example of nursing resume skills

The Ultimate Guide to Nursing Resumes in 2024

How to write a nurse resume, nurse resume research, nursing resume readers & robots, choose a nurse resume format, nurse resume format & design, writing your nursing resume, common resume mistakes, nursing resume templates, nurse resume faqs.

Expert Reviewed by: Amanda Guarniere, NP, Founder of the Resume RX

In 2024, a vague, uninspiring nursing resume just won't cut it. Recent years have fostered growing competition for the best nursing jobs , creating a greater need for nurses to learn how to write exceptional nursing resumes. With vast opportunities and diverse requirements from various employers, every nurse must put their best foot forward to market themselves for the best positions. 

However, this ever-changing world of online applications and robotic resume readers makes it more complex for nurses to get to the first rounds of interviews. This article will help you tackle the daunting task of writing a nursing resume that stands out. We'll help you build a better nursing resume by giving you an inside look at how robotic resume readers work and providing tips on how to make your resume, things you should and shouldn't include, and provide examples and templates.

Think of your job search as your own personal marketing campaign. And the product is you! Your resume is an advertisement for your professional nursing brand. A brand is more than a logo - it’s the overall impression you give your audience. In this case, your audience is a potential employer. 

As with any advertisement, the goal of your nursing resume is to pique your audience’s interest in a limited amount of time. It’s commonly said that hiring managers will spend less than ten seconds reading your resume. And in many cases, it has to first be screened by a resume-reading robot before it reaches human hands.

So, you must carefully curate your brand for these employers. Captivate them with your professionalism, unique skillset, experience, and personality using your nursing resume. These tactics may help get your foot in the door for an interview, where you can close the deal by impressing them in person.

The first and most important step in any marketing campaign is the research phase. The more you learn about potential employers, the better you can tailor your registered nurse resume to their requirements.

Initial Employer Research for Nursing Resumes

Before you begin tailoring your resume for specific jobs, take some time to answer the following questions about each company:

• Who are they?
• What is their company culture?
• What do they struggle with as an organization?
• What qualities are they looking for in a potential candidate?
• Which of their desired qualities do you possess?

Researching Company Culture and Values

The internet has made it fairly easy to hop online and start your research right now from your mobile device. Employers' websites and social platforms will give you an inside glimpse at their culture and values.

Instead of simply reading a job posting, take a few extra steps to investigate the employer's online presence:

• Check out the company website - what does their mission statement say?
• See what they tweet about
• Investigate what photos they post on Instagram
• Learn about the articles they share on Facebook
• Check their LinkedIn - do you have any connections at the company?
• Look at their Google ratings

Examine Required vs Preferred Nursing Qualifications

The research phase isn't just about investigating the company - you also need to understand the job description. Specifically, understanding the difference between "required" and "preferred" qualifications will help you build a tailored resume for each job:

Required Qualifications

These are just what they say - requirements. Those who do not possess these qualifications will not be considered. 

Preferred Qualifications

Skills that are desired but are not deal-breakers for the employer. You may still be considered even if you do not possess these. 

As you personalize your nursing resume to different opportunities, these qualifications will, in part, guide what you do and do not include. You should include any and all required qualifications if you want an employer to consider your candidacy. 

If you do not possess some or all of the preferred qualifications, you can apply anyway and still be in the running. However, including the ones you do possess on your tailored nursing resume is always the best practice.

Build a Master Resume

You may want a solid starting point from which you can use your research to build a dedicated resume for each position you apply for. Queue the "master resume," a comprehensive working document that highlights everything you've accomplished and every skill you've fostered as a nurse thus far. 

We recommend starting with a foundational nurse resume so that you can alter it for each role you apply to. This way, you won't be rewriting a new resume for every single position. But you'll also avoid submitting "cookie-cutter" resumes that employers won't bother looking at twice.

Use Research to Personalize Your Nursing Resume

Dale Carnegie once said that “A person’s name is, to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” Personalizing your RN resume matters, with both how you mention and address the future employer and how to include your specific qualifications that match what they are looking for.

Using your research and leveraging your professional brand and personality to target your nurse resume could lead to the interview of your dreams. Not targeting it, however, could lead you on the fast track to nowhere.

The internet revolution transformed the hiring process, impacting the entire labor market in a very short time. 15 years ago, printing your resume on off-white linen paper and hand-delivering it to employers was the status quo. But as little as five years later, doing so might only get you some perplexed looks and urges to apply online.

Technological advances will continue shaping the job market in 2024.  USC Annenberg reports that up to 55% of companies are making investments in AI recruiting measures. But even now, many employers screen online applicants using resume-reading robots. 

This section explores how these bots impact the hiring process and how to get your nursing resume past them and into a real person's hands.

What Is a Resume Reading Robot?

ATS systems are highly technical but can only do what their program says, unable to come close to human discretion. So, knowing how ATS systems work can help you write a resume that passes their screening.

Here's a brief overview of how employers use ATS software to screen nursing applicants:

1. Knockout Questions

Recruiters can use an ATS to scan for keywords or "knockout questions" like "Do you have an active Washington State Nursing License?" These functions help them swiftly eliminate unqualified candidates.

2. Disqualifying Statements

They may also configure the ATS to include “disqualifying statements.” An ATS searching for these statements will automatically reject nursing resumes with certain keywords or phrases. 

For example, an ATS screening for bachelor's-trained nurses might reject resumes that mention an associate's degree. If you have both, consider listing only your BSN.

3. Keyword Screening

Finally, recruiters may use the ATS to find resumes with exact keywords or phrases. These may include qualifications listed in the job description, degrees, or skills. They can program the ATS to reject any application that does not include their specified keywords.

How Does ATS Work?

Not all ATS systems are created equally. They vary greatly in their functionality and behavior. Most ATS systems are programmed to score resumes according to keywords. However, they can be configured to search and score resumes based on various other criteria.

The results are imperfect. Some ATS systems can't differentiate between titles, such as Clinical Nurse II and Registered Nurse, or distinguish between the terms BLS and Basic Life Support. So how do you navigate these intricacies in your nursing resume?

Best Practice:   R ead the job description and use the exact wording for the qualifications listed that you possess.

If you use acronyms and abbreviations, make sure to spell out the entire word, followed by the shortened version. It would be disappointing to have all the requested qualifications but be filtered out by the ATS because you used only the acronyms when the robot was programmed for the full phrases spelled out.

What Are the Shortcomings of ATS?

The problem is that ATS does not ‘read’ a resume as a human would - it simply collects data. It doesn’t care about aesthetics, either. It is programmed by an employer to search for the right keywords, in the right order, on the right part of the resume.  

Also, the system can get confused pretty easily. For example, if the font is too fancy or if it encounters unrecognizable symbols, it may score the resume as ‘unqualified’ and move on to the next resume. It does what it is configured to do, nothing more and nothing less.

While ATS has streamlined the hiring process for employers, it’s also made job search extremely challenging for the job seeker. In fact, 94% of hiring professionals say that ATS has positively influenced their hiring goals, while 80% of job seekers say that their online job search is stressful.

What Other Hiring Technology Might I Encounter?

Recently, some employers have started to use artificial intelligence in a different way - during the interview process. Rather than having strict ATS filters, they offer more candidates the opportunity to interview, but there is a catch.

You don't interview with the employer but with a computer. In these one-way or “on-demand” interviews, you essentially get the opportunity to record your video response to interview questions. After you submit it, hiring managers or recruiters review the video responses before choosing the candidates for formal interviews.

Does Every Employer Use ATS?

While many employers use ATS, there are definitely employers who still rely on human resource professionals to screen resumes. In those instances, a human resources professional usually skims the resumes and invites the most qualified candidates in for an interview.

The problem here is that most employers will receive hundreds of resumes for a single opening. To get through the resumes quickly, the HR professional may resort to a simple scan of the resumes knowing that even qualified applicants may not make it. It’s simply a way to reduce the number of applicants.

In either case, the goal of the modern resume is to ‘sell’ yourself in an organized, targeted manner for a specific role. The best way to design an effective, attention-grabbing resume is by making strong assertions in the beginning followed by supporting evidence.

How to Get Past the ATS

• Target your resume to the specific position. Do this by reading job descriptions and selecting keywords noted in the descriptions - competencies, skills sets, education, and experience.
• Match individual experiences to keywords/key skill sets found within the job posting.  
• Research the employer and target the resume based on the facility's values and culture. 
• Make strong assertions within the top ⅓ of the resume.
• Follow those assertions with supporting evidence.
• Include a “ Professional Summary ” if you are an experienced Nurse.
• Only apply to roles that you match 100% of the “Required Qualifications.” 
• Use simple fonts such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri.
• Never use smaller than 10-point font. See Part 5 for more styling suggestions. 
• Use simple black bullet (dots) points, not special bullet symbols.
• Save your resume as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf format.
• If using an abbreviation, always spell out the words followed by the abbreviation or acronym. You never know how the abbreviation was entered into the ATS. 
• Use standard, simple section headers such as “Work History” or “Education.”
• Settings you’ve worked in 
• Patient demographics
• Policies/procedures
• EMR/EHR used
• Medications administered
• Equipment used
• Don’t use the same title as at your current employer if it is different from the title in the job description. Use the title in the job description. 
• Don’t overload your resume with keywords. Use them appropriately. Overusing keywords will flag a resume and could cause the ATS to lower your score.
• Don't forget to support the keywords you use with evidence throughout your resume.
• Do not put your contact information in the header section because ATS will not see it.
• Do not include tables because most ATS can’t read them. Other ATS can only read them if their operator programmed them to do so. 
• Do not use creative section headers such as “Where I’ve Worked” because the ATS likely doesn’t understand what that means.
• Don’t include a headshot, graphics, special fonts, photos, colored fonts, or unique bullets. 
• Do not state, “References available upon request.” It takes up too much space and is unnecessary. If employers want references, they’ll ask. 
• Don’t place skills at the bottom of the resume. Many ATS systems only scan the top ⅓ of the resume for keywords. If you have important keywords at the bottom, the ATS may not see them and could disqualify your resume. 
• Don’t use “I” statements; resumes should be written in the third person. 
• Do not rely on resume builder software. Stay in control of your registered nurse resume.

How to Spot an ATS

If you’ve ever visited a job posting and seen an “APPLY NOW” button, you’ve encountered the elusive resume-reading bot. ATS requires candidates to enter data on the front end. 

Maybe you’ve gone through the steps to create a login, complete the application and upload your resume. Perhaps you didn’t realize at the time that you were entering your information into an applicant tracking system.  

Raise your hand if you never heard back from an employer after applying online. Raise your other hand if you received an automated response “thanking” you for your interest and never heard back!

Now, keep in mind that it can be difficult to stand out when you are applying for a job online, especially when there is an ATS involved. As you consider your overall job search strategy, try to think of other ways that can increase your chances of getting a job. Don’t be afraid to ask your network connections for referrals and recommendations, or let friends and family know what type of position you are looking for and where. While your resume is absolutely important, it isn’t the only tool that can lead to you getting a job.

Prior to ever typing words onto your resume, it’s important to first decide on a resume format. There are three types of resume layouts. While we highly recommend the reverse-chronological layout for most nursing professionals, we’d encourage you to make the best choice for yourself.

Here’s a breakdown of the three most popular types of resume layouts: 

1. Reverse Chronological Nursing Resume

This layout focuses on career history and lists jobs in reverse chronological order. We recommend this type of registered nurse resume for the majority of healthcare professionals and will focus the details of this article on the format. It is best suited for:

• New nursing graduates
• Nurses with fewer than 5 roles within the past 5-7 years. 
• Travel Nurses with <10 completed assignments
• Nurses with experience in only 1-2 specialties
• Nurses applying for a similar role
• Nurses wanting to show vertical career progression 

2. Functional Nursing Resume

This nurse resume layout places emphasis on skills and deemphasizes work history. However, it does not pass the ATS test well, and hiring managers overall do not prefer it. We recommend against this layout for the majority of nursing professionals. Typically, people who use this format are: 

• Changing careers
• Have large gaps in employment
• Do have years of experience in the role in which they are applying

3. Combination Nursing Resume

This layout is a mixture of the reverse chronological and the functional resume. While it places emphasis on skill sets, abilities, and accomplishments, it also highlights applicable work history. We recommend combination resumes for nursing professionals with the following background, goals, and barriers: 

• Nurses with experience in multiple specialties and/or medical professions
• Seasoned travel nurses with >10 completed assignments
• Nurses with multiple small gaps in employment
• Nurses looking to change specialties
• Nurses interested in changing careers

Writing a nursing resume can feel overwhelming. It’s no easy task! Nowadays, nursing resumes must be able to pass through resume reading software before it even reaches a recruiter. That’s why we’ve put together THREE nurse resume templates to cater to your unique professional needs and employment situation.

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The first formatting and design consideration you should make when creating your nursing resume is how well an  ATS will read them. We recommend the following comprehensive design and formatting guidelines to appease common ATS systems:

Many experts believe you can achieve the perfect balance of text to white space in your nursing resume using the following margin settings:

• Top Margin: 1"
• Side Margins: .63"

Left alignment is standard since that’s how most people (and robots) read. You may think a justified alignment looks tidier, but it can leave uneven gaps between words and ultimately make text harder to read. 

In the nursing profession, length should not be the focus of the resume. While we recommend 1-2 pages, some nurses may have resumes with 3 (or more) pages.

Don’t stress over length too much. If the resume is slightly over the page amount by a few lines try changing the margin, font style, font size, or shortening statements. The bottom line is it should look visually appealing and should include keywords.

We recommend  Times New Roman or Arial to best utilize the functionality of the ATS. However, this is your personal preference. Take note that Times New Roman can be difficult to read if it is smaller than 11pt.

If you are striving for a resume that looks visually appealing when printed, there are great ways to achieve that without going overboard with design. For example, you could use the “small caps” feature for headings, which keeps the font the same but adds a bit more character and differentiation. Or, you could try a font pairing, using serif fonts for headers and sans serif for body text.

Important Note: Different font styles will take up different amounts of space. See how these identical statements look vastly different despite both being in 11 pt font:

Experienced Travel Nurse with 8 years experience in critical care nursing.

Throughout the resume, there should be different-sized fonts. We recommend the following for each section: 

It’s important to note that 10-point font should be the smallest size on the resume. 

While some ATS systems claim to read colors, we encourage you to simply use black. 

Special Characters

We recommend keeping the resume very simple. Basic bullet points (black dots) may be used when desired. Simple lines are acceptable as well. 

Design Features to Avoid

The following design features are best left off the resume: 

• Multiple font styles
• Special characters

As you’ve learned, ATS systems skim resumes and locate specific information in the correct order. We’d suggest using the following categories and section headers to optimize your nursing resume for ATS scoring.

Contact Information

This is the first section of the resume and does not require a title. Your name should be front and center. Don’t make the recruiter search for it. Make sure it’s the largest font on the page. While there are varying opinions on the exact placement of the name, we recommend a simple classic version in the following format:

Your name should be the first thing a recruiter, hiring manager, or ATS system sees on your nurse resume. It should share a line with your nursing credentials and be in a bold, readable, 18-22 pt font. If you go by a different name, make sure to list both in this section.

Nursing Credentials

Your nursing credentials should directly follow your first and last name on a nursing resume. The preferred order to list these in is Highest degree earned, Licensure, then National Certifications.

We've included a  credential quick reference guide below to help you fill out your resume perfectly.

The days of listing your home address on a resume are over - most employers don't need this information, and we advise against including it on your resume as a security precaution. However, this is a personal decision you can make at your own discretion.

You should never leave your location off completely because many employers have location parameters set in their ATS systems. Ensure you include your city and state in the contact information portion of your nursing resume.

Phone/Texting Number

Oh, technology! Yes, some employers will actually text their candidates. Make sure to indicate if you receive texts and whether the phone number is a cell phone or a home phone. This is a great time to make sure your voicemail message states your full name and is professional.

Email Address

It is in your best interest to ensure that you have a professional email address that does not reveal your age. Age discrimination is real, and listing your birth year or using an antiquated email service like AOL can definitely trigger it.

Your email address should include a variation of your name and some numbers if necessary. You can even make a totally separate email account and use it only for your job search.

LinkedIn Profile

If you have a LinkedIn profile definitely include it. If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, you could be missing out on opportunities. Now is the time to create one!

