Windshield Survey Reflection

Researching and visual observations of the community that one lives in is a true eye opener. I have chosen to research and conduct a Windshield survey in the town that I have lived in for the past three years. I was surprised at the amount of information that I was obtained by driving around, observing, asking questions, and conducting research online. Several areas of concern that have a potential to affect the health of the community were identified; obesity, diabetes, and the increase exposure to carbon monoxide poisoning.

The two areas that I will focus my study on are obesity and carbon monoxide poisoning. Three community nursing diagnosis that I have arrived at are one, Risk for associated health complications related to obesity, two, Risk for poisoning related to exposure to carbon monoxide inhalation and three, Deficit knowledge related to health risks of smoking. As stated by Advameg, Inc. , 2003-2010, obesity in this community is 19. 6%, which is compared to a rate of 23. 3% in the state of New Jersey. Health complications are a concern in this population related to obesity.

It is not clear why this community has a high rate of obesity as this community has a large population of educated blue-collar worker, which does not fit the typical population of obesity. Obesity in the country is on a rise, and this may be related to the lack of education on healthy eating habits and influences in the media with ads and commercials from food vendors. Education is important to this population and assisting them with alternative options. A nursing intervention would be to implement a group meeting within the community for obesity education.

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During these meetings discussions on different weight loss methods, complications associated with obesity, diet suggestions, and increase physical activity options would be helpful. Several partnerships may be made with this community such as Weight Watchers. Holding meetings in the borough hall with this weight loss group within the town will encourage the community to be involved because it is brought to them. These interventions will have a positive effect on the community to help reduce the incidence of obesity among adults.

Risk for poisoning related to exposure to carbon monoxide inhalation is the second community nursing diagnosis that I have chosen because the carbon monoxide rate is above the average for the country. Advameg Inc. , 2003-2010, states that the carbon monoxide level for the country is 0. 334 ppm and for Dumont it is 0. 422 ppm. As a community nurse it is important to intervene and formulate a plan of action to help reduce the exposure to carbon monoxide within the homes of this community.

Performing a risk assessment is a start, going into individual family homes, especially with elders and children and reviewing any tests that may have been performed and visual observation of the environment will gain knowledge on where to begin. “The most proximal exposures are in the home environment, such as appliances that leak high levels of carbon monoxide or damp home materials that harbor molds” (Barnes et al. , 2010, para. 3). Education within the families of the community is important to reducing the exposure. By working in the most proximal environment where environmental exposures occur, the intervention has greater specificity in addressing risks tailored to each family's needs” (Barnes et al. , 2010, para. 3). Providing the families with educational material and organizations that may help is important. A partnership with the health care provider of the individual or family is beneficial in this area. The health care provider can assist with the educational material on the dangerous of such exposures and signs and symptoms.

The Environmental Protection Agency may also assist with protection of individuals who are within a community that has high levels of exposure to carbon monoxide. Several websites can be assessed for information and decreasing exposures such as the Centers for Disease Control. Deficit knowledge related to health risks of smoking. Not only are individuals unaware of the risks that they are imposing on themselves in relations to smoking but they are unaware of the risks that they are placing on the individuals within the community.

One of the Healthy People 2020 health indictors is tobacco use. In this community they can benefit from raising awareness of the negative effects of smoking not only to the individual smoking but the people that surround them. Public education with flyers, posters, and visiting schools to target individuals who smoke and those that don’t to help encourage people to stop smoking would be a way that I would reach out to the community. Providing information at the borough hall would be another way to get the word out to individuals in the community to help keep the town smoke free.

Partnerships with the American Cancer Society can be made to help educate the individuals on the risks that they are placing themselves and others at by smoking. Several other organizations are available to help individuals quit such as their primary health care providers or websites smokefree. gov. As in any community there are many risk associated with living in that particular community. Other factors that affect the community are the cultures that may congregate within them. A community more culturally diverse will see many different health concerns that a community which is not as diverse.

According to The Office of Minority Health (2010), "The Office is dedicated to improving the health of racial and ethnic minority populations through the development of health policies and programs that will help eliminate health disparities” (About OMH, para. 1). They partnership with community that have a higher incidence of diseases among specific cultures such as African American, Asian, and Hipic, to name a few. In Dumont I have found based on my windshield survey and research, there is not a wide range of cultures as approximately 67% of the population is white alone (Advameg, Inc. 2003-2010). In conducting the windshield survey, I could determine the areas of concern for the community that I reside in and how I may help to reduce the exposures and risks to myself and my family. Because I am a nurse it does not mean that I always have an open eye to what is going on around me. Several risk factors which I was unaware of being exposed to have given me the motivation to make changes within the community. The community partnered with other community and agencies will make a positive step to promotion and prevention of health disparities.

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