December 2nd, 2024
Brooke Breene, CPhT, joined Pharmacy at St. Joseph Hospital in November of 2022, initially working in the Inpatient Pharmacy as a Pharmacy Technician II. In September of 2023, she transferred to the Infusion Pharmacy in the Cancer Center as a Pharmacy Technician and regularly provides support in the main Pharmacy as needed.
What Brooke enjoys most about her job here at St. Joseph Hospital is the fact that she essentially works in two different departments: Pharmacy and the Cancer Center. She says the people she works with in both departments are incredible. One of her main responsibilities includes mixing chemotherapy medications for patients, which may not be as visible to others, but she finds fulfillment in being apart of the patient’s treatment process.
Kristen Billings, MSN, RN, OCN, Clinical Nurse Manager of the Cancer Center, says, “Brooke does more than mix medications for us. She understands that there is a person behind that medication, and she shows compassion in caring for that patient. She does what she can to provide help to the infusion staff to ensure that they patient is able to get what they need to make their cancer journey easier. Brooke works harder than just about anyone I know. She shows support to the staff in the Cancer Center and in the Pharmacy. She must wear many hats, from ordering to mixing, all the way to running medications around the entire hospital – and does it all with a smile on her face.”
When reflecting on her most memorable moment at St. Joseph Hospital, she mentioned this moment of being honored as the Mission Champion for December 2024. However, what truly resonates with her are the meaningful connections she has built with patients and the heartfelt moments they’ve shared. One patient interaction that stands out occurred as she was entering the Cancer Center. A patient stopped her to ask about her role at the hospital. After she shared that answer, the patient warmly responded, “Thanks for helping us.” Those words stayed with her. Another special memory is from this year’s Ribbon Run, where her son Drew won 3rd place and she and her husband crossed the finish line together.
When Brooke is not busy working, she spends time with her family – her husband of eight years, Adam, their 14-year-old son, Drew, and their Russian Blue cat named Blue. Together, they love watching football every Thursday, Sunday, and Monday night. Brooke also enjoys cheering on her son at his school’s cross country meets. When is comes to music, she and her husband have attended 12 concerts in the past year alone, showcasing their love for live performances.
Congratulations, Brooke!