In your settings, you can easily create a shortened LinkedIn URL that doesn’t have a bunch of random numbers and letters.

How Your Digital Footprint Impacts Your Nursing Job Search

Though you may not list it, you should consider your social media and online presence when you complete the contact information portion of your resume. Potential employers will likely look you up online. Many Recruiters tell us that looking a candidate up on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter is one of the first things they do. So, make sure everything you post online is what you would want an employer to see. 

Additionally, online behavior can benefit you. Do you have a nursing-related website or blog? Are you an Instagram celebrity? Maybe you created a successful YouTube channel when you were a newbie nurse. Include all this on your resume if it relates to nursing. This is all part of your unique brand!

Nursing Resume Credential Quick Reference Guide

According to the American Nurses Credentialing Center (AACN), the preferred order is Highest degree earned, Licensure, and National Certification.

Educational degrees include doctoral degrees (Ph.D., DrPH, DNS, EdD, DNP), master’s degrees (MSN, MS, MA), bachelor’s degrees (BS, BSN, BA), and associate degrees (AD, ADN).

Licensure credentials include RN, LPN, CNA, and APRN.

National certification , which is occasionally voluntary for nurses and obligatory for advanced practice nurses, is awarded through accredited certifying bodies such as the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), includes RNBC (Registered Nurse-Board Certified) and FNP-BC (Family Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified).

You may also choose to include awards and honors:

Outstanding achievements in nursing, such as FAAN (Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing).

Other certifications that recognize additional skills, such as the EMT-Basic/EMT, awarded by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.

Here is an example of contact information on a nursing resume that puts it all together:

Penny Lite, BSN, RN   Los Angeles, CA | Text/Call: (987) 654 - 3210 | [email protected] | www.linkedin.com/pennylitern

Professional Summary

Don’t make an employer (or ATS) search your entire resume for reasons to invite you to an interview. Tell them right off the top exactly why you are the best candidate for the role.

Every position is unique, and this is your first opportunity to optimize the resume for ATS and to also catch the employer’s eye. Spend a little time to target it and let your qualifications and accomplishments shine. 

While there is some debate about how to introduce your resume, we suggest using a professional summary as opposed to a career objective. The professional summary can be formatted in either a short paragraph or a bulleted list asserting qualifications and providing a concise career snapshot.

How to Write a Professional Summary for a Nursing Resume

Think of your resume summary as an “elevator pitch” - a quick, attention-grabbing, loaded statement that entices the reader to want to continue on. Your professional summary is unique to you and should be targeted to a specific role, just like the cover letters career counselors used to tell us about.

However, it could definitely include the following information: 

• Number of years of experience in a specialty 
• Common keywords found in nursing job descriptions e.g., excellent patient care, acute care, family education, compassionate
• Facility designations or info about facilities 
• Supervisory experience and number of subordinates
• Special certifications or awards
• Language abilities
• Soft skills such as patience, compassion, and a cooperative spirit

Nursing professional summary example: 

4+ years nursing experience with strong clinical background in critical care (CCU) and intermediate care nursing (IMCU). Proactively streamlines operations, initiates tasks, and supports the healthcare team while prioritizing excellent patient care. Champions patient and family education by providing compassionate, inclusive care that encourages self-sufficiency. Recipient of the Daisy Award. Bilingual in English and Spanish.

Nursing Skills and Areas of Expertise

List your nursing skills within the top ⅓ of the resume - Don't make the common mistake of adding them last. With the popularity of ATS, this mistake could cost you an interview. This is especially true in nursing, as the profession requires very specific skills. 

Additionally, your hard skills should be directly targeted to the role as expressed in the job description. Is the employer asking for a specific EMR that you are experienced with? List it! Are you an expert at starting IVs because of your five years of experience in the emergency room? List it!

This should not be a generic list of skills but a specific list that is as quantified as possible. It’s possible that if you are a newer nurse or are making a specialty pivot you may not have hard skills to include. In that case, it’s okay to omit this section and highlight your transferable  soft nursing skills within your job history.

While most nurses list their license titles on their resumes, it’s been our experience that they leave off a few very important details - most notably, whether the license is active and the expiration date. 

Why is this important? Including this information lets potential employers know that you are ready to start work ASAP. They don’t have to wait for the licensing process. Including your license number is optional, and you can make this decision based on your privacy comfort. The employer will likely be verifying your license online anyway (this is all public information).

If you are an advanced practice nurse, you may decide to leave off license numbers for privacy purposes, especially your DEA number or controlled substance registration number.

Here’s an example of how to list your licensure:

Registered Nurse - California, #RN00101, expires 4/17/2024.

Certifications and Credentials

This is another key section where some important details are typically missing on the nursing resumes we’ve seen. While most nurses list their credentials, it’s important to list them in a specific manner.

Don’t simply list acronyms, as some ATS systems may not be programmed to read shortened versions. Make sure to list the accrediting body, credential/certification number (where applicable), and expiration date. 

Here’s an example of how to list your certifications and credentials: 

Basic Life Support (BLS), American Heart Association, expires: 12/1/2021

Work History

Employers want to know what you can do for them, period.  Nurse recruiters we’ve talked to will zero in on this section. What are they looking for? Evidence, facts, quantifiable points - proof to support the assertions made in your resume summary.

Vague work histories are particularly frustrating to employers - especially when applicants copy and paste job descriptions. To avoid falling into those pitfalls, try incorporating these tips: 

Use simple section headers such as “Work History” or “Relevant Experience,” these are ATS friendly. “What I’ve Done” is not. 

List your experience in reverse chronological order.  If you have a lengthy employment history, you may consider only including the most recent 10-15 years of experience. This will shorten your resume and also limit the chances that you’ll encounter age discrimination. Looking at the big-picture experience from 25 years ago doesn’t necessarily speak to your recent nursing experience because employers care about what you can do for them now.

Work History Format

Adding your work history in a logical format can help your nursing resume beat the ATS and impress recruiters. We recommend using the following format for each work history segment:

1. Job Title and Specialty

This is a controversial subject, but we believe employers care more about what you’ve done than who you’ve worked for. Use the job title as it is listed in the job posting, or use a more industry-wide job title. Registered Nurse as opposed to Clinical Nurse II. 

2. Facility Name

Add the name of the facility or company you worked for after your job title. You can add this on the same line or a different line, but using the same line will optimize space.

3. Employment Dates  

These are important and can be listed in a number of ways. However, it’s been our experience that specific dates are not necessary for a resume. On an application, yes, on a resume, not so much. You can simply list the months and years (mm/yy - present).

4. Facility-Specific and Unit-Specific Information

This information is helpful and important to employers but is left off the majority of resumes we’ve seen, it includes: 

• Trauma level: level I, II, III
• Facility Designations 
• Total Hospital beds
• Total unit beds

Primary Duties and Accomplishments

This section looks best in a bulleted list of no more than six points and should include duties, noteworthy accomplishments, and achievements. It’s important to emphasize specific duties and not be too vague.

Also, try your best not to simply regurgitate basic nursing duties that would be assumed of your role. This will take up valuable space on your resume and not really tell the reader much about you !

Wondering what specifics to include? Here are a few questions to get those wheels turning:

• What illnesses, injuries, or traumas do you care for? 
• What cases do you work on? 
• What type of medications do you administer and how? 
• What therapies do you perform? 
• What equipment do you use? 
• How have you improved processes? 
• When have I been first or best?
• No. 1 achievement in each position?
• Which achievements have the most impressive numbers?
• When have I been publicly recognized?

Write Strong Nursing Resume Bullets

Wondering how to order your bullets and what to include? Try this: start with a verb leading to quantifiable data or a specific point and include a relevant duty.

Use our comprehensive tables to build compelling nursing resume bullets that make your achievements shine:

Here is a brief work history resume example for nurses that puts it all together:

Registered Nurse, Acute Care - Example Medical Center 09-19 - Present

• Supervised staff of 15 registered nurses, 8 certified nursing assistants, and 7 paramedics while multitasking excellent patient care. 
• Cared for up to 4 patients per shift with acute neurological disorders, including strokes, spinal cord injuries, and head trauma.

Education and Training

In the nursing profession, education and training are of utmost importance. If you have work experience, this section can be fairly brief.  You should list your relevant degrees in chronological order. 

There are varying opinions regarding the specific ordering of education. However, we believe that the degree or certification title should be listed first. Employers care firstly that you have the education requirement they need and secondarily where you obtained the requirement. 

We suggest the following format:  Degree or Certification Title (acronym), Institution Name 

Here’s an example: 

Bachelor's Degree in Nursing (BSN), University of Washington 

Should I Include Graduation Dates on a Nursing Resume?

You are not required to include your college or high school graduation dates on your nursing resume , as it could reveal your age. Age discrimination is the top form of employment discrimination and affects all age groups. If you graduated more than 10-15 years ago, it may be a good idea to omit the date.  But this is a personal decision you should make at your own discretion.

Should I Include My GPA on a Nursing Resume?

Including your GPA in your nursing resume is optional. If you are particularly proud of your GPA, by all means, add it! However, it is not required. If you graduated with honors that you are proud of, you can definitely include that as well. Again the resume is a unique snapshot of you!

Should I Include my Non-Nursing Degrees and Credentials?

If you possess other degrees not related to nursing, it is not necessary to include those on your nursing resume. Some second-career nurses like to list this information, especially if there has been an interesting career pivot or one that brings a lot of value to your role as a nurse. Remember, you are telling your personal, unique story, and you get to decide what to include.

How Do I Add In-Progress Advanced Education Programs?

If you are currently enrolled in higher education to advance your studies within the nursing field, that should be listed on your resume and state that the degree is pending or in progress. However, if you started a graduate degree program, never finished, and do not plan on finishing, it is unnecessary to include it on the resume. 

Should I Include my High School Education?

Nurses do not need to include their high school diplomas on their resumes. The nursing profession requires completion of higher education, and therefore, your higher degree trumps your diploma. 

Awards, Accomplishments, and Affiliations

Though this section is not required, we encourage including awards and accomplishments that are relevant to the nursing profession. These details will provide the potential employer with more proof and evidence of who you are as a nurse. 

In this section, you can include: 

• Awards and recognitions that are specific to the hospital or facility where you work, e.g. the Daisy Award, Employee of the Month, and Nursing Excellence Award
• Professional memberships and affiliations relating to nursing and/or healthcare
• Volunteer work, if it relates to nursing

We suggest the following format: Title, organization, year

Here are a couple of examples:

• Recipient, Nursing Excellence Award, Washington Medical Center
• Volunteer, American Red Cross - Haiti - 2012

Naming Your Nurse Resume Save File

One last thing, saving! Don’t just give your resume any old name! Hiring professionals sometimes receive multiple documents from candidates, and they don’t want to waste time sorting through every document to find the resume. Some prefer to organize resumes by specialty. Tell them exactly which document is your resume. 

We suggest the following format: firstlast_specialty_resume.doc

Here’s an example:

PennyLite_ICU_resume.doc

We’ve seen a lot of resumes over the years, and you might be surprised by the amount of strange information people have included on them. So, here are the top mistakes we’ve seen:

Woot! If you’ve made it this far you should have an excellent understanding of how to write a great nursing resume. We know it’s a lot of information right now, and we hope that you’ll use the information to advance your career.

For a little more help, try using our free resume templates. And when you’ve landed your next interview, check out the next part in this series, The Complete Guide to Nursing Job Interviews .

>> Download free nurse resume templates!

What should be included in a nursing resume?

• A nursing resume should include your education, experience, including clinical, work, and volunteer, any certifications you have, and skills. 

How do I write a nurse resume?

• You can use a template to fill out your nursing resume or fill out your own. 

How do I list my nursing skills on my resume?

• List skills that are in the job description or outline on the facility’s website. For instance, common nursing skills include critical thinking, teamwork, communication, team management, and high ethical standards. 

Do you put RN after your name on a resume?

• You can include "RN" or "RN, BSN"  if you have other credentials. If you haven’t passed your NCLEX yet, you can put G.N. for Graduate Nurse.

How long should a nurse's resume be?

• A nursing resume should be no longer than 1-2 pages. 

What is your greatest skill as a nurse?

• The most valuable skill you have as a nurse may depend on your exact role and specialty, but in general, communication, kindness, empathy, and critical thinking are highly valued traits as a nurse. 

How far back should a resume go?

• If you’re a recent graduate, you don’t need to go to high school, just include your college experience and degree. For experienced nurses, include all relevant experience. 

Amanda is an Ivy-league-educated nurse practitioner and career mentor who helps nurses find and land their dream jobs. She founded The Résumé Rx  in 2018 to help nurses with career and résumé strategy  Learn more about Amanda and her products at  www.theresumerx.com  and follow her on Instagram  @theresumerx.

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10 Nursing Skills for Your Resume (+ How to Show Them)

Nursing is an in-demand profession within the health care sector. Here are some skills you can add to your resume to land your next job as a nurse.

You've gone through nursing school and internships. Now, it's time to find a job. Or maybe you've been a registered nurse (RN) for a few years and you're seeking a change. What job skills are potential employers looking for in a nurse? How can you demonstrate those skills in your resume?

The short answer is that you must consider what a specific hiring manager is seeking in a specific nurse job opening. There are many types of hospitals and clinics that want to hire a nurse who will be the right fit for their needs and culture. Your resume should feature relevant skills even if you don't have a dedicated skills section.

The good news is that jobs in health care are expected to increase 13 percent from 2021 to 2031, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics [ 1 ]. For nurses, the projected job growth rate is 6 percent [ 2 ]. That means ample opportunity to let your resume shine.

Here are some skills you can add to your resume to land your next nursing job . You’ll also learn where to place them to elevate your resume.

10 nursing skills to put on your resume

Within the field of nursing, you'll need both technical skills —also called hard skills, or the skills you use to perform tasks—and workplace skills—also called soft skills , or the skills that describe how you approach your tasks. To move forward in your nursing career, you’ll want to demonstrate to prospective employers that you have both the hard and soft skills necessary to be a successful nurse.

Technical skills

As a registered nurse, you’ll provide care for patients in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, doctor’s offices, schools, home health care, and more, to support physicians and other medical professionals. It is important to master these technical skills, and integrate them into your resume when you customize it for a specific job.

1. Clinical nursing skills

All RNs must be able to do the basics of clinical care, such as monitoring vital signs , checking symptoms, and more. You should also know the normal ranges of blood pressure and heart rate for each type of patient. 

How to show it: To highlight clinical nursing skills, a good rule of thumb is to quantify or provide specific and measurable achievements. For example, you might describe your duties by stating, “Prepared, monitored, and maintained 10 dialysis machines” or “Performed teammate and patient scheduling while managing the training of four clinical teammates and two nursing assistants.”

2. Basic (and urgent) care

Nurses are adept at dressing wounds, drawing blood, inserting catheters, and more. If you are skilled at doing this in specific situations or environments, such as urgent care, you should mention this on your resume. The same goes for the number of patients you treated per shift.

How to show it: Focus on quantifying your professional experience. If you have any internships, you might comment on the number of patients you treated at any given time. "Provided basic care for 20 patients in the outpatient floor," or "Got promoted to treating urgent care patients after caring for 200 patients in one year."

3. Patient safety and well-being

As an RN, you need to know how to maintain a patient’s safety. This can include transporting a patient from their bed to the bathroom, or providing an alternative for using the bathroom. You’ll be responsible for keeping rooms and supplies sanitary to minimize the risk for infection.

How to show it: You might want to show this by listing specific trainings you've received. You can also portray a special skill set gained by ensuring patient safety, such as "Earned nurse of the month award for most empathy (or best patient care)."

4. Comfortable with technology

Nurses need to know how to use technology, as you’re always accessing patient records on a computer and monitoring vital signs. If you took the initiative to improve technology or processes on your team, mention this in your resume.

How to show it: Proficiency with tools should be mentioned. If you have experience with portable monitors, automated IV pumps, wearable devices, electronic health records (EHR), telehealth and any accompanying apps, be sure to mention them in the skills section or in a line on your work experience. Specific software such as EHR coding programs could also be included.

5. Administering medication

You’ll need to know how to count and identify medications, including understanding what symptoms and diseases they treat. 

How to show it: Understanding specific medications can be difficult to portray on a resume because it's expected that nurses know what to prescribe. However, it could be helpful to note if you have had success streamlining the internal processes for administering medication for efficiency.

