NURS-FPX6218 Assessment 2: Assessing Community Health Care Needs

Windshield Survey Methodology: Assessing Community Health Resources and Priorities

NURS-FPX6218 Assessment 2: Assessing Community Health Care Needs

NURS-FPX6218A2 Instructions

Assess the health care needs of a selected community by completing an environmental analysis and a virtual windshield survey. Summarize the results of your assessment in a 3-4 page executive summary to community stakeholders.

Introduction

Note: Complete the assessments in the order in which they are presented.

Effective community health assessment is foundational to developing targeted interventions that address population health needs. Health care must be evidence-based, effective, efficient, and affordable; it must provide resources that meet community needs, and it must be consistent and equitable. Nurse leaders must be knowledgeable about environmental factors, social determinants of health, and community resources that influence health outcomes. Understanding the unique characteristics of a community enables nurse leaders to identify gaps in services, advocate for necessary resources, and design interventions that improve population health.

This assessment provides an opportunity to conduct a comprehensive community health needs assessment using systematic observation and environmental analysis techniques.

NURS-FPX6218 Assessment 2: Assessing Community Health Care Needs Preparation

Your organization has identified the need to better understand the health care needs of a local community to inform strategic planning and resource allocation. As a nurse leader with expertise in community health assessment, you have been asked to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of a selected community’s health status, available resources, and environmental factors that influence health outcomes.

Community health assessment requires systematic observation and analysis of multiple factors including demographics, socioeconomic conditions, physical environment, available health services, and social determinants of health. The windshield survey method, combined with environmental analysis, provides valuable insights into community characteristics that may not be apparent through statistical data alone.

You will select a specific community—either your own or one you can research virtually—and conduct a thorough assessment using windshield survey methodology and environmental analysis frameworks. Your findings will be summarized in an executive summary that will inform community stakeholders, health care organizations, and policy makers about priority health needs and opportunities for intervention.

To prepare for your assessment, you are encouraged to:

• Review the assessment requirements and scoring guide to ensure that you understand the work you will be asked to complete.
• Review Guiding Questions: Assessing Community Health Care Needs [DOCX], which includes questions to consider and additional guidance on how to successfully complete the assessment.
• Familiarize yourself with windshield survey methodology and community health assessment frameworks.
• Select a community for your assessment. You may choose your own community or select one that you can research virtually using tools such as Google Maps Street View, census data, and publicly available health statistics.

Note: Remember that you can submit all or a portion of your draft executive summary to Smarthinking Tutoring for feedback before you submit the final version for this assessment. If you plan on using this free service, be mindful of the turnaround time of 24–48 hours for receiving feedback.

MSN PROGRAM JOURNEY

The following is a useful map that will guide you as you continue your MSN program. This map gives you an overview of all the steps required to prepare for your practicum and to complete your degree. It also outlines the support that will be available to you along the way.

MSN Program Journey.

TEMPLATES

Use this template for your executive summary.

Executive Summary Template [DOCX].

Requirements

Complete this assessment in three steps:

1. Select a community for assessment (your local community or one you can research virtually).
2. Conduct a virtual windshield survey and environmental analysis to assess community health needs, resources, and environmental factors.
3. Summarize your findings in an executive summary for community stakeholders.

The executive summary requirements outlined below correspond to the grading criteria in the scoring guide for Assessing Community Health Care Needs, so be sure to address each point. Read the performance-level descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed. The Guiding Questions: Assessing Community Health Care Needs document provides additional considerations that may be helpful in completing your assessment. In addition, be sure to note the requirements below for document format and length and for citing supporting evidence.

Assessment Components:

• Identify the community you are assessing.
  • Provide demographic information including population size, age distribution, racial/ethnic composition, and socioeconomic characteristics.
  • Describe the geographic location and boundaries of the community.
• Describe the results of your windshield survey.
  • Assess the physical environment including housing conditions, infrastructure, transportation, green spaces, and overall neighborhood appearance.
  • Identify visible indicators of community health and well-being (e.g., recreational facilities, walkability, safety).
  • Note signs of environmental challenges (e.g., pollution, deteriorated buildings, lack of sidewalks).
• Analyze environmental factors and social determinants of health that impact community health.
  • Evaluate access to health care services, educational facilities, employment opportunities, and healthy food options.
  • Assess social connectivity, community resources, and support systems.
  • Identify vulnerable populations and health disparities within the community.
• Identify priority health care needs based on your assessment.
  • Synthesize findings from the windshield survey and environmental analysis.
  • Prioritize health needs based on urgency, prevalence, and potential impact.
  • Support your conclusions with relevant data and evidence.
• Explain how community characteristics, resources, and environmental factors influence health outcomes.
  • Connect your observations to established frameworks (e.g., social determinants of health, health equity principles).
  • Discuss both protective factors and risk factors identified in the community.
• Write clearly and concisely in a logically coherent and appropriate form and style.
  • Organize your executive summary for readability and impact.
  • Use professional language appropriate for community stakeholders.
• Support assertions, arguments, propositions, and conclusions with relevant and credible evidence.
  • Integrate community-specific data with broader public health evidence.
  • Cite sources appropriately using APA format.

