Camp Aruga: Leadership Growth, Compassion Outcomes, and Chapter Engagement Among Filipino American Nurses

Camp Aruga is a culturally grounded leadership bootcamp, integrating Filipino values, reflective dialogue, and Watson Caring Science^® to foster leadership, resilience, and self-care among Filipino American nurses. This evaluation examined pre- to post-program changes in leadership goals and Caring Science outcomes in Fall 2025.

A pre-post design with surveys before and within 48 hr after the 2-day bootcamp. Of 48 attendees, 41 completed the pre-survey, 33 the post-survey, 26 matched leadership responses, and 25 Watson Caritas Self-Rating Score^® items. Outcomes included four leadership items (unity, governance, engagement/resilience, health equity advocacy) and five Watson Caritas items.

Among matched leaders, high achievement rose for all four goals; Caritas scores increased for all five items, with gains in loving-kindness toward self and self-care and in helping-trusting relationships, caring environments, and spirituality.

A Caring Science-informed framework may boost leadership confidence and self-care; longer-term studies are warranted to assess sustained effects.