Kathryn Kay Anotado Lopez graduates from the DNP Post-Master’s Program this month.
Kathryn Kay Anotado Lopez graduates this month from the UCI Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing Doctor of Nursing Practice — Post-Master’s Program. She is also a nurse manager in the cardiac surgery department at UCI Health.
Lopez successfully presented her capstone project, Implementation of an acuity adaptable cardiovascular surgical unity — a retrospective review, last week. Her advisors were DNP Program Director Nicole Martinez and Assistant Clinical Professor Angela Jun.
What is your proudest moment as a UCI nursing student?
My proudest moment as a UCI nursing student was presenting my final DNP project defense in front of my family and friends in Berk Hall and via Zoom. It was a happy moment to share that with them.
How has your nursing education at UCI prepared you to move forward in your nursing career?
My nursing education at UCI has taught me the importance of quality improvement and systems change. I have learned the importance of nurses sitting at the table to make frontline decisions and working with our interprofessional teams to improve patient outcomes.
What is one thing you wish you knew when you were starting nursing school?
One thing I wish I knew when I started nursing school: Why didn’t I start earlier? Nursing was a second career and I wish I started it as my first.
How did your mentor at UCI prepare and support you on your journey?
I was lucky to have our UCI program directors as my mentors. Before the program started, Dr. Susan Tiso called me to let me know that I would be part of Cohort 2, Post-Masters DNP class of one. She assured me that I would never be alone in a class and that everyone would be there to help.
She was right. My mentors, Dr. Susie Phillips and Dr. Nicole Martinez, guided me throughout this journey of growth, both in academia, professionally and personally. Thank you all.
Is there anything else you want to add?
Just some words of wisdom to everyone thinking about going back for your DNP Post-Masters: You can do it! You have the support of everyone at UCI SON.
For more information or to support a future nurse or nurse-led research, please connect to Juliana Goswick, Director of Development at jgoswick@hs.uci.edu or visit Giving.
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