Document Format and Length

• Use the Executive Summary Template. This APA Style Paper Tutorial [DOCX] can help you in writing and formatting your assessment. If you would like to use a different template for your community health assessment, obtain prior approval from faculty.
• Your executive summary should be 3-4 pages in length, not including the title page and references page.
• Be sure to apply correct APA formatting to all source citations and references.

Supporting Evidence

• Cite 3-5 credible sources from peer-reviewed journals, government health databases, or professional public health organizations to support your community health assessment.

Additional Requirements for NURS-FPX6218 Assessment 2: Assessing Community Health Care Needs

Be sure to delete all directions from the template before submitting your executive summary. In addition, proofread your summary to minimize errors that could distract readers and make it more difficult for them to focus on the substance of your assessment findings.

Portfolio Prompt: You may choose to save your executive summary to your ePortfolio.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

• Competency 1: Identify the challenges and opportunities facing health care.
  • Identify priority health care needs based on community assessment findings.
• Competency 2: Compare the effects of different health care finance models and policy frameworks on resources and patient outcomes.
  • Describe the results of a windshield survey of a selected community.
  • Explain how community characteristics, resources, and environmental factors influence health outcomes.
• Competency 3: Evaluate the positive and negative influences of leaders on health care processes and outcomes.
  • Analyze environmental factors and social determinants of health that impact community health.
• Competency 5: Communicate effectively with diverse audiences, in an appropriate form and style consistent with applicable organizational, professional, and scholarly standards.
  • Write clearly and concisely in a logically coherent and appropriate form and style.
  • Support assertions, arguments, propositions, and conclusions with relevant and credible evidence.

References

1. Braveman, P., Arkin, E., Orleans, T., Proctor, D., & Plough, A. (2022). What is health equity? And what difference does a definition make? Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1377/hpb20171103.962942
2. Johnson, T. L., Rinehart, D. J., Durfee, J., Brewer, D., Batal, H., Blum, J., … & Gabow, P. A. (2020). For many patients who use large amounts of health care services, the need is intense yet temporary. Health Affairs, 39(6), 1115-1123. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2019.01572
3. Marmot, M., & Allen, J. (2020). Social determinants of health equity. American Journal of Public Health, 110(S1), S3-S5. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.305707
4. Pennel, C. L., McLeroy, K. R., Burdine, J. N., & Matarrita-Cascante, D. (2019). Community-based participatory research studies: Lessons learned from Arkansas and Texas. Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action, 13(1), 89-99. https://doi.org/10.1353/cpr.2019.0010
5. Solar, O., & Irwin, A. (2021). A conceptual framework for action on the social determinants of health equity: A synthesis of policy debates. International Journal of Health Services, 51(2), 208-233. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020731420982497

NURS-FPX6218 Assessment 1 Proposing Evidence Based Change

NURS-FPX6218A1 Instructions

Propose a change to one aspect of your local or regional health care system or program that would improve outcomes. Then, conduct a comparative analysis of other, non-U.S. health care systems, focusing on the proposed change. Summarize the proposed change and your comparative analysis in a 4-5 page report.

Introduction
Note: Complete the assessments in the order in which they are presented.

Health care systems around the world provide useful models for analysis. Familiarity with different models and approaches to health care enables leaders to identify what works and what does not, as the basis for proposing a change. As we continue to evaluate the complex and fragmented system in the United States, it is important for nurse leaders to become familiar with the programs and systems that provide evidence-based quality care that is affordable and focused on continual improvement.

This assessment provides an opportunity to examine a local or regional health care issue from a global perspective.

NURS-FPX6218 Assessment 1 Proposing Evidence Based Change Preparation
Your organization, in collaboration with the key stakeholders from the community, is funding an initiative to investigate potential improvements in the local or regional health care system. As a nurse leader attuned to the effects of health care policy and finance on the provision of affordable, high-quality care, you have been asked to join the task force conducting the study.
The various health care systems found around the world offer insightful models for research. A familiarity with a variety of health care models and techniques enables leaders to determine what aspects of the system operate well and what aspects do not, which serves as the foundation for making recommendations for change. It is important for nurse leaders to become familiar with the programs and systems that provide evidence-based quality care that is affordable and focused on continuous improvement as we continue our evaluation of the complex and fragmented system that exists in the United States. This is because it is important that we continue to evaluate the complex and fragmented system that exists in the United States.

An opportunity to investigate a local or regional problem with health care from the viewpoint of the global community is provided by this assessment.