Highlighting specialized skills

Some nurses are specialized in fields such as oncology, geriatrics, newborn intensive care unit (NICU), emergency room (ER), and more.

If you are aiming for a particular specialization within nursing—especially if you have received the accreditation—then you should definitely tailor your skills and experiences on your resume to the job you’re applying for.

Further, if you are certified as a nurse practitioner , be sure to note your knowledge of preventative care strategies, as well as your understanding of chronic disease management.

Workplace skills

In addition to technical skills, every nurse needs to work well with diverse people and environments. Not only are they in charge of caring for patients’ lives and well-being, they often need to lead or at least collaborate on teams within a hospital or clinic. As a nurse, these skills are just as necessary on your resume as technical skills.

6. Communication

Nurses must be able to communicate effectively and accurately about patients to doctors and staff. They are also expected to discuss sensitive issues and translate medical jargon for patients and their families. Sometimes a patient may be upset, so they need to understand body language and be able to empathize. 

How to show it: On your resume, you can detail the types of people you have experience communicating with, from doctors to patients to hospital support staff.

7. Flexibility

Everybody gets sick at some point. Dealing with diverse individuals with multiple changing needs and conditions requires nurses to be ready for anything. 

How to show it: You can demonstrate this skill on your resume by mentioning something like “Managed frontline operations for an outpatient clinic,” which requires plenty of flexibility.

8. Leadership

Nurses are responsible for managing nursing assistants and leading teams of nurses. Teamwork, in addition to being able to delegate tasks, is critical.

How to show it: On your resume, you might describe situations where you displayed strong leadership skills, specifying the number of people you led, and what was achieved as a result of your leadership. A good example of this is: “Supervised a team of seven registered nurses and two nursing aides in the ER” listed under work experiences.

9. Critical thinking

Nurses make logical, evidence-based decisions for their patients and as leaders of their teams. They must be resourceful when solving problems in the workplace, so critical thinking skills are necessary.

How to show it: In your work experience, you can outline in one sentence a situation in which your ability to think critically helped you create a solution immediately, and how it influenced the outcome.

10. Time management

You’ll want to demonstrate your ability to work under pressure while managing simultaneous (sometimes conflicting) priorities and schedules. RNs who work in the ER or ICU need to keep calm in stressful situations, but all nurses will inevitably find themselves in situations where patients’ lives are threatened by an injury or illness. 

How to show it: In your resume, you can mention that you managed training schedules for many nurses, or have experience working on a team of six in the ER.

How to list skills on your resume

There are three common places to list your skills on a resume: under work experiences, in a skills section , or in an optional summary . 

Work experience

The best place to put your nursing skills on your resume is in the descriptions of your work experiences. This is where you have room to explain your key achievements and day-to-day tasks that are specific to you and your nursing career.

Here, technical and workplace skills can be combined within the same description to demonstrate that you are well-rounded.

For example: 

Registered Nurse at American Red Cross / Detroit, Michigan

December 2015 - February 2020

Focused on customer service, made connections with over 400 regular blood donors

Led a team of four, supervising blood drives and drawing blood at multiple locations

Conducted regular assessments to ensure the blood collected met regulatory requirements for safe transfusions

Became an ambassador for the American Red Cross, attended and presented at five health-related conferences over two years

Skills section

Another good place to put your skills is, well, in the skills section of your resume. These sections are optional and additive, but they tend to feature key skills in a straightforward and clear manner. There is little doubt that you are a leader if you include leadership in the skills section of your nursing resume.

For example:

Clinical care and judgment

Clinical documentation

Dialysis and vital sign monitoring

NICU and ER care

The third place you can add skills to your resume is in a summary. Like the skills section, this is also optional but can serve to introduce yourself succinctly, especially if you have specific skills or specializations you really want the recruiter to know about. 

Passionate and energetic registered nurse with over six years of experience. Specialized in dialysis, NICU, ICU, and ER, including administration of IVs, tracheostomy care, and monitoring neurological activity. Served as American Red Cross ambassador for two years.

Resume tips

Tailor your resume: Whenever you apply for any job, it is important to tailor your resume to the job description. You want to speak the language of the recruiters, using similar jargon and tone to convey that you are a great fit for the team in every way. When they read your resume, they should know that you have the right experience for the specific job role you applied for. 

Use specific keywords : These days, approximately 75 percent of employers use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter resumes during the hiring process [ 3 ]. To avoid getting eliminated by a machine before you even get in front of the recruiter’s eyes, you’ll want to include as many keywords from the original job posting in your resume, without being overly excessive. Your resume should still let your achievements shine and not be filled with sentences stuffed with keywords.

Learn more: How to Make a Resume: 2023 Resume Writing Guide

Keep learning with Coursera

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Article sources

US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “ Healthcare Occupations , https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home.htm.” Accessed February 13, 2023.

US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “ Registered Nurses , https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm.” Accessed February 13, 2023.

Harvard Business School. “ Hidden Workers: Untapped Talent , https://www.hbs.edu/managing-the-future-of-work/Documents/research/hiddenworkers09032021.pdf.” Accessed February 13, 2023.

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• Resume Examples

Registered Nurse Resume (RN)—Examples & Template

Ready to make a difference for your patients? Use our registered nurse resume guide! Our tips and examples will help you land your dream job in the fast-paced world of healthcare.

A registered nurse (RN) plays a vital role in healthcare, providing compassionate care to patients while ensuring their safety and well-being. A strong RN resume is crucial in securing a job in this competitive field, as it illustrates your skills and experience to potential employers.

This registered nurse resume will get you to the ward faster than you can perform a blood draw.

In this guide, you’ll find:

• A sterile and effective RN resume template.
• How to write a compelling RN objective for a resume.
• Tips on how to craft your registered nurse job description better than most.
• Multiple registered nurse resume examples that will inspire your own resume.

Save hours of work and get a job-winning resume like this. Try our resume builder with 20+ resume templates and create your resume now.

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Are you looking for a different job? Searching for more inspiration? Check out our other resume example guides:

• Caregiver Resume
• Doctor Resume
• ER Nurse Resume
• ICU Nurse Resume
• Medical Receptionist Resume
• Nursing Student Resume
• Nurse Manager Resume
• Nurse Practitioner Resume
• Pharmacist Resume
• Respiratory Therapist Resume

RN Resume Template You Can Copy and Use

Tim Crawford

Registered Nurse

312-009-8120

[email protected]

Licensed Registered Nurse with over 4 years of experience providing compassionate care to diverse patient populations in acute care and long-term care settings at General Hospital. Provided daily care in a 25-bed oncological unit, with no day missed. Commended for 100% accuracy in medical record documentation. Seeking to provide world-class care in the intensive care unit at Green Tree Hospital.

General Hospital, San Francisco 

January 2018–Present

• Monitored vitals, treatments, and long-term health plans and provided company, empathy, and consultation to 12 patients in a 25-bed oncological unit daily.
• Maintained 99% patient satisfaction through active communication and following up with patients after they left the hospital.
• Commended on three occasions after families contacted superiors to express their gratitude for my work.
• Maintained 100% accuracy in medical records documentation.
• Took part in training two student nurses on conducting patient assessments and identifying signs and symptoms of common medical conditions.

Key achievement:

• Implemented evidence-based pain management protocols that resulted in a 15% reduction in patient pain scores and a 12% reduction in opioid use.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Santa Clara University

September 2012–June 2016

• 3.9 GPA, Dean’s List student
• Volunteering in Retirement Home as part of the Giving Back to the Community Scheme
• Compassion and Empathy
• Patient Assessment
• Wound Dressing
• Stress Management
• Oncological Care
• Microsoft Office
• Adaptability
• Leadership Skills

Certifications and Licenses

• Registered Nurse, California Board of Nursing, June 2016 
• Certified Phlebotomy Technician Certification (National Healthcareer Association), July 2017
• First Aid, CPR, Basic Life support — American Red Cross, March 2013
• Spanish—C1 Certified
• Portuguese—B2

A registered nurse (RN) is responsible for providing patient care, administering medications, and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to ensure optimal patient outcomes. Their resumes should prove strong communication, critical thinking, leadership, and adaptability skills.

The above RN resume doesn’t waste time setting out precisely what Tim will bring to the ward. Now let’s explore each step in greater detail so that you can create an RN resume as good as Tim’s or an even better one.

1. Choose a Clean Registered Nurse Resume Format

Every high-quality hospital is clean and sterile. And as a registered nurse, you must show that cleanliness runs through your veins.

About 203,200 openings for registered nurses are projected each year, on average, over the decade. And the percent change in employment for registered nurses is slightly higher than the national average. So there is definitely a spot ready for you! All you need to do is seize the opportunity. How?

Organizing your resume is the first step to showing you’re the perfect candidate for the RN job. With the right registered nurse resume format , your application will immediately shine.

Rules for a great registered nurse resume format:

• Set an optimal length for your resume . One page is desired but you can make a two-page resume if you have a lot of valuable experience.
• Choose a readable resume font , such as a 10–12pt Calibri.
• Set 1-inch margins and leave ample space between sections. This will result in a nice-looking resume layout .
• Order your resume sections the following way: Heading, Resume Profile, Work History, Education, Skills, and Additional Sections.
• Utilize the reverse-chronological resume format when listing your details under all sections.
• Save your resume as a PDF unless specified otherwise.

Now that you have everything set up, put on your gloves, and let’s get writing.

2. Start With a Compelling Registered Nurse Summary or Objective

How to start a resume correctly? With the most vital information! 

Write a resume profile that summarizes your best achievements and put it just below your contact information. Focus on backing up your experience with numbers. There is a vast difference between having a “high temperature” and a “102.5 °F fever.” The first sentence has many interpretations. The second, only one.

Here’s how to write a resume summary that leaves no doubts:

RN Resume Example—Resume Summary

Experienced RN—reliable, organized, with great attention to detail. Proven ability to assess and prioritize patient needs, administer medications, and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to ensure optimal patient outcomes. Skilled in electronic medical record documentation and maintaining patient confidentiality. Seeking to utilize my skills and experience to make a positive impact in a new healthcare setting.

It’s clear as day. The second applicant lacks quantitative data to back up their claims. It only presents they did their job. And every employer expects you to do your job. Meanwhile, the first example shows exemplary performance and addresses the company by name, showing that their resume is not a copy-pasted spam mail.

But what if you don’t have much experience as a registered nurse? If that’s the case, use a resume objective instead of a summary. Here’s how:

RN Objective for a Resume—Example

Enthusiastic B.S. Nursing graduate from Santa Clara University with 500+ hours of volunteering experience at the Golden Leaves Retirement community. Experienced in several part-time client-facing roles. Eager to channel interpersonal skills and nursing knowledge towards meeting the needs of Green Tree Hospital patients.

Recent graduate from Santa Clara University with excellent teamwork skills. Looking to expand my knowledge through ongoing professional development and use my strong patient care, communication, and critical thinking skills to make a positive impact on patient outcomes.

And that’s how you show and prove expertise, even at the entry level. Although you haven’t worked as an RN just yet, the 500 hours of volunteer time instantly show your drive and commitment.

Expert Hint: Leave writing the resume profile for last. This part is like a resume abstract—it’s easier to write it when you can reference the rest of your registered nurse resume.

The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now .

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Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, and highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You're the perfect candidate, and we'll prove it. Use our resume builder now .

3. Write a Heart-Stopping RN Job Description for a Resume

This part is the beating heart of your resume. Don’t fall into the trap of rattling off a list of your obvious and common responsibilities. It’s here where you have to show what you really can do and back it up with numbers.

To present your job experience on a resume the best way, follow these steps:

• Read the job ad and locate the skills the employer wants to see on your resume . (An applicant tracking system and then a recruiter will scan your application looking for those resume keywords .)
• Make a list of your registered nurse skills based on that.
• Create bullet points to present those skills using the accomplishment statements formula .
• Provide metrics (%, $, and numbers) to show the size of your success.

Take a look at the examples below:

Registered Nurse Resume Examples—Job Description

General Hospital San Francisco 

• Responsible daily for 12 patients in a 25-bed oncological unit, including monitoring their vitals, treatments, long term health plans, as well as providing company, empathy, and consultation. 

Key achievement: 

RN, General Hospital

• Daily nursing of patients, including monitoring, recording symptoms, administering and preparing for treatment, diagnostic testing, and maintaining records.
• Trained other student nurses.
• Always try to radiate empathy and positivity to patients.

Even though these two candidates are the same, the difference is staggering. The top RN example, passes the examination with flying colors. The second candidate has only shown the duties of a registered nurse. Meaning, they probably did their job, but nothing indicates they did it well . 

Expert Hint: Are you just starting out on your journey as a nurse? Check out our guide for writing a new grad nurse resume . It includes much information and valuable tips for writing an entry-level nursing resume.

4. Raise Their Heartbeat With the Education Section

Registered nurses usually take one of three education paths: a bachelor’s degree in nursing, an associate’s degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing program. Regardless of your chosen path, it’d be best to differentiate yourself from other applicants. Why? Well, no recruiter wants to look at a hundred carbon-copy resumes.

To spike the recruiters’ interest, showcase the relevant coursework on your resume or your volunteer experience during your studies. This is a surefire way to improve the education section on your resume .

Registered Nurse Resume Example—Education

For more information on displaying your credentials in the proper order, you can refer to this handy booklet published by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

5. Inject Your Resume With the Best Skills for a Registered Nurse

Including a list of skills on a resume allows you to highlight specific competencies that may or may not be evident from your work experience. For example, you’re an RN with solid leadership skills but haven’t had the opportunity to hold a supervisory role. You can still highlight this skill on your resume to show potential employers that you have the ability to lead and manage teams.

Here’s a list of many skills that would look good on a registered nurse resume. You can use it for reference when writing your own.

RN Skills for a Resume

• Patient Care
• Clinical Knowledge
• Administering and Monitoring Medications
• Performing and Evaluating Diagnostic Tests
• Taking Vital Signs
• Organizational Skills
• Computer Skills
• Communication Skills
• Interpersonal Skills
• Critical Thinking
• Time Management
• Conflict Resolution

Expert Hint: A good skillset featuring both hard and soft skills is hugely beneficial. Don’t forget to add 8–10 skills if you’re aiming to create the perfect resume .

6. Dose Your RN Resume With Some Additional Sections

Unlike most other jobs, the certification section for a registered nurse is a must. That’s because you cannot practice this profession unless you’re licensed and certified. But that doesn’t mean it’s all you should show here.

The additional sections can help your RN resume. They demonstrate your commitment to your profession and willingness to go above and beyond in your career. You can also use the additional sections to pad your resume with more content if you feel it’s too short.

Choose from these sections when writing:

• Certifications
• Associations & Memberships
• Conferences
• Volunteer Work
• Interests & Hobbies
• Publications

Refer to this example to see how:

Sample RN Resume—Added Sections

And remember, your registered nurse license goes first!

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Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here .

Here’s how to make a registered nurse resume that passes the examination: 

• Sterilize the resume format—set margins, readable fonts, 2 pages maximum.
• Quantify the impact and achievements instead of just listing responsibilities. 
• Add some vitality to your education section.
• Include a certification section. You need to show your credentials.
• Write an RN cover letter . If you just graduated, check out our guide to writing a new grad RN nurse cover letter .

Did you find our registered nurse resume examples helpful? And did we help you get your RN resume right? Leave all your comments and questions below. We’ll be happy to reply.

About ResumeLab’s Editorial Process

At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article in accordance with editorial guidelines , ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets . Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog each year.

Mariusz is a career expert with a background in quality control & economics. With work experience in FinTech and a passion for self-development, Mariusz brings a unique perspective to his role. He’s dedicated to providing the most effective advice on resume and cover letter writing techniques to help his readers secure the jobs of their dreams.

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Registered Nurse Resume Examples & Templates

• 30% higher chance of getting a job‡
• 42% higher response rate from recruiters‡

Our customers have been hired at: * Foot Note

Video: Top 4 Registered Nurse Resume Tips

Registered nurses are licensed medical professionals who play an integral role in keeping the healthcare system afloat. 

The scope of their practice is wide-ranging and includes tasks such as evaluating and recording patient symptoms, treating wounds and incisions, supervising licensed practical nurses and assisting doctors during surgeries and examinations.  

In order to land an interview, a registered nurse’s resume must reflect the breadth of medical skills they possess along with relevant interpersonal skills. Get expert advice to create a professional nurse resume using our resume examples and pro tips.

