| Course | N489 Community Health Nursing I |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 3 |
| Paper type | Windshield survey |
| Length | About 1,017 words, 6 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Aspen University |
| Program | Pre-licensure BSN |
| Updated | September 2026 |
Free sample paper for N489 Module 3
Wide Streets, Few Sidewalks and a Full Church Parking Lot: A Windshield Survey Where Adult Inactivity Is Highest in Pueblo County
Student Name
Pre-licensure BSN Program, Aspen University
N489: Community Health Nursing I
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
Wide Streets, Few Sidewalks and a Full Church Parking Lot: A Windshield Survey Where Adult Inactivity Is Highest in Pueblo County
A windshield survey is a structured look at a community from a car, a bus or on foot, recording what can be observed about housing, services, people and the physical environment. Public health nursing texts use it as a first step in community assessment, combined with data and conversations with residents (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2020). This survey focuses on the part of Pueblo County where adult physical inactivity is highest. The tract data are real; the neighborhood described is a composite, drawn to show how a survey is conducted and reported, and it does not describe any specific street.
Why This Area
Tract-level PLACES estimates show wide variation inside the county. The share of adults reporting no leisure-time physical activity ranges from 17.9% in the least inactive tract to 54.6% in the most inactive, census tract 3.00, with several other tracts near the city center above 39% (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2025). A county rate of 26.8% hides neighborhoods where more than half of adults report no activity, which is why the survey looked at those tracts. That gap is itself a finding worth reporting to partners.
How the Survey Was Done
The composite survey took place on a weekday morning between 7 and 9 and a Saturday afternoon between 1 and 3, driving slowly and then walking a ten-block loop. Observations were recorded under standard elements without judging them at the time, and interpretation was added afterward. Two observers compared notes to separate what they saw from what they assumed. Photographs were not taken of people or homes, and no residents were identified, in keeping with the respect owed to a community being studied.
Observations
The table summarizes observations by element.
| Element | What was observed |
|---|---|
| Housing | Single-story brick and frame houses, many from before 1960; some vacant lots; two small apartment buildings |
| Streets and sidewalks | Wide streets with fast traffic on two arterials; sidewalks broken or missing on about half of the blocks walked; few crosswalks |
| Parks and open space | One small park with a playground and no walking path; a school field fenced and locked on Saturday |
| Transportation | Two bus stops without shelters; most adults seen were driving |
| Services | A convenience store, two fast-food restaurants, a pharmacy, a dollar store; no full grocery store within the loop |
| Places of worship and gathering | Two churches, one with a full parking lot and a community room sign; a senior meal site |
| People | Weekday: adults waiting for buses, older adults sitting on porches; Saturday: few people walking, children on bicycles |
| Signs of community life | Murals, a community garden with raised beds, handwritten flyers for a church food pantry and a quinceanera |
Barriers to Physical Activity
Several observations suggest barriers. Broken or missing sidewalks and fast traffic make walking less safe, especially for older adults. The small park lacks a walking path, and the school field is closed on weekends. The absence of a nearby grocery store and the presence of fast-food outlets point to an environment that also makes healthy eating harder. These are features of the neighborhood and built environment, one of the five determinant domains (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion [ODPHP], n.d.). Summer heat, when afternoon temperatures in Pueblo often pass 90 degrees Fahrenheit, adds another barrier for outdoor walking, and few shaded routes were seen.
Assets
A community assessment should record strengths as well as problems. The full church parking lot, the community room, the senior meal site and the community garden show places where people already gather. The murals and flyers show active community life. These assets matter because programs are more likely to succeed when they are built on places and groups residents already trust, rather than on new sites residents must be persuaded to visit. The community garden in particular suggests residents already value outdoor activity close to home, which a walking route could connect.
Checking Observations Against Secondary Data
Observation alone can mislead. A quiet Saturday may reflect the heat or the time of day, not a lack of activity. The survey was therefore compared with secondary data: the tract's inactivity estimate of 54.6%, county poverty of 14.6% and the county's older age structure all support the impression of an area where many adults are not active (CDC, 2025; U.S. Census Bureau, 2025). The next step would be to talk with residents, church leaders and the senior meal site staff to learn what they see as barriers and what they would join.
Limits of a Windshield Survey
A windshield survey captures what is visible from the street at particular times. It cannot show what happens inside homes, how residents feel about safety or what activities take place in private spaces such as church halls. It also carries the observer's assumptions, which is why two observers and a separation of observation from interpretation matter.
