CRHL Alumni Spotlight - SuLynn Mester

CRHL Alumni Spotlight - SuLynn Mester

If you’ve completed NRHA’s CNO or Rural Health Nurse Certification Programs, you’re likely familiar with SuLynn Mester. If you don’t know her yet, this spotlight will highlight her significant contributions to rural health and rural health nursing. In addition to leading NRHA’s Rural Hospital CNO Certification Program and co-leading NRHA's Rural Health Nurse Certification program, SuLynn serves as a full-time Clinical Assistant Professor at the Center for Rural Health and Nursing at the University of Texas – Arlington. Prior to that, SuLynn was the CNO of a rural Texas hospital for 14 years.

SuLynn was a member of the advisory board that helped develop and launch NRHA’s Rural Hospital CNO Certification Program. After its creation, she was part of the inaugural cohort. SuLynn found the leadership building block to be the most impactful part of the program. After earning her CNO certification, Bill Auxier, CEO of the Center for Rural Health Leadership, invited SuLynn to lead the program. SuLynn shared that working with the certification programs is something “she absolutely loves and always looks forward to.”

In addition to leading the CNO program, SuLynn is the co-leader of the Rural Health Nurse Certification program, alongside Rebecca Shutts. Not only do they lead the program, but they were also instrumental in its creation. Recognizing the need for a national certification for rural nursing, a specialty in its own right, SuLynn and Rebecca separately approached CRHL leadership with their idea. The program has since been successful and impactful, and the fourth cohort graduated this past May. 

Reflecting on how her involvement with NRHA’s certification programs has impacted her, SuLynn shared numerous positive insights. She described her participation in the inaugural CNO cohort as “career-changing,” providing her with the knowledge and skills to advance in her career, as well as the opportunity to facilitate programs herself. SuLynn emphasized that one of the key benefits of the certification programs is networking, saying, “it cannot be understated,” and highlighting the immense value it provides to rural heath leaders.  From both a facilitator and participant perspective, SuLynn believes NRHA’s certification programs are “carrying rural health leadership forward” and highly recommends them to anyone working in rural healthcare.

When asked to share any success stories or lessons learned, SuLynn offered this advice: “Never stop chasing your dream or education.” Encouraged by her former mentor, SuLynn returned to school to further her education, despite thinking it was too late to do so. Thanks to that mentorship and her hard work, she earned a terminal degree in nursing.  

SuLynn encourages others to “make the chance if you don’t have the chance” and to advocate for rural health and improved access to care in rural areas.