Use this registered nurse resume template or explore the rest of our layouts on our resume templates page for more resume template options.

More Resume examples for the next step in your nursing career

• Caregiver Resume
• Operating Room Registered Nurse Resume
• Intensive Care Nurse Resume
• Nursing Aide And Assistant Resume
• Perioperative Nurse Resume
• Shift Coordinator Resume
• Labor And Delivery Nurse Resume
• OB Gyn Nurse Resume
• Pediatric Nurse Resume
• Hemodialysis Nurse Resume
• Private Duty Nurse Resume
• Aesthetic Nurse Resume
• Chief Nursing Officer Resume
• Oncology Nurse Resume
• Public School Nurse Resume
• Trauma Nurse Resume
• Nursing Assistant Resume
• Patient Care Associate Resume
• Nursing Unit Clerk Resume
• ER Nurse Resume
• NICU Nurse Resume
• Patient Care Technician Resume
• Acute Care Nurse Resume
• Geriatric Nurse Practitioner Resume
• Pre Post Operating Nurse Resume
• Advanced Practice RN Resume
• Nurse Practitioner Resume

Registered nurse resume example (text version)

James Scott

San Antonio, FL 33576 555 555 555 (555) 555-5555 [email protected]

Professional Summary

Dedicated and compassionate registered nurse with 12 years of experience working with HIV/AIDS patients. Proven ability to provide direct patient care in a fast-paced environment. Calm and level-headed with the ability to handle difficult patients and high-stress situations. Use strong verbal communication skills and humor to develop strong relationships with patients and their families.

Work History

May 2012 – Current UT Health San Antonio – San Antonio, TX Registered Nurse

• Center provides reliable HIV/AIDS testing and diagnosis to up to 500 patients per year
• Offer early intervention and regular treatment to a caseload of up to 75 patients
• Communicate, consult and collaborate with outside medical specialists to develop individualized treatment plans and coordinate care
• Educate patients about the disease and safe sex practices
• Administer medications, injections and IV treatments
• Advise patients about available community resources and support groups

March 2010 – May 2012 San Antonio AIDS Foundation – San Antonio, TX Registered Nurse

• Provided a full range of services to a caseload of up to 50 patients
• Coordinated HIV education programs designed to prevent the spread of HIV
• Trained nurses to provide pre-and post-test counseling for those seeking HIV testing
• Administered medications and treatment to patients and monitored responses while working with healthcare teams to adjust care plans

May 2008 – March 2010 Alamo Area Resource Center – San Antonio, TX Registered Nurse

• Care for at-risks individuals including the homeless and disable
• Specialized in providing care for patients with life-threatening and chronic illnesses, including, but not limited to HIV/AIDS
• Provided free HIV/AIDS testing and diagnosis to hundreds of patients each year
• Compassionately cared for a vulnerable patient population, reducing the treatment “drop-out” rate by 25 percent
• Preventive health
• Patient evaluation
• Intravenous therapy
• Medical laboratory procedures
• Strong clinical judgment
• Charting and clinical documentation
• Strong communication
• Staff supervision

University of Texas Health Science San Antonio San Antonio, TX Bachelor of Science Nursing

Minor in Health Administration

Important resume sections

Contact details .

Add your contact information to the top of your resume so hiring managers can contact you. As our sample medical equipment technician resume shows, your contact information must include your full name, city, state and ZIP code, phone number and professional email address. If you have a LinkedIn profile and professional website, add them last.

Professional summary

Just like the sample registered nurse resume on this page, your professional summary should highlight your top skills and work experiences in one to three sentences. A professional summary is a short introduction that works as an “ elevator pitch ” where you present yourself to the hiring manager and encourage them to continue reading your resume. 

The objective for a registered nurse resume summary is to succinctly detail your key medical skills, such as placing an IV and applying sterile dressings, while also highlighting skills that lend to good bedside manner, such as empathy and patience.  

An excellent registered nurse resume will feature a blend of technical skills , hard skills and soft skills . Hard skills for a registered nurse resume are job-related abilities learned through training or at work, such as giving injections, obtaining vital measurements or changing wound dressings.  

In contrast, soft skills are characteristics or personality traits that speak more about how you approach your responsibilities and patient care. For instance, you might consider noting your exceptional interpersonal communication, active listening and stress management skills on your resume. 

We recommend scanning registered nurse job descriptions for resume skill ideas to get inspired. The job description is the best place to find relevant skills that the employer wants to see on your resume. 

• Work history

The best registered nurse resume work history sections focus on key professional  accomplishments in addition to daily tasks and responsibilities. Keep this section relevant to the job you’re applying for and only include up to 10 years of work experience. 

If you’re just starting your career as a registered nurse, use a functional format for your resume and focus on your skills. Emphasize your patient-focused approach and relay specific details about what you’ve learned while working with patients thus far.  

For more guidance on detailing your professional experience, read up on how to write work experience on a resume for tips from career experts.

Registered nurses must have a bachelor’s degree, an associate degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing program. Some earn a master’s or doctorate to advance their nursing careers. 

Additionally, all registered nurses must have a state-issued license to practice. You must graduate from an accredited nursing program and pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). Be sure to list your credentials in your resume for a registered nurse using bullet points.

See why My Perfect Resume is a 5-star resume builder

Action verbs for your nursing resume.

Our nursing resume sample has a lot of action verbs at the beginning of each statement. Pack your resume with the right words using some from our list below:

• Administered

Use our registered nurse resume template free of charge or craft a new resume using our professional resume maker .

Skills for your nursing resume

Make sure the resume skills you include on your nursing resume are relevant to the job description and what the employer is looking for in a candidate. Here are some registered nurse resume skills examples you might consider:

• Critical thinking
• Great communication skills
• Detail oriented
• Emotional intelligence
• Excellent organizational skills
• Top physical stamina
• Basic life support
• Advanced cardiovascular life support
• Patient care
• Computer skills
• EHR proficiency
• Checking and monitoring vital signs
• Patient safety
• Urgent care

For more skills to include on your resume, take a look at our resume examples for a registered nurse or pull skills from registered nurse job description listings.

Certifications to include in your nursing resume

All registered nurses must have a license issued by their state to practice. To become a licensed nurse, you must graduate from an approved nursing program and pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). 

Additionally, registered nurses may be required by their employer to possess cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), basic life support (BLS) or advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certifications. Other types of certificates are voluntary, but they demonstrate a level of expertise that some hiring managers will find highly attractive.

As a registered nurse, you can also become a certified expert in a specific area, like ambulatory care or pediatrics.

Include your certifications and licenses correctly in your registered nurse resume by creating a separate section for them and placing it under your education. List them out using bullet points.

Here are a few more examples of certifications a registered nurse might want to include on their resume: 

• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
• IV Therapy Certification 
• Wound Care Certification 
• Long Term Care Certification
• Nurse Anesthetist Certification  
• Nurse Executive Certification 
• Nursing Informatics Certification 

Review our nursing resume examples for more ideas on how to add nursing certifications to your nursing resume.

Pair your resume with a matching cover letter

What is a good objective for a registered nurse resume.

If you don’t have much work experience or are changing careers, you might consider writing a resume objective instead of a professional summary. A good nursing resume objective for a registered nurse resume should explain in a few sentences who you are, your career goals, and your top skills and abilities.

Look at this sample of a registered nurse resume objective: “Registered nurse specializing in pediatrics and two years of experience working in intensive care, seeking a position in the maternity ward. Knowledge of records organization, newborn care and breastfeeding practices.”

The above resume objective for a registered nurse effectively highlights years of experience and key nursing skills in a few brief sentences. 

How to write a resume for a registered nurse position?

Your registered nurse resume should include the following key sections: 

• Contact information
• Summary statement
• Licenses and certificates

You can take a look at our sample resume for registered nurses to see a visual of these sections. The order in which you write this will depend on your years of experience. 

How to list a registered nurse license on a nursing resume?

You have a few options to list your registered nurse license on your nursing resume. You can include it as part of your education section with a separate bullet point or create a new section below your education dedicated to licenses and certification, where you can list them using bullet points.

How should you craft your nursing resume if you’re looking to take the next step in your career?

Take on more opportunities  to develop your management and leadership skills, such as mentoring other staff members or being more involved in administrative and management processes. Also, look into joining professional nursing organizations where you can network with others in the profession. 

Other advanced training, such as a Master’s in Nursing, or certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) or Nurse Educator (NE) gives you the credentials you need advance your career.

What are some examples of training and certifications to include on a nursing resume?

As we mentioned before, registered nurses must be licensed by their state and may be required by their employer to have specific certifications. The following are some certifications that you may choose to look into for further expertise and education:

• AIDS-certified Registered Nurse (ACRN)
• Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN)
• Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN)
• Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
• Patient Care Technician certification
• State Tested Nurse Assistant (STNA) certification
• Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN) credential

What is the best resume template for a registered nurse?

The registered nurse resume template you choose will depend on your stylistic preferences on the resume format you want to follow. We have a variety of resume templates to choose from in chronological, functional and combination formats to suit your needs. 

Suppose you’re a registered nurse with over 10 years under your belt. In that case, we recommend using the chronological format – the registered nurse resume templates featured on this page follow the chronological format’s structure. 

Mid-level job seekers with a few years of experience should use the combination resume format. Registered nurses who are just starting should consider using the functional format for their nursing resumes.

Read our How to Write a Resume article for a detailed guide on writing the best registered nurse resume. You can also review the registered nurse sample resume on this page for more inspiration.

Best practices

• Use measurable achievements to describe your nursing abilities and experience. 
• Use action words to make an impact on your nursing resume.
• Tailor your resume  to your target nursing job.
• Use keywords from the job description throughout your nursing resume.
• Format your nursing resume so that it is easy to read by ATS software and human eyes.
• Lie about your nursing experience and skills.
• Boast about your nursing skills
• Include irrelevant personal information such as your ethnicity and age.
• Add skills and experience that do not pertain to nursing.  
• Forget to proofread. A nursing resume with errors is unprofessional.

Interview tips

Research the organization..

A few days before your interview, do your due diligence and check the organization’s website. Read through their mission statement and vision and learn more about their culture. What do they stand for? How happy are their current employees? Can you see yourself working for them? 

Websites like Google Reviews and Glassdoor are also excellent sources of information.

Practice your answers.

It’s impossible to know what the interviewer will ask you, but as a registered nurse, you might have an idea of what they’ll be interested in learning more about you. Put together a list of questions you think they might ask and practice your answers with someone you trust or in front of a mirror. Some questions to practice include:

• “Tell me more about yourself.”
• “What was the toughest challenge you’ve ever faced?”
• “What are the most important rewards you expect to gain from your career?”

Go prepared with questions to ask.

Turn your interview into a conversation by asking the hiring manager questions about the organization, culture and expectations. There’s a high chance that they’ll open the floor for you at the end of the interview, so write a list of questions to ask, such as:

• What medical record systems will I use on the job?
• What does a typical day look like for someone in this role?
• Are there on-call requirements for this role?
• How do you define success in this role?
• What challenges do your nurses currently face that you want solved?

Create a document with your professional references.

Gone are the days of writing “References available upon request” on your registered nurse resume. Instead, create a separate document with your top professional references and save it as a PDF. The hiring manager will ask for your list of references further down in the hiring process.

Pro tip: Make sure your list of references has a similar design as your resume template for a registered nurse.

If you’re unsure where to start, read our How to List References on a Resume article.

Cover letter examples for the next step in your nursing career

• Nursing Assistant Cover Letter
• Caregiver Cover Letter
• Certified Nurse Assistant Cover Letter
• Charge Nurse Cover Letter
• Director Of Nursing Cover Letter
• ICU Nurse Cover Letter
• LPN Cover Letter
• LVN Cover Letter
• Operating Room Nurse Cover Letter
• Patient Care Technician Cover Letter
• Perioperative Nurse Cover Letter
• Student Nurse Cover Letter

CV examples for the next step in your nursing career

• Caregiver CV
• Neonatal Nurse CV
• Nurse Anesthetist CV
• Nurse Practitioner CV
• Registered Nurse CV

How we reviewed this article

Since 2013, we have helped more than 15 million job seekers. We want to make your career journey accessible and manageable through our services and Career Center’s how-to guides and tips. In our commitment to bring you a transparent process, we present our Editorial Process .

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statisitcs. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Registered Nurses
• American Association of Critical Care Nurses. Get Certified
• American Nurses Credentialing Center. Our Certifications
• Nurse.org. Complete List of Common Nursing Certifications

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Kellie Hanna, CPRW

Career advice expert.

Kellie is a Certified Professional Resume Writer with 20+ years of experience in digital media and is passionate about helping job seekers navigate their careers. She earned a B.A. in English and writing from Temple University.

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‡ Results derived from a study responded by 1000 participants of which 287 created a resume online.

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Nurse Resume Example & How-to Guide for 2024

As a nurse, you know a lot about taking care of people and helping them be healthy.

But when it comes to resume writing, maybe you could use a little help of your own.

Are there specific resume strategies that nurses should follow?

Just how detailed do you need to be when describing your medical skill set? And how do you highlight all those certifications you might have?

We’re going to walk you through the entire process of creating a nurse resume step-by-step!

• A nurse resume example that is proven to work
• How to write a nurse resume that will get you invited to interviews
• How to make your nurse resume stand out [with top tips & tricks]

Here’s some inspiration to get you started:

A nurse resume example , created with our very own resume builder:

Now, read on to learn how to create a resume that looks as good (or better) than the above example!

How to Format a Nurse Resume

The first step to creating your nurse resume is to decide on a format.

Just like any other career, hiring managers want specific information to jump out at them when reviewing resumes. So nurses need to make sure their resumes are formatted properly.

In 2024, the most common resume format remains the “reverse-chronological” format. So this is your best bet. 

Of course, there are other resume formats you can try…

• Functional Resume - This format is a lot more about your skills as opposed to professional experience. It’s good if you don’t have a lot of experience, are transferring to a new industry, or have gaps in your employment history.
• Combination Resume - As the name suggests, a combination resume is a mix between “Functional” and “Reverse-Chronological.” Meaning, it focuses both on skills AND work experience. You can use a combination resume if you have a lot of work experience or changing industries.

Once you’ve decided on the format, you need to get your resume layout right.

Here’s what we recommend…

• Margins - One-inch margins on all sides
• Font - Pick a font that stands out, but not too much. Do: Ubuntu, Roboto, etc. Don’t: Comic Sans
• Font Size - Use a font size of 11-12pt for normal text and 14-16pt for headers
• Line Spacing - Use 1.0 or 1.15 line spacing
• Resume Length - Don’t go over the 1-page limit. Having trouble fitting everything into one page? Check out these one-page resume templates.
• As a nurse you have probably earned some certifications for different areas of medicine. Create a dedicated section for your certificates so these stand out in your resume.

Use a Nurse Resume Template

Are you used to creating your resume in Word? Painful isn’t it? 

It’s easy to spend more time tinkering with formatting than it actually takes you to fill in the contents.

Then, you decide to make a single, small layout change, and BAM! Your entire resume layout falls apart.

There’s a better way than using Word: use a nurse resume template .

What to Include in a Nurse Resume

The main sections in a nurse resume are:

• Contact Information
• Resume Summary
• Work Experience
• Certificates
• Awards & Recognitions

If you want your resume to stand out more, you can also try these optional sections:

Conferences & Courses

• Professional Affiliations

Interests & Hobbies

Now, we’re going to go through each of those sections, and explain how to write them.

Not sure which sections to use? Check out our guide to What to Put on a Resume .

How to Get Your Contact Information Right

Maybe you’ve created the perfect resume with amazing content on your skills and experience. But if you mess up the contact section, you won’t be getting a lot of interview invitations (mainly because they won’t be able to call your misspelled phone number).

For your contacts, include:

• Title - For nurses, your best bet is likely “Registered Nurse”.
• Phone Number - Double-check, triple-check this. One typo can really mess up your chances of an employer contacting you.
• Email Address - Make sure to use a professional email address ([email protected]), and avoid that email you created back in 5th grade ([email protected]).
• (Optional) Location - Applying for a job abroad? Mention your current location.

How to Write a Nurse Resume Summary or Objective

Fun fact - recruiters spend less than 6 seconds reviewing each resume. This isn’t that surprising, though. You can’t expect them to read the hundreds of resumes they receive from end to end.

So, if the recruiter doesn’t see that you’re relevant for the job in a single glance, your resume won’t even be read.