Next Steps in the Assessment
The survey is a starting point. The next steps are key informant interviews with a pastor, the meal site coordinator and a neighborhood association leader; a short survey of meal site participants about their activity and what would help; a map of safe walking routes drawn with residents; and a review of city sidewalk repair plans. Together with the tract data, these would complete a community assessment that reflects both what can be measured and what residents experience. The findings would then be shared with residents before any program is planned, so that they can correct what outsiders misread.
Conclusion
The survey found an older neighborhood with unsafe or missing sidewalks, limited parks, no nearby grocery store and few people walking, but also churches, a senior meal site and a community garden where residents gather. Combined with tract data showing inactivity above 50% in the most affected tract, it suggests that activity programs here should use existing gathering places and address walking safety. It also shows why a county average is a poor guide to where a nurse should begin, since the need concentrates in particular neighborhoods.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). PLACES: Local data for better health, census tract data, 2025 release [Data set]. https://data.cdc.gov/d/cwsq-ngmh
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. (n.d.). Social determinants of health. Healthy People 2030. https://odphp.health.gov/healthypeople/priority-areas/social-determinants-health
Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2020). Public health nursing: Population-centered health care in the community (10th ed.). Elsevier.
U.S. Census Bureau. (2025). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024 [Data set]. https://data.census.gov
What the N489 Module 3 instructions ask for
Community-based assessment is part of the N489 description in Aspen's catalog, and this example follows it, the actual module wording being released only to enrolled students. A windshield survey assignment usually asks you to observe a neighborhood by car, bus or on foot, record what you see under standard elements, identify strengths and concerns, and compare observations with data. Some instructors provide an element checklist; others want a narrative. Check whether you must survey in person, at what times, whether photographs are allowed, and whether the paper must end with next steps. Never photograph or identify residents, and describe the area respectfully. Some courses also ask for a map or a list of community resources.
Inside the N489 Module 3 example
About 1,015 words make up the survey in eleven sections with one observation table. The opening defines a windshield survey. A section uses tract data to explain why the area was chosen. The method describes times, route and two observers. The table records observations by element. Barriers and assets each get their own section. A section checks the observations against census and tract data. Limits of the method and next steps in the assessment follow, including interviews and a resident-drawn route map, and the conclusion states what the survey suggests for activity programs in the area. Interpretation is kept out of the table on purpose.
N489 Module 3 rubric: what earns full marks
Windshield surveys are commonly graded on systematic observation, separation of observation from interpretation, attention to assets and integration with data. Observation is systematic, organized by standard elements in a table, which a margin note explains. The paper keeps interpretation in later sections. Assets are recorded as carefully as barriers, and a second note argues that this is what makes the survey useful for planning. Data integration is strong, with tract estimates used to choose the area and to check impressions, which a third note credits. Limits and next steps are realistic. Describing the neighborhood respectfully, and sourcing the tract and census figures properly, completes the grade. Checking impressions against data also shows sound judgment.
N489 Module 3 help: mistakes that cost marks
The most common mistake is mixing observation with judgment, writing that a neighborhood looks unhealthy instead of describing what was seen. Record first, interpret later. Students also survey at one time of day only, which can mislead. Go at two different times. Another frequent gap is listing only problems; churches, gardens and gathering places matter as much as vacant lots. Some papers never connect the survey to data, leaving impressions unchecked. Compare with tract or census figures. Finally, protect residents. Do not photograph people or homes, do not name individuals, and write about the community as you would want your own neighborhood described. Write down the date, time and weather of each visit. Keep observation notes and interpretation in separate columns.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Aspen University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
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- N489 Module 7: Building a Community Partnership
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N489 Module 3 questions, answered
What does N489 Module 3 usually ask for?
Aspen's N489 description includes community-based assessment, so a windshield survey with a community assessment is a typical assignment. Check your classroom for the required elements.
What elements does a windshield survey cover?
Common elements include housing, streets and sidewalks, parks, transportation, services, places of worship and gathering, the people seen and signs of community life.
Should a windshield survey include strengths?
Yes. Assets such as churches, gathering places and community gardens are as important as barriers, since programs work best when built on what residents already use.
Where can I find a free N489 Module 3 sample paper?
Every observation from both visits, the element table and the annotations are posted above for anyone to read. It is the third N489 sample.
What should an N489 Module 3 windshield survey include?
Observations of housing, streets, parks, transportation, services, gathering places, people and community life, with strengths and barriers and a comparison with local data.