This fall, Camila Varela-Loreto and Claudia Flores-Espinoza, traveled from Chile to begin their Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at the University of Connecticut. As the first international students to participate in the Elisabeth DeLuca School of Nursing’s DNP program, they were warmly welcomed to UConn.
Camila and Claudia both come from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, where they teach women’s health, medical-surgical care, oncology, and behavioral health.
The partnership between UConn and the Catholic University of Chile is the result of two years of collaboration. Camila and Claudia received scholarships to become the first participants in the partnership and are enrolled in UConn’s existing DNP program. They worked closely throughout the process with Joy Elwell, DNP, FNP-BC, CNE, FAAN, FAANP, and Michelle Cole, DNP, MSN, RN, CPN. While their DNP coursework will be completed online, the two traveled to Connecticut for an in-person orientation week.
Dr. Elwell emphasized the importance of expanding the reach of the DNP into the Southern Hemisphere, saying, “UConn’s DNP program has, over the past 17 years, graduated over 250 doctorally prepared, practice-focused nurses, who have gone on to improve healthcare outcomes across the U.S. Expanding our influence into South America will make a positive difference in healthcare outcomes there.”
This experience is particularly significant because Chile’s healthcare system does not currently include the DNP role. During their week in Connecticut, Camila and Claudia met with DNPs in various leadership positions, building relationships and observing the role firsthand at UConn Health, Hartford Hospital, Charter Oak Community Center, and SHAW. They also participated in undergraduate lab simulations, where they shared their own clinical experiences with students. They noted that while the underlying goal of patient care is the same in Chile and the U.S., approaches to care can differ. The exchange provided an opportunity to learn new strategies and perspectives.
Throughout the visit, Camila and Claudia said their central goal was to build lasting connections and lay the groundwork for ongoing collaboration between their university and UConn—relationships they expect to carry forward well beyond this trip.
Camila and Claudia face a considerable task when they return home. Their work will help introduce the DNP role within Chile’s healthcare system, including determining how the role can fit alongside physicians, RNs, and the broader healthcare system to improve health outcomes and care experiences for patients in Chile. Camila said they are “humbled to be tasked with creating a DNP program in Chile.” Both described feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness about the work ahead, but Claudia added that they feel confident they can do it with the continued support of the Elisabeth DeLuca School of Nursing.
“This partnership offers a unique opportunity for reciprocal learning between nurses from the Global North and the Global South. Together, we are building on our shared expertise to advance nursing practice and prepare nurse leaders to address the health priorities of the communities they serve “says Dr. Cole, Director of Global Learning, UConn Nursing. “This opportunity was made possible thanks to the support and leadership of the Elisabeth DeLuca School of Nursing and the University’s Global Affairs office, whose dedication to global engagement laid the groundwork for this valuable partnership.”
Camila and Claudia also emphasized how welcomed and supported they felt throughout their visit. They were especially grateful for the faculty and professionals who took the time to answer their questions, share their experiences, and ensure they had a meaningful experience at UConn.
They will now carry what they learned at UConn into both their DNP studies and their work toward building Chile’s first DNP program.