Now, the question is, what can you do to hook the recruiter the moment they look at your resume.

The answer is simple: use a resume summary or objective .

As a quick intro, both the resume summary and objective are sections that go on top of your resume, just under the contact information section.

The main difference between the 2 sections is that…

A resume summary is a 2-4 sentence summary of your professional experiences and achievements.

• Trauma Certified Registered Nurse with more than five years experience working in emergency care. Compassionate, ethical health-care provider with a proven ability to stay calm during crises. Hold a Master’s of Science in Surgical Nursing. 

A resume objective , on the other hand, is a 2-4 sentence snapshot of your professional goals and aspirations.

• Patient-focused nursing student with 2 years of healthcare experience. Pursuing internships as part of career goal to become Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse.

So, which one do you pick? A summary, or an objective?

As you can see from the above examples, the key difference between the two is that a Resume Objective is better-suited to those who are new to a field (student, graduate, or switching careers). Always go for a Resume Summary if you have already established your career path.

How to Make Your Nurse Work Experience Stand Out

Work experience is the most important section in your resume.

Sure, your medical skills are super important, but so is your professional experience. Here’s how to structure your work experience section…

• Position name
• Company Name
• Responsibilities & Achievements

Brooklyn Hospital

01/2015 - 06/2019

• Obtained and recorded patients’ vital signs, intake and output and blood glucose
• Worked in the cardiatric and oncology wards of the hospital
• Used EHR software to record patient information

Now, if you really want to stand out, you should focus on talking about your achievements instead of responsibilities.

Instead of saying:

“Screen patients upon arrival at emergency ward.”

“Administered emergency ward intake evaluations for up to 25 patients each hour by measuring vital signs and prioritizing cases accordingly.”

So, what’s the difference between the two?

The second one is more specific . You know exactly what the person did, and you can say that he/she can work efficiently. 

The first example, on the other hand, is too generic. Screening patients could be as basic as checking whether they have health insurance and entering their personal information into the hospital system. There is also no mention of how many patients this person is used to handling.

What if You Don’t Have Work Experience?

Maybe you’re a current student trying to land an internship or a recent graduate looking for your first full-time nursing job?

Fortunately, nursing students or graduates gain plenty of practical experience as they navigate their way through their studies. Only so much of the medical field can be taught in the classroom. 

By the time you are in your second year of school, chances are high you’ve been in a health-care facility helping evaluate and treat patients. You may not be a registered nurse at this point, you can absolutely include the skills and procedures you’ve learned in school on your resume.

If you’re a recent graduate, you might want to check out our guide on how to make a student resume !

Use Action Words to Make Your Nurse Resume SHINE!

“Responsible for”

“Worked in”

These are the most common words you’ll find on ANY resume.

And since you want YOURS to stand out, we’d recommend avoiding them as much as possible.

Instead, use some of these power words to make your responsibilities and achievements stand out:

• Administered
• Specialized

How to List Education Right

The next section in any Nurse resume is the “Education.”

This one’s pretty straightforward. Simply list out your education entries, and you’re gold!

• Degree Type & Major
• University Name
• Years Studied
• GPA, Honours, Courses, and anything else you might want to add

MSc in Nursing

University of Southern California

• Relevant Courses: Radiological Nursing, Advanced Surgical Procedures, Oncological Diagnostics

Clear? Good!

Before we move on, here are some of the most frequent questions we get about education on a resume (and their answers!):

• What if I haven’t finished college?

Whether you’re still a student, or you dropped out, you should still mention your degree. All you have to do is include the years studied, and you’re good.

• Do I list my high school education?

Only if you don’t have a higher education. No one cares about your high school education if you have a B.A.

• What goes first, education or experience?

If you have any relevant work experience, then experiences go on top. If you don’t, though, then education.

Still have some questions? Check out our guide on how to list education on a resume .

Top 30 Skills for a Nurse Resume

When the HR manager is going through your resume, they’re looking to see if you have the right skills for the job.

Imagine this: you’re the best nurse in the world and your resume is impeccable. BUT, you still get rejected, because you didn’t mention that you know the exact procedures or techniques that the health centre needs. 

Not sure which skills to pick?

Here are some of the most common nurse skills:

Hard Skills for Nurse Resume:

• Assisting in surgery
• Administration of medication
• Chemotherapy administration
• Bedside monitoring
• Bladder irrigation
• Blood administration
• Emergency room care
• Healthcare software
• Infection control
• Lab testing
• Intramuscularly injections or IV therapy
• Maternal care
• Pain management
• Physical assessments
• Psychiatric care
• Rehabilitation
• Seizure precautions
• Surgery preparation
• Wound irrigation
• Withdrawal of blood samples

Soft Skills for Nurse Resume:

• Attention to detail
• Communication (verbal & written)
• Critical thinking
• Physical endurance (since you will work long hours and have to use sometimes heavy equipment or patients)
• Observation (since you need to track subtle and small changes such as a change in the color or odor)
• As a general rule, we’d recommend not to go overboard with “Soft Skills.” They are certainly important in the medical field, but they are also harder to back up. Doctors need people with hard skills standing next to them, so give these priority. 

Looking for a more comprehensive list? Here’s a mega-list of 150+ must-have skills in 2024 .

Certifications for a Nurse Resume

As we mentioned before, many nurses will attain special certifications as they progress in their careers. These should be highlighted in your resume. For example:

• CPR certified through the American Heart Association
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Advanced Holistic Nurse, Board Certified

Other Resume Sections You Can Include

At this point, you’re probably ready to wrap up your resume and call it a day.

After all, we’ve covered all the essential sections, right?

Well, not exactly. See, the #1 goal of your resume is to stand out.

And if your resume looks exactly the same as everyone else’s, that’s where you fail.

If you’re already a good match for the job in terms of skills and experiences, these sections could end up being the deciding factor that gets you hired (and makes you stand out from the rest).

As part of their career development, many nurses will participate or even speak at nursing conferences. These are great to list on a resume because they highlight your dedication to the profession.

Meanwhile, nurses also participate in courses devoted to specialized topics in nursing or medicine. Perhaps these courses don’t involve formal certification in a specific area, but they do demonstrate certain career interests.

For example, maybe after five years of working in nursing, you decide to take a course in End-of-Life Care because it’s an area you may want to pursue future certification. Once you’ve taken the course, there’s no reason not to put it on your resume.

If you’ve got the space, try to include a Conferences & Courses section on your resume.

An extra language or two can always come in handy, even if it doesn’t have anything to do with the position you’re applying for. You never know when a foreign language might help save a life.

If you know any foreign language & have extra space in your resume, feel free to add a language section.

Make sure to split the languages by proficiency:

• Intermediate

Now, you might be thinking, “what does my hiking hobby have to do with my profession as a nurse?”

Well, nothing, but it does have something to do with you as a person. Strong teamwork is essential in the health-care field, so doctors and administrators are looking for someone they’ll get along with.

And what’s something you can bond with potential employers about? Hobbies and interests, exactly!

Not sure which hobbies & interests you want to mention? We have a guide for that!

Match Your Cover Letter with Your Resume

Yep, that’s right.

You might be thinking, “A cover letter?! Surely the nursing skills on my resume speak for themselves!”

Well, here’s the thing: cover letters are still very important .

They show the recruiter that you’re passionate about working for THIS position in THIS company, and you aren’t just sending your resume all over the place.

Having a solid cover letter with your resume can significantly boost your chances of getting the job.

The first step to writing a convincing cover letter is to get the structure right. Here’s how to do that.

And here’s what you’d write in each section:

Contact Details

Your personal contact information, including full name, profession, email, phone number, location.

Hiring Manager’s Contact Information

Full name, position, location, email.

Opening Paragraph

Your introduction should be very strong. If you don’t manage to hook the hiring manager here, chances are, they’re not going to read the rest of it. So, mention:

• The position you’re applying for
• Your experience summary and top achievement

Once you’ve got the hiring manager hooked, you can go through the rest of your background. Some of the points you can mention here are:

• Why you want to work for this specific company.
• Anything you know about the company’s culture.
• What are your top skills and how are they relevant for the job.
• If you’ve worked in similar industries or positions.

Closing Paragraph

This is where you:

• Wrap up any points you missed in the body paragraph
• Thank the hiring manager for their time
• End with a call to action. Something like, “I’d love to further discuss how my experience as an X can help the company with Y”

Formal Salutations

Use a formal closing, such as “best regards” or “Sincerely.”

Need more inspiration? We get it - creating a cover letter is very hard work. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with your step-by-step guide on how to write a cover letter .

Applying for a different position in the medical field? Our related resume examples can come in handy:

• Medical Assistant Resume
• Pharmacist Resume
• Dentist Resume

Key Takeaways

If you followed everything we just taught you to the T, you’re pretty much guaranteed to land the job.

Now, let’s go through everything we’ve learned real quick:

• Get the right formatting for your nurse resume. Use a reverse-chronological format, and follow the best practices we mentioned on getting the layout right.
• Use a resume summary or objective to catch the hiring manager’s attention.
• In your work experience section, try to talk more about your achievements than your responsibilities.
• Emphasize hard skills more than soft skills (both are important but hard skills save lives)
• Match your nurse resume with a convincing cover letter.

Suggested Reading:

• Use Resume Keywords to Land the Job [880+ Keywords]
• 26+ Biggest Interview Mistakes (To Avoid in 2024)
• How to Write a CV That Gets Noticed (With 2024 Examples)

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Nursing Skills on Resume

As a registered nurse (RN) or certified nursing assistant ( CNA ), having the right skills and qualifications is crucial for securing a job in the healthcare industry. When writing your resume, it’s important to highlight your nursing skills effectively to stand out from other applicants.

This article explores the significance of nursing skills on a resume and provides guidance on how to showcase them to potential employers.

Table of Contents

Importance of Nursing Skills on Resume

Employers seek candidates who possess a diverse range of nursing skills that demonstrate their ability to provide quality patient care.

When recruiters review nursing resumes, they look for specific skills and experiences that match the requirements of the position. Nursing skills serve as indicators of your competence and proficiency in various aspects of patient care.

By highlighting your nursing skills effectively, you can capture the attention of hiring managers and increase your chances of being noticed and invited for an interview.

Essential Hard Skills for Resumes

When crafting a nursing resume, it’s essential to include the relevant hard skills that are valued in the healthcare industry . Here are some key hard skills commonly sought after by employers:

Medication Administration Proficiency in administering medications accurately and safely is vital for any nurse. Highlight your knowledge of different medication routes, dosage calculations, and your ability to identify and manage medication interactions.

Example: “Skilled in accurately administering medications, including intravenous therapy, while maintaining meticulous documentation and adhering to medication safety protocols.”

Wound Care Demonstrate your expertise in wound care, including assessing, disinfecting, and dressing wounds. Mention any specialized wound care techniques you are familiar with, such as negative pressure wound therapy or debridement.

Example: “Experienced in providing meticulous wound care, including assessment, cleansing, and appropriate dressing changes, while ensuring infection prevention and promoting optimal healing.”

Patient Assessment and Monitoring Effective patient assessment and monitoring skills enable nurses to identify changes in a patient’s condition, detect early signs of deterioration, and initiate appropriate interventions. These skills involve observing vital signs, conducting thorough assessments, and using critical thinking to analyze data.

Example: “Proficient in conducting thorough patient assessments, including monitoring vital signs, performing physical examinations, and recognizing subtle changes in patients’ conditions.”

Diagnostic Testing and Interpretation Nurses may be responsible for performing or assisting with various diagnostic tests, such as blood draws, electrocardiograms (ECGs), and imaging studies. Proficiency in interpreting test results and relaying them to healthcare providers is vital for accurate diagnosis and treatment.

IV Therapy and Central Line Care Administering intravenous (IV) therapy and caring for central lines are essential skills for nurses, especially those working in critical care or specialized units. This includes inserting and maintaining IV lines, monitoring infusion rates, and preventing complications associated with central venous catheters.

Example: “Skilled in performing venipuncture for IV access, managing and troubleshooting IV lines, and calculating and adjusting infusion rates according to patients’ needs.”

Wound Care Management Nurses frequently encounter patients with wounds, both acute and chronic. Proficiency in wound care management involves assessing and documenting wounds, choosing appropriate dressings, promoting wound healing, and educating patients on proper care techniques.

Example: “Skilled in performing accurate wound assessments, including wound measurement, documentation, and identification of factors impacting healing. Competent in implementing appropriate wound care interventions, including wound cleansing, debridement, dressing selection, and offloading techniques.”

Emergency Response and CPR In emergency situations, nurses must be prepared to provide immediate and effective care. Competence in emergency response and cardiopulmonary resuscitation ( CPR ) is crucial, including knowledge of basic life support techniques and the ability to remain calm under pressure.

Medical Equipment Operation Nurses work with a variety of medical equipment, ranging from patient monitoring devices to specialized machines. Demonstrating proficiency in operating and troubleshooting these devices showcases your technical expertise and ability to provide safe and effective care.

Electronic Health Records (EHR) Management With the widespread use of electronic health records (EHRs) in healthcare settings, nurses must possess strong skills in navigating and documenting patient information within these systems. This includes understanding EHR functionalities, accurately entering data, and maintaining patient confidentiality.

Nursing Soft Skills

Here are some nursing soft skills you can include on your resume:

Communication: Demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively with patients, families, and healthcare professionals. This includes good verbal and written communication skills as well as the ability to actively listen and understand patients’ needs.

Example: “Proficient in delivering clear and concise instructions to patients and their families, ensuring effective communication and understanding of medical information.”

Empathy: Emphasize your capacity to connect with patients on an emotional level, providing comfort and support during challenging times. Displaying empathy shows your commitment to patient-centered care.

Example: “Exhibited exceptional empathy towards patients, fostering a supportive environment and easing anxieties through active listening and emotional support.”

Collaboration: Highlight your aptitude for working collaboratively with interdisciplinary healthcare teams. Mention experiences of collaborating with doctors, nurses, therapists, and other professionals to deliver comprehensive patient care.

Example: “Worked closely with a multidisciplinary team, fostering open communication and collaboration to ensure coordinated and holistic patient care.”

Problem-solving: Showcase your ability to think rationally and make sound decisions in stressful situations. Provide examples of how you have successfully resolved complex healthcare challenges.

Example: “Demonstrated strong problem-solving skills by quickly assessing urgent situations, implementing appropriate interventions, and effectively managing patient emergencies.”

Time management: Highlight your organizational skills and capacity to prioritize tasks efficiently. Show that you can manage multiple responsibilities while providing quality patient care.

Example: “Utilized effective time management techniques to balance competing demands, ensuring timely and accurate documentation, medication administration, and patient assessments.”

Adaptability: Demonstrate your flexibility in handling unexpected situations and ability to adjust to changes in the healthcare environment. This showcases your willingness to deliver patient-centered care under diverse circumstances.

Example: “Adapted quickly to evolving healthcare protocols and technologies, maintaining a high level of performance and delivering quality care during times of change.”

Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving: Nursing requires the ability to think critically and solve problems quickly. Highlight the following skills on your resume:

Mention your proficiency in assessing complex situations, prioritizing patient needs, and implementing appropriate interventions. Discuss any experience in handling emergencies or managing challenging patient cases.

Teamwork and Collaboration: Nursing is a collaborative profession that requires effective teamwork. Showcase the following skills on your resume:

Highlight your ability to work well within interdisciplinary healthcare teams, fostering open communication and mutual respect. Discuss your experience in coordinating care and collaborating with other healthcare professionals.

How to Highlight Nursing Skills on a Resume

To effectively highlight your nursing skills on a resume, follow these tips:

• Tailor your resume. Customize your resume for each job application, focusing on the specific skills and experiences required.
• Use keywords . Incorporate relevant keywords from the job description to optimize your resume for applicant tracking systems (ATS) and increase your chances of getting noticed.
• Create a skills section . Create a separate section of your resume to list your nursing skills clearly. Use bullet points for readability and emphasize your most relevant skills.
• Provide examples. Support your skills with concrete examples or achievements to demonstrate how you have applied them in real-life situations.
• Quantify your accomplishments . Whenever you can, quantify your achievements to demonstrate the impact of your nursing skills. For example, specify how many patients you have cared for or the improvement in patient outcomes you have contributed to.

In summary, nursing skills play a vital role in showcasing your expertise and competence on a resume. By effectively highlighting your nursing skills, you can increase your chances of securing a nursing position.

