| Course | NUR 440 Community and Public Health Nursing in the United States |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 2 |
| Paper type | Windshield survey and vulnerable population report |
| Length | About 826 words, 6 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Arizona State University |
| Program | RN to BSN |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for NUR 440 Module 2
Pools Behind Block Walls: A Windshield Survey of ZIP Code 85031 and the Young Children Who Live Near Water
Student Name
Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University
NUR 440: Community and Public Health Nursing in the United States
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
Pools Behind Block Walls: A Windshield Survey of ZIP Code 85031 and the Young Children Who Live Near Water
A windshield survey is a structured way of seeing a community before talking to anyone in it. By driving and walking through an area and recording what is visible, a nurse can notice housing conditions, services, hazards and signs of community life that data tables miss (Stanhope & Lancaster, 2020). This report presents a windshield survey of ZIP code 85031 in west Phoenix, conducted on a Tuesday afternoon in late August and repeated on a Saturday morning. Observations are reported first, followed by data, interpretation and the vulnerable population identified.
Observations
Housing and Zoning
Most streets are lined with single-story block homes from the 1950s through the 1970s, many surrounded by block walls six feet high. Through gates and from slightly higher ground, I could see that many backyards contain swimming pools; on one residential block I counted pool equipment or fencing visible at 9 of 22 homes. Several apartment complexes along the main streets have shared pools behind metal fences. Some homes had well-kept yards; others had gravel yards with old vehicles. Several properties had "for rent" signs.
People and Activity
On the weekday afternoon, I saw children walking home from school with adults, groups of teenagers at a park, and older adults sitting on porches in shade. On Saturday morning, families were shopping at a supermarket and a swap market, and a youth soccer game was underway. Most conversations I heard in passing were in Spanish.
Services and Businesses
The main roads have supermarkets, a Mexican bakery, fast food restaurants, small clinics, a dental office, check-cashing stores and a pharmacy. I saw one community health center and two churches advertising food pantries. A public library branch and a recreation center were within the area.
Transportation and Safety
Bus stops along the arterial streets had shade structures at some stops but not others. Sidewalks were present on main streets but interrupted on some residential blocks. Traffic was heavy and fast on the six-lane roads. I saw no bicycle lanes. In the afternoon heat, very few people were walking.
What the Data Add
Census estimates for 2020 to 2024 put the population of 85031 at about 31,200, of whom roughly 82% are Hispanic or Latino. Median household income is about $70,400, compared with about $81,300 for Phoenix as a whole, and the share of residents in poverty, about 17%, sits a few points above the city's 14% (U.S. Census Bureau, 2025). About 2,200 residents are under five years old. In about 63% of households Spanish is spoken, and about 12% of households are Spanish-speaking households with limited English. The data confirm what the survey suggested: a young, largely Spanish-speaking community with lower incomes than the city as a whole.
Interpretation
Several observations point to health risks. Heat and gaps in shade and sidewalks discourage walking and make waiting for buses hazardous in summer. Fast food and check-cashing stores along the main roads may signal limited healthy and financial options, though the supermarkets I saw offered fresh produce. The combination that stood out to me as a pediatric nurse, however, was the number of homes and apartments with pools in an area with many young children. In my emergency department, drowning and near-drowning cases in toddlers are among the most devastating we see.
National data support that concern. Few injuries kill as many young children as drowning, and the national pediatric policy on prevention asks families to stack several safeguards: a fence on all four sides of the pool, an adult whose only job is watching, lessons, and CPR skills for caregivers (Denny et al., 2019). From the street I could not tell whether the pools I saw had four-sided fencing or only the property's block wall, which would leave the pool open to the house.
The Vulnerable Population
The Vulnerable Population In 85031, children under five who live in homes or complexes with pools fit that description. Their risk comes from developmental factors, such as curiosity and lack of swimming skill, combined with environmental factors such as pools without isolation fencing, and social factors such as limited access to affordable swim lessons and to water safety information in Spanish. Families working long hours may also have fewer adults available for constant supervision.