Assessment 1 of NURS-FPX6218: Proposing Evidence-Based Change Preparation
Your organization, in conjunction with the most influential members of the community’s stakeholder group, is providing funds for a project that will study potential enhancements to the health care system in the immediate area or the region as a whole. You have been asked to participate in the research being carried out by the task force because you are a nurse leader who is aware of the effects that health care policy and finances have on the delivery of care that is both inexpensive and of a high quality.
You know that an examination of other countries’ health care systems can provide a solid, evidence-based foundation for evaluating outcomes and identifying benchmarks. Consequently, you have decided to undertake an analysis of selected, non-U.S. health care systems and compare them to each other and to the existing local or regional U.S. system to help inform decision making as the task force considers proposed changes.

In this assessment, you will propose a change to one aspect of your local or regional health care system or program. Conduct a comparative analysis of different health care systems and summarize your proposed change and findings from your analysis in a report to executive leaders. To prepare for your assessment, you are encouraged to begin thinking about the non-U.S. health care systems you might like to examine. In addition, you may wish to:

Review the assessment requirements and scoring guide to ensure that you understand the work you will be asked to complete.
Review Guiding Questions: Proposing Evidence-Based Change [DOCX], which includes questions to consider and additional guidance on how to successfully complete the assessment.
Note: Remember that you can submit all or a portion of your draft report to Smarthinking Tutoring for feedback before you submit the final version for this assessment. If you plan on using this free service, be mindful of the turnaround time of 24–48 hours for receiving feedback.

MSN PROGRAM JOURNEY

The following is a useful map that will guide you as you continue your MSN program. This map gives you an overview of all the steps required to prepare for your practicum and to complete your degree. It also outlines the support that will be available to you along the way.

MSN Program Journey.
TEMPLATES

Use this template for your summary report.

Summary Report Template [DOCX].
Requirements
Complete this assessment in three steps:

Propose a change to one aspect of your local or regional health care system or program that would improve outcomes.
Conduct a comparative analysis of different health care systems, focusing on one aspect of the system you are proposing to change.
Summarize your proposed change and the results of your comparative analysis in a report to executive leaders.
The summary report requirements outlined below, correspond to the grading criteria in the scoring guide for Proposing Evidence-Based Change, so be sure to address each point. Read the performance-level descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed. The Guiding Questions: Proposing Evidence-Based Change document provides additional considerations that may be helpful in completing your assessment. In addition, be sure to note the requirements below for document format and length and for citing supporting evidence.

Identify an aspect of a local or regional health care system or program that should be a focus for change.
Define desirable outcomes, including who will pay for care and factors limiting achievement of those outcomes.
Analyze two non-U.S. health care systems or programs that offer insight into a proposed change for a health care system or program in the United States.
Choose one of the following options for selecting the two systems or programs:
Option 1: Select two systems at opposite ends of the scale in terms of desirable outcomes for the issue reflected in your proposed change.
Option 2: Select two systems that both produce positive outcomes but take unique or innovative approaches to the problem.
Compare the outcomes in each non-U.S. system with each other and with present outcomes in your local or regional health care system.
Explain why specific changes will lead to improved outcomes.
Determine the financial and health implications associated with the proposed changes.
Address the implications of making the changes.
Address the implications of not making the changes.
Write clearly and concisely in a logically coherent and appropriate form and style.
Support assertions, arguments, propositions, and conclusions with relevant and credible evidence.
Document Format and Length

Use the Summary Report Template. This APA Style Paper Tutorial [DOCX] can help you in writing and formatting your assessment. If you would like to use a different worksheet for your community health assessment, obtain prior approval from faculty.
Your summary report should be 4–5 pages in length, not including the title page and references page.
Be sure to apply correct APA formatting to all source citations and references.
Supporting Evidence

Cite 3–5 credible sources from peer-reviewed journals or professional industry publications to support your comparative analysis.

Additional Requirements for NURS-FPX6218 Assessment 1 Proposing Evidence Based Change
Be sure to delete all directions from the template before submitting your summary report. In addition, proofread your report to minimize errors that could distract readers and make it more difficult for them to focus on the substance of your analysis.

Portfolio Prompt: You may choose to save your summary report to your ePortfolio.

Competencies Measured
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

Competency 1: Identify the challenges and opportunities facing health care.
Identify an aspect of a local or regional health care system or program that should be a focus for change.
Competency 2: Compare the effects of different health care finance models and policy frameworks on resources and patient outcomes.
Define desirable outcomes, including who will pay for care and factors limiting achievement of those outcomes.
Analyze two non-U.S. health care systems or programs that offer insight into a proposed change for a health care system or program in the United States.
Competency 3: Evaluate the positive and negative influences of leaders on health care processes and outcomes.
Determine the financial and health implications of making—and not making—proposed changes to a health care system or program.
Competency 4: Develop proactive strategies to change the culture of the organization by incorporating evidence-based practices.
Explain why specific changes will lead to improved outcomes.
Competency 5: Communicate effectively with diverse audiences, in an appropriate form and style consistent with applicable organizational, professional, and scholarly standards.
Write clearly and concisely in a logically coherent and appropriate form and style.
Support assertions, arguments, propositions, and conclusions with relevant and credible evidence.