Remember to tailor your resume for each job application and provide specific examples to demonstrate your abilities. With a well-crafted resume that emphasizes your nursing skills, you can stand out as a qualified and desirable candidate in the competitive healthcare industry.

How many nursing skills should I include on my resume?

While it’s important to include relevant nursing skills, it’s equally crucial to keep your resume concise. Aim to include around 6-8 key nursing skills that align with the job requirements and your areas of expertise.

Should I include both clinical and non-clinical skills on my nursing resume?

Yes, it’s recommended to include a mix of clinical and non-clinical skills on your nursing resume. Non-clinical skills, such as communication and teamwork, are essential for providing holistic patient care and collaborating effectively within healthcare teams.

Can I include nursing skills that I am currently developing or learning?

Absolutely! It’s beneficial to showcase your commitment to professional growth and continuous learning. Include nursing skills that you are actively developing, but make sure to mention them as “in progress” or “developing” to provide transparency.

Should I mention any specialized certifications or training related to specific nursing skills?

Yes, specialized certifications or training related to specific nursing skills can greatly enhance your resume. Highlight these certifications or training programs under your relevant nursing skills to demonstrate your advanced expertise.

Is it necessary to provide examples or achievements for each nursing skill?

While providing examples or achievements for each nursing skill is ideal, it may not always be feasible due to space limitations. Prioritize including examples or achievements for your most significant or relevant nursing skills to make a stronger impact on the reader.

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20+ Essential Nursing Skills for Your Resume [2024]

• January 8, 2024
• In Resumes & Cover Letters

Are you a nurse seeking to create a standout resume that highlights your expertise and sets you apart from other candidates? In this guide, we will explore the essential nursing skills that are crucial for your resume.

Table of contents

• List of Nursing Skills to Put on a Resume

Nursing Technical Skills to Put on a Resume

Nursing soft skills to put on a resume.

• Effective Ways to Demonstrate Nursing Skills on Your Resume
• Examples of Nursing Skills to Include in Your Resume Summary

List of nursing skills to put on a resum e

When creating a  nursing resume , it is important to include the essential skills. These skills showcase your qualifications and suitability for the job. Here are some key nursing skills to consider including on your resume:

Remember to tailor your resume to the specific nursing position you are applying for. It’s important to prioritize the skills that align with the specific job requirements. Additionally, consider including any certifications or specialized training that you have obtained.

Read more:  22 Nursing Interview Questions, Answers and Tips To Prepare

Nursing technical skills refer to the specific abilities and knowledge that are required to perform tasks and responsibilities in the nursing profession. These skills are typically developed through a combination of education, training, and practical experience. Here are some examples of nursing technical skills:

• Clinical Procedures : Showcase your expertise in performing various clinical procedures, such as wound care, IV insertion, medication administration, and catheterization.
• Patient Assessment : Highlight your ability to assess patients’ conditions, including vital signs monitoring, physical examinations, and health history documentation.
• Medical Equipment Operation : Emphasize your familiarity with operating medical equipment and devices commonly used in healthcare settings.
• Diagnostic Tests : Highlight your proficiency in performing and interpreting diagnostic tests, such as blood tests, EKGs, and X-rays.
• Electronic Medical Records (EMR) : Showcase your ability to navigate and utilize electronic medical record systems for accurate documentation and information retrieval.
• Infection Control : Highlight your knowledge of infection control protocols and your ability to implement proper hygiene practices to prevent the spread of infections.
• Medication Management : Emphasize your expertise in medication management, including medication administration, dosage calculation, and medication reconciliation.
• Emergency Response : To demonstrate your proficiency in managing emergency situations and delivering prompt care, it is essential to showcase your ability to perform CPR, administer first aid, and execute emergency medical procedures.

Soft skills are personal attributes and qualities that enable you to effectively interact with patients, colleagues, and healthcare teams. These skills are essential for providing compassionate care and maintaining a positive work environment. Moreover, here are some nursing soft skills that you can include on your resume:

• Communication : Effective communication is crucial in nursing to establish rapport with patients, convey information clearly, and collaborate with healthcare teams.
• Empathy : Demonstrating empathy allows you to understand and connect with patients on an emotional level, providing them with comfort and support.
• Critical Thinking : The ability to think critically enables you to analyze complex situations, make sound decisions, and provide safe and effective patient care.
• Problem-Solving : Nursing often requires quick thinking and problem-solving skills to address unexpected challenges and provide timely solutions.
• Teamwork : Collaboration and teamwork are essential in healthcare settings, as nurses work closely with other healthcare professionals to deliver comprehensive patient care.
• Adaptability : Nursing involves working in dynamic and fast-paced environments, requiring the ability to adapt to changes and handle stressful situations with composure.
• Time Management : Effective time management skills allow nurses to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and provide efficient and timely care to patients.
• Attention to Detail : Paying attention to detail is crucial in nursing to ensure accurate documentation, medication administration, and patient safety.

Effective ways to demonstrate nursing skills on your resume

When it comes to showcasing your nursing skills on your resume, it’s important to highlight both your technical ( hard ) skills and personal (soft) skills. 

• Create a Skills Section : Including a dedicated section on your resume specifically for your nursing skills is an effective strategy to help employers quickly identify your areas of expertise.
• Tailor Skills to the Job : Review the job description and identify the key skills and qualifications the employer is seeking. Moreover, customize your skills section to align with those requirements.
• Use Action Verbs : Begin each  bullet point  with an  action verb  to describe your nursing skills. Furthermore, this adds impact and demonstrates your proactive approach to patient care.
• Provide Specific Examples : Whenever possible, provide specific examples or  achievements that demonstrate how you have utilized your nursing skills in previous roles. This helps to validate your claims and provides context for your abilities.
• Quantify Your Skills : Whenever possible, quantify your nursing skills to provide a tangible measure of your capabilities. For example, instead of simply stating “experienced in wound care,” you could say “proficient in managing and treating various types of wounds, including pressure ulcers, with a success rate of 95%”.
• Highlight Specialized Skills : If you have specialized skills or certifications, such as proficiency in specific medical software or experience in a particular area of nursing (e.g., pediatrics, geriatrics), be sure to highlight them on your resume.
• Include Transferable Skills : In addition to nursing-specific skills, include transferable skills that are relevant to the nursing profession, such as communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. These skills hold significant value in the healthcare industry.

Remember to present your nursing skills in a clear and organized manner, using bullet points and concise language. Additionally, by effectively demonstrating your nursing skills on your resume, you can increase your chances of standing out to potential employers. As a result, this can help you secure your desired nursing position.

Examples of nursing skills to include in your resume summary

By quantifying your nursing skills, you provide concrete evidence of your abilities. Furthermore, this makes your resume more impactful to potential employers. To illustrate, here are some examples:

Registered Nurse Resume Template 150020 Download it here →

Example #1: Patient Care and Workload Management

Example #2: team collaboration and leadership, example #3:  time management and efficiency skills.

“Seasoned nurse with 8+ years of experience in a fast-paced hospital setting. Streamlined workflow processes and reduced patient wait times by 30% through effective triaging and coordination of care. Skilled in prioritizing tasks, managing multiple patient cases, and ensuring accurate and timely documentation.”

Popular related posts:

• Registered Nurse Job Description [with Examples]
• Top 10 Soft Skills for Workplace Success in 2024
• Best Skills to Put on Your Resume in 2024 (With Examples)
• Customer Service Resume Examples for 2023 [+Template]
• How To Write a Cover Letter With No Experience in 9 Steps

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• Resume Examples

Registered Nurse (RN) Resume Examples

Our customers have been hired by:

There is no health without care. From asking where it hurts to monitoring the ICU, you combine skill and compassion in everything you do. You could probably explain a thing or two to Dr. House! It’s just that the recruiter doesn’t know it yet… How do you get the point across?

Send them the best registered nurse resume that demonstrates your nursing skills and key accomplishments, in less time than it takes to set up an IV.

This guide will show you: 

• A professional registered nurse resume example better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.
• How to write a resume for registered nursing jobs that will land you more interviews.
• Tips and examples of how to put skills and achievements to have a perfect RN resume example.
• How to describe your experience on a resume for registered nurses to get any job you want.

Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here .

Sample resume made with our builder— See more resume samples here .

Before we get started, here are several other nursing-related resume examples:

• Charge Nurse Resume
• CNA Resume Examples
• ICU Nurse Resume
• Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Resume
• LVN (Licensed Vocational Nurse) Resume
• Medical Assistant Resume
• New Grad Nursing Resume
• NICU Nurse Resume
• Nurse Practitioner Resume
• Nursing Resume
• Operating Room Nurse Resume
• Travel Nurse Resume
• Free Sample Resumes for any job

Registered Nurse Resume Example

Jonathan Morrow Nurse (555) 555-5555 [email protected] linkedin.com/in/jonathanmorrow

Compassionate Registered Nurse with 5+ years of experience providing quality healthcare in a variety of settings. Seeking to leverage clinical knowledge, patient assessment skills, and dedication to healthcare excellence to take on the role of Registered Nurse at Noble Healthcare. Improved nursing staff efficiency by 16% during tenure at Lifeline Nursing Services and Guard Medical Center. 

Experience 

Registered Nurse  Lifeline Nursing Services, Syracuse, NY  July 2015–March 2020 

Key Qualifications & Responsibilities 

• Provided 1:1 and group nursing care for preterm babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
• Assessed patient status and implemented evidence-based interventions according to individualized needs and goals.
• Played a crucial role in communication between physicians, nurses, families, and other medical staff members on team rounds.
• Educated patients regarding their health conditions and organized health promotion activities such as vaccinations and screenings.

Key Achievement: 

• Provided effective patient-centered care to 80+ newborns and improved nursing staff efficiency by 16%. 

Registered Nurse  Guard Medical Center, Syracuse, NY May 2013–June 2015 

Key Qualifications & Responsibilities

• Performed physical evaluations consisting of a full set of vital signs, including height, weight, blood pressure readings, and others, while assessing drug interactions prior medication administration.
• Assisted doctors with minor surgical procedures while overseeing a team of certified nursing assistants (CNA).
• Developed education plans for patients on topics such as disease prevention or nutrition guidance while managing outpatient caseloads of up to 30 individuals per week.
• Collaborated with the laboratory department to speed up test results turnaround time by 40%, enabling faster diagnoses for patients in need of drastic treatments.

Education 

BSN Degree – Nursing Science Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY August 2009–May 2013

Relevant Extracurricular Activities

• Volunteered as a Clinical Instructor at Crouse Hospital’s Simulation Lab from 2011-2013.
• Member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society.

Academic Achievements

• Awarded Distinguished Student Award from Upstate Medical University. 
• Clinical Assessment
• Patient Communication
• Interprofessional Collaboration
• Bedside Nursing Procedures
• Evidence-Based Practices
• Team Leadership

Certifications

• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), American Heart Association, 2019 
• Basic Life Support (BLS), American Red Cross 2016
• Outstanding Healthcare Professional, Syracuse Medical Association, 2018

Memberships

• Member of National Association of Professional Women since 2017. 
• Member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society since 2011. 

Languages 

• English – Native 
• Spanish – Fluent 

Interests 

• Painting / Drawing / Photographing Landscapes.
• Supporting local animal shelters.
• Planning events for community members.

Sample Registered Nurse Resume

Jean Howard Registered Nurse +1-303-746-8526 [email protected] linkedin.com/in/jean2015howard

Licensed RN with 5+ years of clinical experience, seeking to ensure high quality care at Lutheran Medical Center through proven daily care skills. Maintained 95% patient satisfaction at Centura Health. Successfully onboarded 10 new nurses.

Centura Health Registered Nurse 2012–2018

• Handled care, safety, and long term health plans for 15+ patients. Commended 10+ times for efficiency and problem-solving skills by preceptor.
• Assisted patients with limited mobility in all necessary movement. Maintained 97% positive patient scores for compassion.
• Created assessments, diagnoses, and plan-of-care for high-volume of patients. 
• Onboarded 10 new nurses and trained in quality, personalized care and compliance policies.

Key Achievement

• Supervised refurbishing of meeting rooms to create a more comfortable, friendly space for difficult discussions with patients and/or their families.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing University of Colorado Completion: 2012

Certifications and Licensure

• Registered Nurse, Colorado Board of Nursing, License # 0000000
• Phlebotomy Certification
• Patient Care Technician Certification
• Basic Life Support Certification (BLS)
• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
• CPR Certification
• Patient Assessment
• Stress Management
• Attention to Detail
• Safe Patient Transfers
• Microsoft Office
• Decision Making

Interests  

• Elderly patient care
• New technology
• Everyday Emergency Podcast
• Spanish (Conversational)

Now you've seen what perfect RN resume examples should look like, it's time to get to writing a job-winning RN resume for yourself.

1. Structure Your Registered Nurse Resume Template Properly

What would you do if you saw a colleague administering medication before calling for appropriate tests and asking the patient how they felt?

Yeah, I can see them being flung out the doors right now.

Medical treatment is a structured process for a reason. It’s the same with your nursing resume. Good formatting ensures good readability.

Here’s how to format a registered nurse resume :

• Format : the reverse-chronological format .
• Section headings : put your name and up-to-date contact information at the top so that recruiters know how to reach you in a flash.
• Fonts : use professional, easy to read resume fonts . 14-16 pt for section headers, 12 pt for the rest of the text.
• Margins: keep even, 1” resume margins on all sides of the page.
• Line spacing: stick with 1.15 line spacing.
• Sections: use visible section headers and plenty of white space to make your nursing resume easy to read.
• Filetype: always save your resume format in PDF unless the job ad says otherwise.

Now that that’s out of the way, here’s a short procedural how to on what you should include in your RN resume:

• Header : add your current and relevant contact information.
• Resume Objective/Summary : a short intro that explains why you’re perfect for the position.
• Work Experience : a breakdown of your professional career history and achievements .
• Education : a brief description of your academic background.
• Skills : a list of your most prominent and relevant nursing skills and abilities.
• Extra sections : add a little sparkle to your RN resume by including relevant awards, certifications, foreign language knowledge, etc.

Read more about resume formatting: How to Choose a Professional Resume Format

You’re not going to begin with a nursing resume objective/summary, though. Think of it as a diagnosis. 

Start to go through each section—your job experience, education, and skills, gathering up the most notable of them along the way. When you’re done, go back to the beginning of your registered nurse resume and write an intro that encompasses the whole of your application.

2. Start with a Registered Nurse Resume Work Experience Section

Employment forecasts say that there will be above average growth in nursing jobs in the coming years. 

In fact, the BLS predicts that there will be more registered nurse jobs than for any other profession in the U.S. by 2022 and after.

But that doesn’t make your life any easier.

Rising employment demand means a rise in the amount of people taking up nursing as a career. That means more competition for you.

Hospitals and treatment centers also aren’t just going to take anyone of the street. After all, you’re in the business of saving lives—you need to be the best.

So how do you convince the hiring manager that you are, indeed, the best?

Here’s the best way to create a registered nurse resume description of your job experience:

• Go for the reverse-chronological order on your resume . Start with your most recent positions and work your way back.
• Don't go too far back on your resume . Include only what is relevant.
• Include your job title , the employer’s name and location, and the dates you worked there.
• Add your registered nursing responsibilities in bullet points.
• Use up to 6 for your current position and fewer as you go back in time.
• Always tailor your resume to the requirements of the job ad.
• Add quantifiable, noticeable achievements that immediately show hiring managers that you’re the registered nurse that they need.
• Make your RN resume more meaningful by using the PAR (Problem-Action-Result) formula in the description of your nursing and medical responsibilities.
• Use resume action words at the beginning to show recruiters you are a pro in your field.

That’s the theory. Let’s see an example of these guidelines put into practice.

Here’s a RN resume sample of the employment history section:

Registered Nurse Job Description for a Resume with Experience

The right example clearly demonstrates that this candidate knows patient care like the back of their hand.

The wrong example is a little like that TV doctor taking a snooze on a gurney when they should be on call.

And to think that both of these examples come from the same candidate! See what a difference specific examples make?

But what if you’re just starting out as a registered nurse?

If you have an entry-level registered nurse resume, you need to show that you have the knowledge and skills to do a great job.

Take a look at these resume examples without experience ( technically! ):

Registered Nurse Resume Sample with No Experience

As you can see, even short, entry-level experience gained as a nursing student can speak volumes when presented correctly. Now that's what a resume should look like !

