UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA UPSTATE
MARY BLACK SCHOOL OF NURSING
RN-BSN TRACK
SBSN 461P: COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING PRACTICUM
GUIDELINES FOR THE WRITTEN WINDSHIELD SURVEY
Each student is expected to complete an assessment of a community of interest or the community in which his or her client/family lives. This information will assist the student to describe the community, trends, stability and changes that may affect the health of the clients and families in that area.
NOTE: The preceptor does not need to be present for the collection of information for the Windshield Survey.
Boundaries: I chose to complete my windshield survey on the community I recently moved to which is the City of Travelers Rest. This area includes stores, churches, community events and homes. This area is mostly outline by mountains. This community consist of two main highways will many small connecting roads. This area has also been known as the City of TR or just TR. There is a welcoming sign where the two main highways intersect.
Housing and Zoning: This community consists of houses of all ages and materials. There are many older homes built of brick, newer homes built with wood and siding as well as homes built with rock. The neighborhood homes are similar, single family homes. How old are the houses? What style are they and of what materials are they constructed? Are all the neighborhood houses similar? If not, how would you characterize the difference? Are there single or multifamily homes? What size are the lots? Are there signs of disrepair (such as broken doors, steps, or windows)? Are there vacant houses?
Parks and Recreational Areas: This community has a newly built walking trail with a small water fall, swings and gazebo for family gatherings. Otter Creek Water Park is located about 4 miles from this community. There is a place to practice golf nearby as well. Travelers Rest has a small downtown area that consists of a coffee shop and a few privately owned stores. A small park was recently
Commons: Blue Ridge is a common hangout for this community. This hangout is for 21 and older because they serve alcohol. This bar is open until 2am. This place is an open bar/restaurant that anyone can attend.
Stores: There are several grocery stores in this area such as BILO, Ingles, and Save A Lot. There is a Tractor Supply and Wal-Mart in this area as well as several fast food restaurants and a laundry mat. CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid are all available in this area. Most of the people in this area travel by vehicles. Once in a while you will see people on horses or four-wheelers on the roads.
Service Centers: There is a health department located within this community as well as a New Horizon doctor’s office and a private doctor's office. There is one family dentist located within this community. North Greenville Hospital with a 24 hour emergency center is available to this area. There are two elementary schools, one middle and one high school in this area.
Street People: There was recently a community walking path built in this area. As I drive by I see families walking on the streets. There are small business owners displaying their products outside their shops on the main street in this community. There is a sign posted for the Blood Connection which plans are in place to have a blood drive in this community.
Protective Service: This community has its own police station with about 6 police on duty at all times. There a several fire stations within this area as well as fire hydrants located along the streets. These services are available to everyone in this area.

Guidelines for the Windshield Survey (continued)
Race: This community consists of a mixture of races. There are Caucasians, African Americans and a few Hispanics integrated in this community.
Ethnicity: This community has languages services for a variety of languages. This community also has more than one religion represented through the various churches.
Religion: This community has 4 Baptist churches, 1 Anglican, 1 Methodist and 3 Presbyterian. There is not a private school of religion in the area.
Class: This geographical area consists of people from the working class, middle class and upper middle class.
Health and Morbidity: As I drive through the community I see people of average size with maybe a few people that are obese. The city of Travelers Rest holds annual events that support breast health, March of Dimes, the Blood Connection and other health complications. Since there are people of all ages that live in this area there are bound to be common diseases that can be found. Heart disease and Diabetes are just two of the most common health complications that can be found in this community. This information is based on the statistics listed by the CDC.
Politics: There are several campaign posters alongside the road as I drive by. Many of these posters do not have a defined political party posted on them just the name of the person running for office and a picture.
Other: There is no unusual smells I noticed about this community. The only thing I really notice that is unsafe is that houses are built too close to the roads. I was impressed of how clean this community is. As I was driving through the community I did not notice the roads to have trash on them. I did not notice any signs of violence or gang markings.
After completing a narrative of each of the topics above, address the following. See rubric for grading details. 1. Community Strengths: 1.) This community is a small quite community with minimal reported violence.
2.) This community is able to provide the necessary emergent care services because there is a small hospital located within the community.
3.) This community promotes and accepts people of all ethnicity backgrounds.
2. Community Weakness: 1.) A major weakness for the winter time is that this area experiences more harsh weather than the outlying areas of this area.
2.) Many roads within this community need to be repaved because of harsh road conditions.
3.) There is a pre-school for the families that live below poverty but there is not a pre-school for the families that live just above poverty.
3. Community Health Problems: Sedentary lifestyle – for the people I saw that were obese.
Risk for injury – for the kids I saw that were not wearing protective equipment while wearing their bikes. Social isolation – for the homes I saw that were isolated from other homes in the community.
4. Suggested Interventions: This community could have a public wellness center that promoted weight loss and maintain a healthy weight.
This community could benefit from education classes regarding safety when riding a bike.
This community holds larger events that many people from other areas attend. A benefit for the social development of this community could be that the community could hold smaller event that are just for the people of the community.
5. Resources: The local YMCA could provide wellness classes and access to fitness areas. New Horizon could hold wellness events to test blood pressures, Blood sugars and cholesterol. The school district could hold events for the families during the summer.