Community Outreach and Education Program

What were the goals of the COEP program?
The primary goal of the PHASE in Healthcare Community Outreach and Education Program (COEP) was to facilitate communication between the researchers and the participating healthcare facilities and healthcare workers' unions. In addition, the COEP's responsibility was to present the research project and its findings to the broader community interested in healthcare and the health and safety of healthcare workers.

How did the COEP reach these goals?
Regular meetings with liaisons from each of the participating healthcare facilities and unions kept the research partners updated on the research. These meetings also provided a venue to hear about research partners' suggestions and concerns about the research.

The COEP organized three healthcare worker health and safety conferences. The conferences informed healthcare workers and the public about the PHASE research project; provided an opportunity for the PHASE researchers to learn about concerns relating to healthcare worker health and safety; and provided participants with relevant information and opportunities for dialogue on these issues.

The COEP developed informational and educational materials related to the PHASE project. These materials included brochures, fact sheets, posters, study results booklets, newsletter articles for the participating facilities and a project Web site.

Other outreach and education activities of the COEP included:

• ensuring that all written materials used in the research and outreach were accessible, understandable and culturally and linguistically appropriate;
• organizing and participating in employee fairs in the participating healthcare facilities;
• publicizing the project through various media; and 
• work-related onsite trainings for employees of participating facilities

Phase Study Results Booklets (pdf):