What is it Like to Work in Different Areas? Are the Patients Different?

Yes, as you travel from region to region as a travel nurse, you will notice that some things are the same and some things are different. For example, a broken bone is a broken bone, a telemetry patient is a telemetry patient, but depending on where you are working, you may notice some changes in the patient population and the kinds of illnesses that are most prevalent.

Patients will vary depending on the surrounding population. For example, the region where I am currently working has a really high TB population. Also, due to the local diet, diabetes is very common in the local population. Depending on the air quality of where you work, you may see more asthma patients.

If you are in a high recreation area, you may have more trauma and accidents than in another area. Perhaps the city or region where you are working has a large retirement population and that will determine what kinds of patients and illnesses you see.

This is a very good question to ask when you interview with the facility you are thinking about working at as a travel nurse. Ask the nurse manager what type of patient population they tend to have. They will think you are really looking at the big picture. That shows critical thinking which is what hiring managers look for in nurses.