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Dissertation Title: Cross-Contamination and Personal Protective Equipment:  A Qualitative e-Delphi Design

Program:  Doctor of Health Administration

Significance: Personal protective equipment is frontline healthcare workers�� first line of defense while caring for patients with an illness from an infectious organism. Donning and doffing of the equipment must follow a meticulous process to prevent cross-contamination and the spread of the organism. Unfortunately, the number of hospital-acquired infections continue, and the most recent spread of the COVID-19 virus has indicated that healthcare workers do not follow the process causing cross-contamination. This qualitative e-Delphi study, the health belief mode, aimed to identify administrative leaders�� perceptions of the barriers for healthcare workers to follow the process and identify possible strategies to improve compliance while reducing cross-contamination.