ESSAY: Conduct a “Windshield Survey” in a section of your community.

Conduct a “Windshield Survey” in a section of your community. Instructions for the survey can be found in Stanhope and Lancaster (2016) on page 416, Table 18-6. As you notice, conducting a Windshield Survey requires that you either walk around or drive around a particular section of the community and take notes about what you observe. A Windshield Survey cannot be conducted by reviewing websites or Google Earth only. It requires actually taking a look at the selected area of the community. This survey should be focused on the problem and population you have selected for your practicum project. If you choose, for example, obesity among Hispanic schoolchildren, you might want to locate a section of the community where many Hispanic children live, or you might want to conduct the Windshield Survey around where Hispanic children attend school. If Hispanic children are not found in a specific section of your community (e.g., Chinatown in San Francisco or Harlem in New York), then you may select the section of the community where you live or work but pay particular attention to your practicum population and practicum problem as you conduct a survey of the community as viewed through the eyes of the public health nurse.

By Day 7 of Week 3
Submit a 3- to 4-page paper including:

Introduction to the community, including the name of the community and any interesting or historical facts you would like to add about where you live
Photographs of the selected area of the community that serve as evidence of your observations and hypotheses

Windshield Survey findings, including a description of the section of your community that you chose to survey
Description of the Vulnerable Population and Available Resources
Demographics of the vulnerable population
What social determinants create their vulnerable status?
What community strengths exist to assist this population?
Conclusions based on Nursing Assessment of the Community
Based on what you have found, what conclusions can you draw about your community and your selected population for your practicum?

ANSWER

Windshield Survey of Richmond Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

For this windshield survey I took a walk on a Saturday afternoon in the Richland Township area of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Being a weekend, there were numerous activities going on in the various social amenities that are provided by the county. The term Richland was coined in reference to its fertile soils. The township area occupies is located about 18 miles on the northwest side of Pittsburgh. The main features that can be easily located include the rolling hills, a community park that is approximately 80 acres and horse trails. The McKelvy Stop Farm built in 1878 and located along Meridian Road, is one of the key historical places (SAYHAY 2018).  The farm house is considered one of the original houses built on the “Depreciation Lands” that were occupied by the Indians. Other key and historical features include the Eden Hall Farm and the St. Barnabas Free Home.

Pine Richland Schools

Population Demographics

Population estimates of the Richland Township, according to the United States Census Bureau, stood at 11, 472 residents. The majority of the occupants are White at 94.4%, people of Asian origin at 3%, Hispanic or Latino at 3% and African Americans at 1.6% (United States Census Bureau, n.d). The statics from the Bureau also show that more than 16% of the population is aged 65 years or older. The Bureau further indicates that more than 96.5% of the individuals aged 25 years and older have at least a high school certificate or higher qualification and 52.3% have a Bachelor’s degree or higher qualifications (United States Census Bureau, n.d). Regarding health, the township has 6.2% of its people (under the age of 65 years) living with some of disability with 1.4% of the population living without a health insurance (United States Census Bureau, n.d). The town is served by a transport system which is moderately effective as it takes an average of 30 minutes to travel to work. Between 2012 and 2016, the median income per a household stood at $86, 735 while the per capita income for 12 months in the same period was $41, 845. Nonetheless, approximately 6% of the population is said to be living in poverty (United States Census Bureau, n.d).

Health Risks for Senior Citizens This survey chose to perform a health needs assessment for the senior citizens in Richlands Township because of their vulnerability resulting from low incomes in their families and other social determinants. According to CDC, people that have attained the age of 65, can on average, expect to live for an extra 19.3 years. However, for a majority of seniors, this life includes managing chronic conditions to stay healthy. When such risk factors are coupled with the vulnerabilities of the senior citizens in Richland…