Windshield Assessment of Newaygo, Michigan, Essay Example

Nursing is becoming increasingly holistic – that is, it is focusing more and more on the patient as a whole person rather than just a collection of conditions or complaints.  That is why assessment – both of the patient and of the community in which he or she lives – has become correspondingly more important.  A “windshield” survey: that is, simply driving through the community in which you are practicing, is a good way to begin this process.

General Description

Newaygo, Michigan, is a small town of around three thousand located on the banks of the Muskegon River in the rolling hills of Newaygo Country in the central part of the state.  It is an old logging town, mostly surrounded by forests and farmland, and its climate has moderate summers with cold to very cold winters.  It is generally cloudy and damp.

Housing and Neighborhoods

Newaygo lies about forty-five minutes north of Grand Rapids, a city of about three-quarters of a million people, and because of its nearness, Newaygo has been growing steadily as a sleeper community, especially in the old downtown and the area along Highway 165.  Around the square and for several blocks in all directions are large, Victorian-era houses, many of which have been refurbished and beautiful gardens and front lawns. Up the hill, there are more modest neighborhoods of 1930’s and 40’s-style housing which are in good to moderate repair.  Closer to the outskirts of town, there are farms and farmland, but also several trailer parks which are in moderate to poor repair.

Commerce

The town has two main commercial areas, one in the old downtown and one along Highway 165.  The downtown has been renovated and is largely for tourists, with coffee shops, cafes, boutiques, and an interpretative museum about Newaygo’s history as a logging community.  The commercial area on the highway is geared more towards the local community, with grocery stores, family restaurants, a car wash and Laundromat and similar services.  There are a number of green spaces here, including two walking trails and a park on the courthouse square which are very popular with the community.  The Muskego River runs through the middle of town: it is no longer used commercially, but is well-utilized for fishing, tubing, and other recreational purposes.

Schools and Civic Services

The schools are located up the hill above the downtown area: there is an elementary school, an upper elementary, a middle school and a high school, all made of red brick in (more or less) the same architectural style.  There are no private schools in this community, but there are a variety of preschools/day care centers.  Churches are well-represented here, with Lutheran and Episcopal churches predominating.  In regards to local government, the city hall and courthouse are located in the old downtown square, with the fire department and the police station right across the road.

Conclusion: Newaygo, A Town in Transition

Newaygo is a town in transition: in its past, it was a gritty, working class conservative town with a generally low education and income level.  Now, however, more educated and professional people are moving in and this has altered the town greatly.  Thus, it is a town of multiple layers, and any nurse working in this town would have to be sensitive to the demographics of both the town’s past and also its probable future.