The wrong example is so vague that it could have been written on the basis of watching Grey’s Anatomy .

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check . Start building a  professional resume template here for free .

When you’re done, our easy resume builder will score your resume and our resume checker will tell you exactly how to make it better.

Read up further on describing work experience on a resume: Tips for Making a Stellar Work Experience Section for a Resume

3. Enter Your Education (It’s Not That Straightforward!)

The right degree is absolutely essential for registered nursing. Yet you don’t need to list your entire education.

List only your relevant, highest degree. 

Here’s what your education section should look like:

Registered Nurse Resume Education Sample

Though it may be tempting, refrain from adding your GPA on a resume unless it’s higher than your own blood pressure. If you’re an experienced RN, leave out your GPA completely.

For inexperienced RNs who were the smartest nurse in the room, it might be a good idea to add your magna cum laude on your resume .

This is what it would look like:

Super simple!

You may be wondering where the rest of your credentials should go. We’ll discuss them in the next section.

Educate yourself more on listing your education:  How to Put Your Degree on a Resume

4. List Your Registered Nurse Credentials

The hiring manager has 99 problems, but finding your credentials shouldn’t be one.

Nursing is quite unique in the fact that it’s not enough to just have a higher education. There’s also a number of certificates, renewable licenses, and credentials registered nurses need in order to practice nursing.

Now that may seem a little overwhelming, but thankfully the American Nursing Credentialing Center ( ANCC ) has come to the rescue with a universal format to list all this information cohesively.

List registered nursing education and credentials in this order:

• State designations or requirements
• National certifications
• Awards and honors
• Other recognitions

Let’s take a look at how that should look on a registered nurse resume:

Registered Nurse Resume Licenses and Certifications Sample

See that? Easy peasy.

And here's a pro tip: add your RN credentials after your name in the resume header .

Read more: How to List Licenses and Certification on a Resume

5. List Registered Nurse Skills Relevant to Your Specialization

Although the demand for nurses is rising, the growth in specific specializations isn’t uniform, with demand growing much faster in specializations such as medical-surgical, OR, ICU, or ER.

Healthcare recruiters don’t need to sift through another pile of vague resumes from candidates who cared for patients. They’re looking for specialized nurses and fast.

So how to pinpoint the key skills that make your registered nurse resume stand out?

Follow these tips:

• Let the job ad give you useful hints as to what they’re looking for through  resume keywords .
• Think about what relevant skills and certifications you’ve acquired over time. Look at your credentials and experience sections for extra inspiration.
• Write down all your key strengths on a master list.
• Pinpoint the skills on your master list that match those required in the job ad.
• Make a list of the 5-10 most relevant professional skills in your registered nurse resume skills section.
• Always remember to include both hard skills and soft skills on your nursing resume. They’re equally important!

Take another look at your experience section. Does it prove the skills you just listed? Make sure these two sections compliment each other like scrubs and a lucky surgical cap.

The following registered nursing skills will help you compile your list:

20+ Most Common Registered Nurse Resume Skills

• Excellent Communication Skills
• Adaptability
• Decision Making  
• Taking Vital Signs
• Time Management
• Technical Skills
• Perform and Evaluate Diagnostic Tests
• Organizational Skills
• Problem Solving
• Conflict Resolution
• Administering and Monitoring Medications
• Basic computer skills  such as MS Office skills
• Teamwork Skills
• Interpersonal Skills
• Language Skills (esp. bilingual skills )
• Any other  transferable skills  such as  administrative skills , leadership skills , or project management skills .

If you’re looking for more skills specific to nursing, check out this great guide: Key Nursing Skills

Now that you’re well stocked in nursing skills, let’s look at a sample of skills that you might want to list on your resume.

Registered Nurse Skills Resume Example

Remember to use the job ad requirements as a guide to which key skills hiring managers are in dire need of.

Read more about adding skills to resumes:  99+ Skills to Add to a Resume  and Core Competencies and Qualifications

6. Show Don’t Tell: Add “Extra” Sections to Your Registered Nurse Resume

It takes months to recruit an experienced RN. Months .

Cut down that time by showing the hiring manager that not only are you skilled in saving a life, but that you have a passion for living it as well. 

Lots of RNs are going to have the same skills and similar experience to you. You can stand out through your interests and passions. A well-crafted additional resume section will have recruiters breathing a sigh of relief and saying “This is the one!”

Registered Nurse Resume Examples: Extra Sections

• Language on a Resume

Knowledge of a foreign language can really give you a big advantage over other candidates. From gathering patient history to talking through treatment to reassuring worried family members, knowing a foreign language can be a very valuable asset.

• Hobbies and Interests on a Resume

No one cares that you love cats, right? Maybe the recruiter doesn’t, but they will be interested in your curiosity about psychology, meditating, healthy eating. These hobbies not only demonstrate you have passions outside of work, but they can also be a positive influence on your work.

• Memberships in Organizations

Demonstrating membership in a medical or nursing association shows the hiring manager that you take your career seriously and that nursing isn’t just some job for you.

• Volunteer Experience

Volunteer work may not carry the same weight as your job experience, but it does demonstrate a passion to help others, one of the crucial attributes of a fantastic registered nurse. And don't forget about your experience shadowing .

For more possibilities when it comes to additional parts of a resume, see this guide: What to Include in a Resume: 20+ Top Examples

7. Compile the Best Bits Into a Registered Nurse Resume Objective or Summary

Let’s go back to the beginning of your nursing resume.

There’s no point in sharing treatment plan and writing out prescriptions, if there’s no set diagnosis.

Your resume "about me" section is the overarching conclusion that lets the recruiter know, in a few sentences, exactly who they’re dealing with.

There are two types of summaries of skills and qualifications : the objective or the summary.

Skim over your RN resume once again. Look for the skills and achievements that stand out like a Mickey Mouse band aid.

Choose 2-3 of those top achievements that will get the recruiter’s heart racing and write out your heading statement based on them.

If you have years of experience and quite a list of skills, choose the professional summary .

The resume summary gives a brief, but impressive overview of your accomplishments and experience. This is the definite go to if you could teach Dr. Mike a thing or two.

Take a look at these two registered nurse resume summary examples:

Registered Nurse Resume Summary

That wrong example will make the recruiter feel like they’re waiting outside the ER—they’re anxious and are starved for information.

So what if you’re just starting out as a registered nurse?

Use the professional objective . This is the go to when you have little experience and need to lean on your skills and knowledge to show you’re a valuable hire.

Here are two registered nurse resume objective samples:

Registered Nurse Resume Objectives

Both the summary and objective follow the same rules—tailor your objective to the needs of the employer and impress through numbers. 

Looking for the full recipe on starting a resume correctly? Look no further: How to Write a Resume Profile: Tips & Examples

8. Write a Great Registered Nurse Cover Letter

You don’t need to write a cover letter. Especially if the job ad doesn’t ask for one. Even more so if you want your resume for RN jobs rolled straight into the morgue.

Think of it like a pair of brightly colored, clean scrubs—if the recruiter sees both a well-written resume and cover letter, they’ll know that they’ve got a professional who knows that nursing is more than cleaning bedpans and giving shots.

This is how to write a registered nurse cover letter:

• Format the cover letter before you start to write it.
• Address your cover letter directly to the recruiter.
• Start your cover letter off with an introduction that will keep the recruiter reading on.
• Mention top achievements and the specific experience you bring to the position.
• End with a call to action in a powerful closing statement.

That’s all!

Learn more on how to write a compelling registered nurse cover letter: Nursing Cover Letter Sample

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here.  Here's what it may look like:

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Recap—Registered Nurse Resume in a Nutshell

Let’s strip everything down to the bare bones—

Here’s how to write a registered nurse resume step by step :

• Format the registered nurse resume template with a professional font, correct line spacing, proper margins, and plenty of white space.
• Skip writing the registered nurse resume objective or summary until the end.
• Document your previous work history using action verbs, bullet points, and a tailored approach.
• List your education correctly.
• Add your credentials in a clear, professional format which is universally accepted and understood.
• Include your key nursing skills and make sure they’re echoed in your experience section.
• Don’t forget to include a registered nurse cover letter if you want that nursing interview!

Okay, that’s it! Now, we’d love to hear from you: 

• What are the biggest challenges for you when writing a registered nurse resume? 
• Are you having problems coming up with relevant nursing skills or achievements?
• Do you need help with including your nursing specialization(s) on a resume?

Let’s chat below in the comments, and thanks for reading!

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• https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm
• https://www.nursingworld.org/~48fdf9/globalassets/certification/renewals/how-to-display-your-credentials

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28 Nursing Resume Examples That Worked in 2024

• Nursing Resumes
• Nursing Student Resumes
• Nursing Resumes by Credentials
• Nursing Resumes by Role

Writing Your Nursing Resume

Although the demand for nurses is growing, getting a job in the nursing industry isn’t easy, especially if you’re making a start or submitting a letter of resignation at your current position. 

How are you supposed to know how to  write a stunning resume  so employers will immediately want to hire you and create a cover letter detailing your accomplishments? 

Getting into the nursing field is tough, so  we analyzed dozens of nursing resumes to learn what works and what doesn’t to help you get a great nursing job .

No matter your specialty or where you’re in your nursing career, we’ve got 28 nursing resume samples to help you  build a resume  from scratch or update your current resume to get you your next nursing job in 2024!

Nursing Resume

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• One of the quickest ways to do so is by including your licenses in your title. This clearly signals to the employer that you’re qualified for the position.
• Adding an optional licenses section is another way to demonstrate your abilities, so if you have the room, make sure to add that section.
• Instead, tailor your resume to the  nursing job description . What keywords did they list? What responsibilities do they expect you to complete? Use this as your guide to include what employers most want to see.

Experienced Nurse Resume

• Some professions require CVs for senior-level officials, while other industries are fine with a resume no matter their seniority level. Check the job description to see what kind of information the employer requires, so you know what to write.
• Try to demonstrate the different specific responsibilities you’ve had throughout your career. What kinds of clinical techniques have you done? For example, have you assisted with ADLs, administered particular tests, or diagnosed specific types of diseases?

Nursing Student Resume

• The key is to be specific about what you contributed or learned during your time in school.
• How did you assist your peers or supervisors? Did you witness anything especially noteworthy? What did you learn? Listing details like these helps employers qualify your abilities. 
• While an objective is strictly optional, it’s a great way to convey your excitement for the position and some of your relevant skills. 

New Grad Nursing Resume

• If you lack experience, that’s okay! Just include more details about your clinical rotations. You can also mention non-healthcare-specific work experience if you have it.
• For example, does the job description talk a lot about compassionate care? Then you should include the phrase “compassion” in your skills section.

• As you progress, unleash quantified achievements in your previous roles, emphasizing how you helped patients and improved outcomes (hint: reducing medication errors by 28% and enhancing patient safety).

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Resume

• In addition to your title, if you have any certifications or additional licenses, include them on your resume in a designated section.
• If you’re struggling to know what to write on your CNA resume, it can help to look at  CNA resume examples  and local CNA job descriptions to determine what employers want to see and what metrics to include. 

RN BSN Resume

• Go beyond helping patients and list all the times you’ve helped doctors treat a condition more quickly or improved after-surgery recovery rates. Add how you’ve endeavored to assist patients remotely during tough times (if any) such as providing remote sessions during COVID-19.

Registered Nurse Resume

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Resume

• If your current specialization is different from the job description, don’t stress! You should still be specific about your experience, but focus on transferable skills that go hand-in-hand with other fields.
• For example, do you specialize in long-term care, nephrology, or developmental disabilities? Include how you applied those abilities throughout your LPN resume.
• Of course, you need to include where you got your nursing degree, but don’t stop there! Adding a certifications or licenses section can show off your training and catch a hiring manager’s eye quickly.

Critical Care Nursing Resume

• Gain promotion and assume a new role with greater responsibility after that. Use this to show your dedication by backing your achievements with numbers.

Director of Nursing Resume

• List down all the variety of software you’re proficient in and write how you’ve used each right from the beginning of your career. Last but not least, never forget to add your RN license!

NICU Nurse Resume

• Use the career objective to frame your clinical experience through the lens of NICU by highlighting your ability to communicate with families or work in high-pressure environments.

Operating Room Nurse Resume

• Surgeons are always seeking cutting-edge technology that can unlock new medical capabilities. Showcase your expertise in working with these innovative systems—like robotic arms—to enhance your operating room nurse resume .

School Nurse Resume

• Are you skilled in using platforms specific to educational institutions, such as SchoolMessenger? Include them on your school nurse resume to prove that you’re prepared to handle the caseload.

Telemetry Nurse Resume

• You can bolster your telemetry nurse resume by listing any special certifications that further qualify you for the task, such as Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS).

Nurse Practitioner Resume

• The best format for nurses in 2024 is the reverse-chronological format since it shows how you’ve grown your skills over the years. However, if you have a gap in your job experience, there are other formats you can use to disguise that.
• Adding a few splashes of color to your  nurse practitioner resume  makes it look prettier and helps readability. Just be sure to choose a color that is easy on the eye (no neons, please).

ICU Nurse Resume

• To avoid the fear of the blank page, start by using a  resume outline  to give you a basic structure to follow and show you what your finished resume should look like.
• So, when you’re writing the work experience bullet points, use general responsibilities like “provided effective care”), but be specific about how you helped your patients (and what resulted from your ministrations). 

Travel Nurse Resume

• To help stand out above the competition, clarify your work experience sections so employers know if you’ve had traveling nurse contracts or not. 
• More likely than not, you don’t need a resume objective or summary, nor do you need to list individual projects. Remember that you can go into more detail about achievements and skills in your  nursing cover letter .

Charge Nurse Resume

• For example, have you had the opportunity to manage or lead co-workers? Have you ever trained a nurse and oversaw scheduling? Be specific about how you’ve managed projects and people and what resulted from your leadership.
• Want to know a quick and easy way to write a  charge nurse resume ? Start by using a  resume template  to format your information, then fill in the blanks with specific details about your past experience and skills.

Chief Nursing Officer Resume

• This formatting showcases your career growth and leadership development by highlighting your most recent (and likely most relevant) job. 
• We recommend you include six to 10 skills, with at least 70 percent hard skills such as BLS, QA/QC, federal compliance, and fiscal health analysis.

Telehealth Nurse Resume

• Luckily, there are multiple  resume tips  you can incorporate to make your resume a cut above the rest, including choosing specific hard skills in your skills section and formatting your resume in reverse-chronological order.
• If you have a degree higher than a high school diploma, ignore your high school information since employers don’t need it. If you have multiple nursing degrees, include all of them.

Nurse Consultant Resume

• Use business-related numbers like sales growth or revenue/profit increases to demonstrate your worth as an employee.
• Don’t forget to add other sections to showcase your training and certifications.
• If you decide to include these sections, keep them brief and include only what’s relevant to the job you’re seeking.

Office Nurse Resume

• Do your homework on the environment you’re applying to work in, and ensure you showcase why you’re a good fit for that specific job. After all, an ER unit with high patient turnover may be much more interested in your high-efficiency standards than an in-home clinic that consistently services a much smaller patient load.
• Sure, your resume may look good when you finish writing it, but have you run it through a  resume checker  yet? You might not realize you’ve been using passive voice or inconsistent punctuation, and even though you’re not applying for a job as an English Teacher, a hiring manager won’t be thrilled if you overlook little details when they’re going to literally put lives in your hands.

Home Dialysis Nurse Resume

• Unfortunately, as much as it may be interesting for you to look back over your life history, most hiring managers won’t be quite as thrilled about the prospect. Adding a career summary to your resume can give recruiters the highlights, without drowning them in a sea of information.
• Trust us on this, nothing bothers a hiring manager more than a resume that is 1.01 pages long.

ER Nurse Resume

• Certifications like the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) and Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) depict that you’ve done the work and undergone the rigorous training needed to be an ER nurse.

Labor and Delivery Nurse Resume

• If you’ve spent your time outside work organizing events to promote women’s health and reproductive rights, it’s a powerful statement that shows your passion and commitment and deserves to be mentioned in your resume.

Nurse Manager Resume

• If you’re well versed with a particular HR management tool or medical management software, it’s one less thing a hospital or healthcare center will have to train you on.

