by Vickie Jenkins – Writer/Photographer
Breonna Coleman, BSN, RN is an Associate Professional Specialist at Southern Nazarene University’s School of Nursing. When Breonna was a little girl, she had a dream of becoming a teacher. Somewhere and somehow, along the way, she had a desire to be a nurse too. Now, she is living both dreams; Breonna is a nurse and an Associate Instructor. “I enjoy doing what I do,” Breonna said. “I am the first one in my family to be in the medical field. I am thankful that I get to do both. Actually, every nurse is a teacher,” Breonna said.
“The whole reason for me being a nurse is the fact that I like helping others. I enjoy teaching here at SNU because I like to share my knowledge, seeing the results of the students after they finally get it,” Breonna said. “Teaching the students is a way to keep them alert, along with encouraging them with a positive attitude. Sometimes, I think the students forget how capable they are at something and I like to encourage them, letting them know that they can do it!” she added.
Breonna grew up in Oklahoma City, OK and attended Langston University for her RN and BSN and is currently going to UCO for her Masters in Nursing Education. She has been a nurse since February, 2016 and was an adjunct at SNU for two years. “At that time, I helped with the clinicals, did a lot of hand-on-hand programs, and helped where I was needed. I am now serving as fulltime Associate Instructor as of June, 2019. Breonna likes doing both, nursing and teaching. “I like getting to meet other people, no matter what the situation is. I like both positions because they are each unique and have their own creative roles. I like discovering lesson plans and coming up with new ideas with the students. I like lessons in lab and it is nice to teach a class, knowing that the students are very interested in learning,” Breonna stated.
It is easy to see why Breonna teaches by the way she lives; teaching the skills of a highly qualified nurse. “A nurse needs to be compassionate, humble and willing to go the extra mile for the patient. It is also very important to be a good listener. That makes a big difference when it comes to relationships between a nurse and their patient,” she said.
When asking Breonna to describe herself overall, she replied, “I am somewhat of an adventurous person and I like to try new things. I am family-oriented and family means so much to me. On a personal level, I would consider myself outgoing to an extent.”
The classes in nursing at SNU consist of about sixty-two students, where Breonna is the Associate Professor to Professor Cummings. “I have classes twice a week,” Breonna said. “I would like to mention one particular person that was my mentor while I was in school; Jenna Chandler was a big encourager to me. She was a great supporter and I feel like I owe a lot of my success to her for pushing me forward, a little at a time, she replied. “I feel like she kept me going in the rough times,”
“The most rewarding thing about being a nurse and an assistant professor is when I am teaching in the classroom and suddenly, I hear one of the students tell the other students show excitement about something they learned that day and they share it with others. It is like a puzzle, and suddenly, the pieces all fit together and the puzzle is complete,” Breonna stated.
Where do you see yourself in five years? “Hopefully, I will be done with my masters and I plan on continuing on and further my education,” Breonna replied. “I see myself here at SNU continuing my nursing and teaching. I know that I want to keep moving forward in everything I do.”
Breonna is married to a wonderful man and they have four children; ages, five, four, three and one. Life stays busy! Breonna’s favorite pastime is spending time with her husband and her little ones. “I love to take the kids to the park or for walks around the neighborhood,” she said. “My first job as a nurse was at OU Medical Center downtown, working in ICU. I still work there about two times a month and I enjoy doing that, she said.
Summing up Breonna’s life in one word? “Fortunate.”
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