Limitations
A windshield survey captures a few hours of one season. I surveyed in late summer, when pools are in use, and may have overestimated pool density by focusing on blocks where pools were visible. Observations also reflect my own background as a pediatric nurse. The next step is to confirm the problem with local data and community members before planning an intervention.
Secondary data have limits as well. The census figures are five-year estimates for a ZIP code tabulation area, which does not match neighborhood boundaries exactly, and they carry margins of error that are larger for small groups such as children under five.
References
Denny, S. A., Quan, L., Gilchrist, J., McCallin, T., Shenoi, R., Yusuf, S., Hoffman, B., Weiss, J., & Council on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention. (2019). Prevention of drowning. Pediatrics, 143(5), e20190850. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2019-0850
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 2020-2024 5-year estimates: ZCTA5 85031 and Phoenix city, Arizona [Data set; tables B01003, B03003, B09001, B17001, B19013, C16002]. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://censusreporter.org/profiles/86000US85031-85031/
NUR 440 Module 2 instructions, in plain terms
The ASU syllabus places the Vulnerable Population and Windshield Survey assignment in Module 2, Community and Population Assessment and Epidemiology, as a clinical practice experience activity. Readings cover cultural competence in community health nursing, epidemiology and chronic disease in adults. The assignment usually asks you to observe a community by driving or walking through it, record what you see across standard categories such as housing, people, services, transportation and safety, combine observations with secondary data, and identify a vulnerable population with reasons. Canvas sets the categories, the length and whether a table is required. Some sections also ask you to describe the epidemiology of a health problem in the population you identify. Bring a partner if you can, since one person drives while the other records.
How the NUR 440 Module 2 example is put together
The report begins with a short explanation of the method and the two times the survey was done. Observations are grouped under four subheadings and written as plain description, with counts where possible. A data section adds real census estimates for the ZIP code and the city, and an interpretation section links observations to health risks, citing a national pediatric policy statement on drowning. The vulnerable population is then defined with developmental, environmental and social factors. A limitations section names what a windshield survey cannot show. The population identified here becomes the focus of the course's community health education project. Margin notes show where the report earns points for observation, data and judgment.
Reading the NUR 440 Module 2 grading rubric
Windshield survey reports are commonly graded on the thoroughness of observations across the required categories, the separation of observation from interpretation, use of secondary data, a clearly defined vulnerable population with reasons, and APA writing. Instructors look for specific details, such as counts and times, rather than general impressions. A strong report also recognizes its own limits. Because this assignment sets up the education project, choosing a population that can be reached with education in the next modules is an advantage. Reports that state stereotypes as observations lose points quickly. Including the dates and times of the survey helps the grader judge the observations.
NUR 440 Module 2 help from the desk
The most common mistake is writing conclusions as observations, such as calling an area unsafe because of how it looked. Describe what you saw, then interpret carefully. Another mistake is surveying only once; two different times give a fuller picture. Use current census data and cite it with the year range. Choose a vulnerable population that is specific, such as young children near pools, rather than everyone with low income. Never photograph residents or homes without permission. If you want help shaping your own windshield survey notes into a report, send the prompt and your observations. Keep the observations neutral and specific, and save judgments for the interpretation section.
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 Arizona State 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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NUR 440 Module 2 questions, answered
Where can I find a free NUR 440 Module 2 sample paper?
This page holds the full windshield survey report for ZIP code 85031 in Phoenix, with observations, census data, interpretation, the vulnerable population identified, limitations and references.
What categories go in a NUR 440 windshield survey?
Typical categories include housing, people, businesses and services, transportation, safety, recreation, religion and signs of community life. Use the list in your prompt.
How do I identify a vulnerable population in NUR 440?
Look for a group whose risk comes from several factors at once, such as age, environment, income and language, and support your choice with observations and data.
Should I do the NUR 440 windshield survey more than once?
If you can, yes. Surveying on a weekday and a weekend shows how the community changes and makes your observations more reliable.
Can I use census data in the NUR 440 windshield survey?
Yes. Adding American Community Survey estimates for the area strengthens the report and helps confirm or question what you observed.