#BEYOUROWN MEETS CHIOMA OKEKE

Nurse Chioma Okeke is coaching and empowering nurses around the globe. The founder of Choosing Nursing is a seasoned Registered Nurse who works with Graduate Nurses to help them pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). Chioma has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from San Diego State University.

She is a sought-after public speaker and an inner circle member of NurseTogether, a community for nursing professionals that offers career support, education and networking. She has precepted hundreds of new nurses into success and was honoured as a Diva Ambassador recipient during the Divas of Colour International Women’s Forum in 2016. She landed the No. 37 spot of the Top 60 YouTube Nursing Channels on FeedSpot blogs. She was named Top Nurse by International Nurses Association in 2018. She has been featured on BlackNews.com, Your Black World, 21 Ninety Magazine and Rolling Out Magazine to name a few. Through Choosing Nursing, Nurse Chioma is deeply impacting the nursing field on a scale bigger than she ever dreamed.

Welcome Chioma, thank you for coming on board with us, can you introduce yourself to us?

Sure. my name is Chioma Okeke, also known as Nurse Chioma. I am a registered nurse, a nurse entrepreneur, a Christian and a business owner.

Can you talk us through the path you have paved to where you are now as a registered nurse and author?

Yes, so I finished nursing school in 2010. Afterwards, I started working in the hospital. In 2012, I started my first blog which was choosingnursing.net. I used it as a place where I honestly just wanted to vent about being a nurse. Then it was in 2015 where I learned that I could become a business owner and entrepreneur so I started researching about turning Choosing Nursing into a business. I later on learned that one of the things that really helps promote credibility as an entrepreneur is writing a book. So I learned the ins and outs of publishing a book on Amazon and literally in one week, I wrote my first short book on passing the NCLEX exam. Then after that, I self-published another book about healthcare called, “52 Things You Need To Pay Attention To When You’re In The Hospital”. I wrote that book because I was passionate about informing everyday citizens about how to prevent mortality and infection risk in the hospital.

How are you redefining the state of nursing to normalcy as well as bringing healing deliverance and revival to the body of Christ?

That’s a wonderful question. I would say a number of things. One of the problems in the nursing industry is a nursing shortage. There’s a culmination of reasons of why there is a shortage, but what my company does is that we address nursing graduates that are struggling to pass their NCLEX exam or have given up. We then equip them by giving the tools and resources they need to successfully pass so they can be licensed to work in the United States or Canada. We have seen now almost 1,000 graduates now who have passed using our resources. This is one of the main ways I am redefining the state of normalcy to nursing by putting more nurses in the field. The way I bring healing, deliverance and revival to the body of Christ, is by bringing people hope that God still heals whether it’s through ministering to them personally or just providing education through the word of God. As a result, we have seen a number of testimonials of people who have been healed from sicknesses and diseases.

Can you give us 3 tips to help us fulfil our God-given assignment?

Seek God FIRST. One of the things we do wrong is that we seek everything else first before we seek God. We seek our friends, parents, social media, forums, but we often make God the last option when He should be the first option. The second thing is don’t be afraid to step out into something new. You have to be willing to let go of things you have always known and trust God and fully embrace something new. The old will always keep you stuck and out of alignment of God’s perfect will for your life. The third tip is to seek council. In the book of Proverbs, it states that there is safety in the multitude of counsellors. Yes, you personally need wisdom but you can also glean from other people’s wisdom by seeking instruction and advice. After you seek God first, He will then direct and order your steps to the right people who can give you strong advice for your God-given assignment.

What has been the best client project to date you have worked on where you saw overwhelming results?

I would say one of the best results we have had to date is when I decided to take on a client who has failed her NCLEX exam 10 times. She had literally taken it 10 times with no success. We worked with her closely to help her to pass her exam by implementing strategies and teaching. Within three months of working with us, she passed her NCLEX-RN exam on the 11th try and went on to work as a licensed registered nurse. She was not only happy but I was thrilled to see her results. This is one of the best results we have seen thus far.

Can you share with us a particular career highlight so far?

One of the highlights would be when I found out I was featured on BlackNews.com. That opportunity was truly life-changing and very unexpected.

How are you working towards your own personal development?

I work on my personal development every single day. It is SO important and I am realising it more and more today. I read books that challenge me to think differently. I ask myself the hard questions about who I am and my characteristics. I am constantly reflecting on myself every day by identifying what I did wrong and what I could do better. I’m always seeking balance and looking at how I can acquire new skills so I can become a better person.

What does #BEYOUROWN beauty mean to you?

To me, this means being the best version of yourself. It means reaching your fullest potential and always striving for more. It means knowing that you are enough and you are beautiful just the way that you are. It means focusing on what is right about you and not what is wrong. This is what #BEYOUROWN means to me.

Where are you looking to expand to next throughout 2019?

My biggest focus this year is developing partnerships with other organisations that share similar values as me and what I stand for. Companies and people who want to come together so we can help more people around the world and change more people’s lives together.

Twitter: @NurseChioma

Instagram: @nursechioma @choosing_nursing

Facebook: Choosing Nursing

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nursechioma/

Periscope: @NurseChioma

Website: www.choosingnursing.net