Meet DSM: Cole Strain
Hospitality isn’t just a southern thing, as Cole Strain found out. A lifelong Texan, Cole made the move to Greater Des Moines (DSM) in August 2022.
“The biggest surprise coming from Texas to the Midwest is how friendly people are,” says Cole.
While there are parallels between the southern hospitality culture and Midwest nice, Cole says the blend of things such as hiking trails, distinct neighborhoods and amenities like the Blank Park Zoo (a favorite) and events like Pella Tulip Time all add up to something he’s never experienced before.
And Midwest nice is more than just a helping hand or a smile at the grocery store. It extends into the connections and relationships Cole has formed since making the move to DSM, which was prompted by a desire to be closer to his fiancé's family.
As a traveling nurse, Cole took a contract at MercyOne when he first moved to DSM. During his time at MercyOne, Cole got to know the providers and get a feel for the hospital’s culture. By the end of the contract, Cole knew he wanted to stay there because of the culture.
Today, he’s a nurse practitioner with MercyOne Pulmonary Critical Care, where he’s made connections with colleagues. That bond is owed to spending time together on outings to wineries and game nights, but also through being the friendly face people can rely on for problem solving and support, something crucial in the healthcare profession. Critically ill patients land on Cole’s unit. He loves that under his care, they can get better and leave healthier.
And that’s what is at the heart of healthcare and the profession, improving lives and caring for communities.
“Our goal is to make a difference. There’s so much opportunity to be the difference and be the change in Greater Des Moines,” says Cole.
Cole has recently started taking care into the community in another way, too. He recently opened a small business called The Main Vein, a mobile IV hydration and vitamin therapy clinic that brings wellness right to people’s doors.
“Life is busy and crazy, and I wanted to be able to bridge that gap and provide people the opportunity to feel better in their own homes,” says Cole.
The business is based in Pleasant Hill, where Cole and his fiancé recently bought a house.
“We enjoy our community,” says Cole. “I wouldn’t change my decision to move here. No regrets.”
Greater Des Moines (DSM) is a vibrant region in the heart of Iowa. DSM spans a vibrant city core, amenity-packed suburbs, cozy small towns and impressive rural expanses. DSM is where you can do something greater and build the life you want and be who you were meant to be, all in a neighborly community and at an affordable cost. Learn more and find your something greater in DSM.