Observations are specific and clearly linked to health implications.

• Pass: Observations relevant but mainly descriptive.

• Fail: Observations minimal or disconnected.

iii. Priority Problem and Determinants of Health (25 marks)

• High Distinction: Priority problem justified with strong linkage to observations and determinants.

• Pass: Priority reasonable with some discussion of determinants.

• Fail: Weak justification or unclear determinants.

5.2 Population-Focused Care Plan (40 marks)

i. Goals and Objectives (10 marks)

• High Distinction: Clearly SMART and aligned with population health.

• Pass: Generally clear but some lack precision.

• Fail: Vague or individual-focused.

ii. Interventions and Partnerships (20 marks)

• High Distinction: Realistic, evidence-informed, and targeted interventions.

• Pass: Appropriate but general.

• Fail: Generic or poorly linked to problem.

iii. Evaluation Plan and Use of Evidence (10 marks)

• High Distinction: Clear evaluation metrics and strong evidence integration.

• Pass: Evaluation present but limited.

• Fail: Evaluation unclear or absent.

6.

A mixed residential and industrial neighbourhood with ageing housing, limited green space, and several fast-food outlets but no full-service grocery store showed visible signs of disadvantage, including vacant buildings and heavy traffic. These conditions supported the diagnosis of risk for obesity and chronic disease among adults in the community related to limited access to healthy food, reduced opportunities for physical activity, and socioeconomic constraints. Collaborating with community centres, faith organizations, and public health agencies to develop walking groups, accessible health education sessions, and advocacy for improved food access represents a realistic first step toward population-focused care planning (Coulter et al., 2015).

Strong community engagement improves the effectiveness of population health interventions by increasing trust, cultural relevance, and sustained participation. When residents are involved in identifying priorities and shaping strategies, programs are more likely to reflect real needs and achieve measurable outcomes such as improved screening uptake and health literacy. This approach is consistent with contemporary public health frameworks that emphasize partnership, empowerment, and shared ownership of health improvement efforts (Stanhope and Lancaster, 2020).

7. Learning Resources / References

1. Stanhope, M. and Lancaster, J. (2020) Public health nursing: Population-centered health care in the community. 11th edn. St. Louis: Elsevier.

2. Nies, M.A. and McEwen, M. (2019) Community/public health nursing: Promoting the health of populations. 7th edn. St. Louis: Elsevier.

3. Coulter, A., Entwistle, V.A., Eccles, A., Ryan, S., Shepperd, S. and Perera, R. (2015) ‘Personalised care planning for adults with chronic or long-term health conditions’, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (3), CD010523.

4. World Health Organization (2018) Health in all policies: Framework for country action. Geneva: WHO.

5. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2020) Healthy People 2030: Social determinants of health.

6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021) Principles of community engagement. 2nd edn. Atlanta: CDC.