By Sarah Morgan Johnson
For Rachael Blaz Meier, MSN, RN (MSN 2024), providing care to rural populations has been a lifelong dream. As a child, Meier’s self-portraits always included a nursing cap and a red cross symbol. Today, she looks forward to using her Master of Science in Nursing degree with a Family Nurse Practitioner specialty from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing to impact communities in rural Alabama.
Meier’s passion for rural care stems from a love for her grandparents who lived in Wetumpka and Atmore, Alabama. Both of her grandmothers played an integral role in raising her, and Meier recalls the frustration she felt watching her maternal grandmother face barriers to care in her cancer battle.
“Around high school, I started recognizing the difference in access to health care from a suburban to rural setting,” Meier said. “I was shocked to learn about the distance she would have to drive to receive treatments, and how difficult it was for her to find transportation out of her small town to the closest treatment center.”
After earning her BSN, Meier served in the Army Nurse Corps for five years. She worked with patients from all walks of life and was appalled at the number of people she treated who did not have access to routine medical care. These eye-opening experiences shaped Meier’s heart for rural patients and prompted her to pursue a career as a nurse practitioner.
“All of these realizations led me to my goal of providing care for underserved populations. I was drawn to UAB due to their reputation and for their emphasis on innovative solutions and improving health care access in Alabama. I have learned so much about the disparities that are present in our state and realistic ways that I can help bridge gaps related to access to primary care options in rural areas,” Meier said.
Now that she has graduated, Meier plans to begin her career as a family nurse practitioner in Talladega County. She was drawn to this area because many Talladega County residents have limited access to primary care.
“Talladega County is an area that has a health provider shortage and is medically underserved. The patients of this region have greatly reduced access to primary care options and might be further impacted by other disparities like lack of insurance or transportation. In bringing my skills to Talladega County, I hope to help prevent development of chronic conditions and promote a lifetime of health and wellness for this population,” Meier said.
Meier has been blown away by the support she has received from the School’s faculty. She also was grateful for how accommodating and accessible the program was, especially as a mother of two.
“All my instructors have been incredible role models and mentors to me,” Meier said.
Developing Rural NPs
To help nurses like Meier, the School has a targeted initiative, the Graduate Nursing Education Primary Care Scholars, for current nurse practitioner students planning to provide primary care in one of Alabama's rural-designated counties upon graduation. Primary Care Scholars enroll in the same courses as their classmates but receive mentoring, individualized content relative to rural health issues, preceptorships with rural health providers, and other opportunities for professional and leadership development, with the end goal of after graduation, these nurse practitioners serve patients in rural communities.
“I am so grateful for the School, Primary Care Scholars and the Health Resources and Services Administration Advanced Nursing Education Workforce grant program for providing me with opportunities to realize my dream and the skills to provide competent care to patients no matter their background. I feel extremely prepared to go into the world and provide high-quality and compassionate health care to the citizens of Talladega County,” Meier said.
