Physical Environment 

A community assessment begins with a basic windshield survey where each community subsystem is explored.  The physical environment is often the first subsystem assessed and provides guidelines to identify characteristics in the physical environment that can impact health.

Click on the Enter Sentinel City® and continue your virtual experience by taking a bus tour of Sentinel City®.  Since this is your second tour, feel free to choose any bus speed and/or get off the bus at any time to walk around.  As you take the tour, write down your observations, specifically focused on the subsystem: physical environment.  Meet with Mayor Hill to discuss the subsystem: physical environment.  Compile your observations and any demographic information addressing each item listed in the first column of the rubric.  You are encouraged to add other relevant characteristics you observe that may not be listed in the first column as you complete this activity. 

Reading and Resources

Harkness & DeMarco (2016) Read Chapters 4 & 5

Visit 

World Health Organization – Determinants of Health

• Visit Healthy People 2020 Determinants of Health
• Visit Healthy People 2020 Objectives
• Visit Health Disparities

Find the health rankings for the county where your practice learning site is located by visiting: “

Health Rankings for Your State & County

”  

Watch the 

Levels of Prevention Video

Additional Instructions:

Adhere to the chosen

Submission Option

for Delivery of Activity guidelines.
Submission Option

• 1 to 2-page paper. Include title and reference pages.

Note: Title and reference pages/slides do not count towards the count requirements.

Attachments area

Preview YouTube video Levels of Prevention

PopulationHealth – Physical Environment

Description: The baccalaureate graduate nurse will apply leadership concepts, skills, and

decision making in providing care in a variety of settings.

Course Competencies: 5) Utilize information from available data bases to assess community

health needs. 7) Conduct a windshield survey. 8) Develop a plan to meet an identified need in

the community.

QSEN Competencies: 1) Patient-Centered Care 3) Evidence-Based Practice 5) Safety

BSN Essential II

Area Gold

Mastery

Silver

Proficient

Bronze

Acceptable

Acceptable

Mastery not

Demonstrated

Observations

Are there clear

boundaries- natural

(river, terrain change,

etc.) or do you see

economic differences

(conditions

of the

homes or yards)?

Trees, flowers,

cement?

Bike/walking paths?

Are there

sidewalks/condition

of sidewalks?

Where do residents

shop? Are there any

common areas- group

hangouts?

What types of group

“hang-outs”?

Is there a sense of

territoriality or

openness to strangers?

Graffiti or Billboards

Gang signs-tagging

All

of

the listed

observations are

clearly

addressed and

discussed in a

comprehensive

and detailed

manner with 2

or more specific

examples.

Additional

issues, not listed

are addressed.

Three or more

of the listed

observations

are not present

or

discussed in

depth

Two or less of

the listed
observations are

not present or

discussed in
depth

Does not

include

observations

Identify

characteristics of the

environment

that can

impact

health.

Describe specific

health

conditions

impacted by the

physical environment.

Identify

characteristics of

the

environment

that can impact

health. Describe

specific

health

conditions
impacted by the

physical

environment.

Identify

characteristics

of the
environment
that can impact
health.

Superficially

describes

specific health

conditions
impacted by the
physical
environment.
Identify
characteristics of

the environment

that can impact

health. Does not

describe specific

health
conditions
impacted by the
physical
environment.
Does not

identify

characteristics
of the
environment
that can

impact health

or describe

specific health
conditions

impacted by

the physical

environment.

APA, Grammar,

Spelling, and

Punctuation

No

errors in APA,

Spelling, and

Punctuation.

One to three

errors in APA,
Spelling, and
Punctuation.

Four to six errors

in APA, Spelling,

and Punctuation.

Seven or more

errors in APA,
Spelling, and
Punctuation.

References Provides two or

more

references.

Provides two

references.

Provides one

references.

Provides no

references.