Pediatric Nurse Resume

• An extensive program, like a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, from an esteemed institute like Johns Hopkins University, for example, is a worthy inclusion in your pediatric nurse resume , demonstrating that you’ve learned from the best.

Related resume guides

• Physician Assistant
• Dental Assistant

Hiring managers typically receive a torrent of resumes whenever there’s an open position, so if you prepare your nursing resume haphazardly, you are more likely to get the boot than the job. To avoid that sad scenario, you need to make your nursing resume readable, logical, and pleasing to the eye. It should showcase your skills and experience while being ATS-compliant, and it should show off a bit of your personality, too. 

It make sound like an impossible task, but before your get overwhelmed, start by taking it one step at a time. First, choose your formatting style: reverse-chronological, functional, or hybrid.

Reverse-chronological, functional, and combination/hybrid format

A well-structured resume is essential for your job search. Even if your resume has perfect content, if your resume isn’t easy to skim at a glance, it’s unlikely you’ll be called for an interview. Your content matters, but so does  how  you present that content. Therefore, proper  resume formatting  is a salient feature you don’t want to get wrong.

There are three popular formatting options for designing your resume in 2024: reverse-chronological, functional, and hybrid. 

• Focuses more on your skills
• Ideal for a recent graduate or an entry-level candidate
• Reverse-chronological format
• The most common format
• Lists relevant experiences and skills in reverse-chronological order
• The best for making it past the ATS
• Combines functional and reverse-chronological features
• Highlights both your skills and experience
• Ideal if you have a handful of experience or are re-entering the workforce

The best bet for a nursing resume would be the reverse-chronological format. This helps the recruiter see your upward career progression. If you started as an intern in a given health organization, and then moved up the career ladder to become a full-fledged nurse, your potential employer will be able to track your progression and assess your qualifications faster.

Contact header

It’s important to include the relevant contact header information in the right order. If you’re a nurse, your   contact header should have the following:

• Your name —Employers won’t automatically know you, so you need to include your first and last name. 
• Phone number —Use your personal cellphone number instead of a work phone in case a potential employer calls when you’re not on the job.
• Email address —Include a professional email address, preferably combining your first and last name.
• City & state —This is optional but recommended so employers know if you’re local. 
• LinkedIn —Some employers require your LinkedIn profile, but even if it’s not mandatory, it’s helpful for employers to see your career progression.

The contact header should be, you guessed it, at the top of the page. Good font choices are Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri, all at 12 point size. When it comes to color, remain conservative with black and white. Some  resume templates  can format your resume to strikingly display your contact information, just like this header:

Will your nursing resume beat the ATS?

Optimizing your resume for the Application Tracking System (ATS) increases your chances of being called for an interview. The ATS is a tool that many companies use to quickly scan resumes and weed out applicants without relying on someone to read through them first.

Most resumes aren’t designed to beat ATS, and end up being filtered out before they ever reach the recruiter. However, if you know how to properly  format your resume , you’ll pass the ATS scan and make your way to a person. Here’s what you should know about the role of fonts, font size, margins, header names, logical order, skills, and page length, as far as ATS-friendly resumes are concerned:

• ATS-friendly fonts make it easy for a computer to read your resume. Some of the most commonly used ATS-friendly fonts include: Times New Roman, Calibri, and Arial. Preferably, they should have a font size of 10-12 points.
• Beyond just font type, font size also matters. Preferably, your body font size should be 10-12 points, while your headers can be bigger.
• Margins also matter, since the ATS automatically assumes your margins are the standard size of one-inch all around. Any bigger or smaller, and the ATS might mis-read your resume.
• Keywords are the main focus of the ATS, so make sure your skill keywords and header names match what’s in the job description.
• The ATS is not sensitive to the number of pages, but one page is the standard across professions. 

Writing your nursing resume

Putting together an effective nursing resume may seem overwhelming and not worth your effort. However, putting in the extra effort now will pay off when you get an interview. And remember, you’re not doing this alone. We’re dedicated to helping you  write an amazing resume  by providing advice on common frustrating decisions like this:

• When an objective is most useful on your nursing resume
• When a summary can be the preferred choice
• How to list your most relevant nursing work history
• Adding volunteer work and academic endeavors when work history is light

Do you need an objective or summary on your nursing resume?

When crafting your nursing resume, you have the option to use career objectives and summaries.

When to include a career objective in your resume:

• You can use an objective when changing or modifying your career.
• For instance, if you plan to change from a surgical assistant registered nurse to an emergency room registered nurse, you’d use an objective to highlight that you’re pursuing a new subfield within nursing.
• Use a career objective if you’re looking for an entry-level job and lack experience. 

When a summary is right for your resume:

• Use a summary to highlight your most valuable experience and skills. These are ideal when you have vast experience in nursing.
• For example, if you’ve worked in a health setting for 10 or more years, you can include a summary.
• A summary is effective for connecting varied work experiences.

When not to use objectives or summaries:

• Skip the objective or summary if you’re not planning to customize it to each position you apply for. Otherwise, it’s generic filler that takes up too much white space.
• This lacks specificity and reads “I just need a job to pay the bills.” While that may be true, employers want to know you’re passionate about your work and will improve your workplace.
• This lacks depth and work history details that should hallmark a summary. It’s void of substantial expertise, specializations, and skill specifics.

When objectives or summaries are worth including:

• This objective highlights the years of experience and the candidate’s field of expertise while also naming the potential employer.
• This summary highlights their years of experience, the key areas they’ve worked in, and their specialities within those fields.

Nursing work experience?

Don’t forget to indicate relevant experience in your resume. While we wouldn’t recommend including every job you’ve had since you were 16, you can get away with adding work experience from different fields if you’re an entry-level candidate.

However, if you’re applying for a senior position, you’ll need to include at least  three  nursing positions on your resume, especially if you’re applying for a managerial or specialty position. For instance, a director of care management requires nine years of experience, four of which must be managerial.

Conversely, a registered nurse position may require one year of direct patient care. The responsibilities, in this case, are not very demanding. If you lack experience overall, you can include any academic projects and volunteer work that is relevant to the  nursing job description .

Writing your job experience bullet points for your nursing resume

Three examples of poor job experience bullet points for nurses:

• Generally, you should avoid using “I,” and you should include specifics, not just generic statements of experience.
• This bullet includes “I” and lacks job specifics and quantifiable metrics.
• Although it may sound nice on the surface, it doesn’t answer exactly what the patient did and the results of their work.

Three examples of good job experience bullet points for nurses:

• This uses an action verb combined with quantifiable metrics.
• Again, this uses an action verb but furthermore, it describes exactly what the candidate provided (primary care training). 
• Specific, pertinent job duties show employers your skills and can also help you pass the ATS; two thumbs up for this one!

Quantify your impact as a nurse

When preparing your resume, remember that no employer wants to waste time reading vague statements about your performance. Instead, they want to see supporting details. So, whenever you can, you should quantify your impact and achievements.

For instance, if you say you “served many patients daily,” a potential employer might wonder about the exact number because ‘many’ is a relative term.

Examples of how to quantify metrics:

Suppose the  nursing job description  asks for a training specialist who can train other nurses. In that case, you can indicate the number of training sessions you conducted per day in your previous employment.

• Number of clinical training sessions per day
• Trained 75% of new hires on pre and postoperative care >20 days per month

Some of the health facilities labor under tremendous pressure. The number of patients you serve per day can help potential employers gauge whether you will cope well under pressure. So, it’s lucrative to include the number of patients you served per a specific amount of time.

• Number of patients served in a day 
• Worked in a setting with a 6:1 patient-nurse ratio, receiving 400+ visitors per day

Top skills for your nursing resume

It’s helpful to understand the differences between hard and soft skills to list in your  resume skills section . Keep the number of skills you list in between six and 10 to avoid overwhelming the reader.

Hard skills are those tools you use to do the job, aka technical abilities that require training. 

Examples of hard skills:

• ERM systems
• Medical documentation
• Infant and child care
• Emergency care
• Ambulatory care
• CPR certified

On the other hand, soft skills are abilities that are harder to quantify and are more personality-based.

Examples of soft skills:

• Communication 
• Professionalism
• Positive attitude

Get noticed! Look for keywords within a job description:

• Many companies use ATS to scan resumes for keywords from the job description, so it’s in your best interest to include the right keywords.
• Include keywords in both your  nursing cover letter  and resume. 
• Choosing keywords from the job description helps you customize your resume and thus, makes you more appealing to the hiring manager.
• Employing the right keywords makes your resume relevant and noticeable, giving you an edge over the competition.

Nursing education and certifications

When preparing your nursing resume, include all the elements that will increase your chances of getting the job. You need to indicate the following:

• Your education level
• Any certifications or licenses
• Your experience in other nursing environments
• Your years of experience as a nurse

On the topic of licenses, you need to share your area of specialization. Specialists include registered nurses (RNs), certified registered nurse anesthetists, and clinical nurse specialists. Including your area(s) of expertise helps potential employers determine whether you’re the right candidate for the job.

Besides, including this information is easy to do and shouldn’t take up much space! Simply place certifications and licenses in a short section toward the bottom of your resume: 

Should you add projects, interests, or hobbies to your nursing resume?

Most of the time, you don’t need to include projects or  interests/hobbies on your resume . However, you may be able to add them depending on your level of experience and the type of role you’re seeking.

If you’re an experienced nurse, you’ve likely gained tangible experience that’s more important than undergraduate projects you’ve completed. Instead, you should highlight your key areas of experience and show your new employer how you’ll impact their business.

In the same vein, you may not need to indicate your hobbies or interests unless it’s encouraged. However, you can gain an advantage over the competition if you have strong qualifications and hobbies that match the company culture. 

To help you determine whether or not to include hobbies, visit the company’s website and read the “About Us” section to gauge whether they have a unique cultural fit. 

If you’re an entry-level candidate or a recent graduate, listing hobbies and projects can help you fill space and showcase your personality. However, it’s always good to review the job description to ensure these additions are relevant. Either way, keep the project and hobbies lists short and at the bottom of your resume.

Examples of hobbies/interests:

• Volunteering for community health services
• Learning new languages

Examples of projects:

• Organized and led breast cancer awareness campaign for two consecutive semesters
• Researched mental and psychiatric issues for semester-long experiment

Adjust your nursing resume for every job application

Remember to customize your resume when applying for a new job. Even if you’re only applying for specific roles, like LPN jobs, that doesn’t mean every job description for that title requires the same qualifications. There’s usually something unique to each position. Thus, for every application, make sure you tailor the following sections:

• (These can stay mostly the same, but you should adjust responsibilities and keywords slightly.)

To recap, each job description comes with different skill requisites. Furthermore, remember to note keywords you can use within the body of your resume and cover letter.

Your nursing resume must be error-free

As a nurse, you need to show the hiring manager that you’re observant and have an eye for detail. Remember, you’ll be working with patients and should demonstrate accuracy and precision. To ensure a flawless resume, run your document through a  resume checker  and have your colleagues proofread it. Don’t let typos cost you a job!

Confidently land your next Nursing gig

Many job seekers languish in the job market, especially considering the number of nursing graduates produced by universities each year and the fierce competition. So, you must be creative and savvy to survive the market. Happily, you’ve already taken the first steps by reading this guide, so congratulations!

We know you’ve worked hard to get this far, and we wish you all the best as you write a power-packed nursing resume and get ready for interviews in 2024! 

Resume Worded   |  Proven Resume Examples

• Resume Examples
• Medical Resumes

44 Nursing Resume Examples - Here's What Works In 2024

The essential role that nurses play has never been so obvious. with the profession increasingly in demand, now is the perfect time to apply for nursing roles. this guide contains everything you need to write an effective nursing resume, including essential skills to include and resume templates you can use..

Nursing is a demanding but incredibly rewarding field, requiring dedication, compassion, and a lot of hard work. Nurses can choose from dozens of specialties and a variety of settings, including frontline hospital work, education, and private healthcare. Whatever your role, as a nurse, you’ll find that soft skills — including communication, problem solving, and conflict resolution — are essential, as are hard skills in patient care, technology, and basic medical procedures. There are multiple pathways leading to nursing, all culminating in the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). Aspiring nurses can pursue a Diploma, Associate Degree, or Bachelor of Science in Nursing, while accelerated programs are open to those with an existing undergraduate degree or experience in the field. In 2023, the face of nursing is expected to change significantly. Shortages elsewhere in the medical field are likely to lead to an increased demand and higher responsibilities for Nurse Practitioners and more nurses choosing to specialize. Nurses are also likely to see a greater emphasis on technology in healthcare, including telehealth visits, medical chatbots, and online education programs. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 12% job growth for nurses over the next several years, well above the national average.

Nursing Resume Templates

Jump to a template:

• General Nurse
• Experienced Nurse
• Certified Nursing Assistant
• Registered Nurse
• Psychiatric Nurse
• Nurse Case Manager
• Nursing Student
• Travel Nurse
• Nurse Practitioner
• New Grad Nurse
• Director of Nursing
• Nursing Supervisor
• Clinical Rotation Nurse
• Charge Nurse
• Remote Nurse
• Preceptor Nurse
• Relief Charge Nurse
• LPN Nurse (Licensed Practical Nurse)
• LVN Nurse (Licensed Vocational Nurse)
• ICU Charge Nurse
• Prior Authorization Nurse
• Clinic Nurse
• Medical Surgical Nurse
• Patient Care Technician

Jump to a resource:

• Keywords for Nursing Resumes

Nursing Resume Tips

• Action Verbs to Use
• Related Medical Resumes

Get advice on each section of your resume:

Template 1 of 44: General Nurse Resume Example

Nurses are integral to the healthcare system. Under the guidance of a doctor or surgeon, nurses support and perform crucial patient care duties. Nurses are often most hands-on with day-to-day patient treatment. They perform a wide variety of tasks, including administering medication, monitoring patients health status, performing blood tests, administering IV fluids, running testing, and more. To become a nurse, you can choose a few different educational paths. You may earn an associates in nursing and go on to earn your LPN (licensed practical nurse) license. You also could get a bachelor’s degree in nursing, and go on to receive your RN (registered nurse) license. LPN’s are slightly more limited in their job scope than RN’s. In any case, great nurses will have a strong medical background, a caring and calm demeanor, a deep understanding of safety procedures, and strong multi-tasking skills.

We're just getting the template ready for you, just a second left.

Tips to help you write your General Nurse resume in 2024

   gain hands-on patient experience.

While in nursing school, it’s wise to gain hands-on patient experience. This typically comes in the form of getting a position as a certified nursing assistant, healthcare aid, or medical assistant. You will learn how to perform basic activities of daily life with patients in these roles, and it gives you an opportunity to learn from the nurses you will work under.

   Consider learning a second language

Hospitals see everyone under the sun, and it’s no secret that many people speak a different language than English. Hospitals often look for bilingual staff and find them incredibly valuable when trying to communicate treatment and get consent from those who speak a foreign language. Find out what foreign language is most popular in your area, learn it, and highlight it on your resume.

Skills you can include on your General Nurse resume

Template 2 of 44: general nurse resume example.

The most important duty of a nurse is patient care, but that’s far from their only responsibility. As a nurse, you’ll be administering medication, monitoring and evaluating patient progress, and working closely with doctors to provide care in hospitals, clinics, residential homes, and a variety of less typical environments. To land a nursing position, you’ll need to emphasize both hard and soft skills in your resume.

   Good use of skills section to highlight nursing skills

If you feel like a comprehensive list of nursing skills could easily take up half your resume, you aren’t wrong. Even so, a good skills section shouldn’t include more than about 5-10 skills, which means you’ll need to read the job description carefully and pull out the most important skills recruiters are looking for.

   Lists additional qualifications relevant to nursing

At minimum, you’ll need a nursing degree or diploma to begin a career in nursing. If you have additional qualifications, like field-specific qualifications or general first aid, CPR, or basic life support (BLS) certification, it’s worthwhile to list those, too. You can include these in an additional section at the bottom of your resume or in your education section.

Template 3 of 44: Experienced Nurse Resume Example

As an experienced nurse, you've seen it all. You're the backbone of the healthcare system, working long hours to care for patients and being a team leader. In recent years, the healthcare industry has seen a growth in roles that require experienced nurses due to an aging population and the increasing complexity of care. When tailoring your resume for this role, it's important to highlight your experience, specialized skills, and the results you've achieved. While the pandemic has put nursing roles in the spotlight, it's also crucial to show how you adapted during these challenging times. Hiring managers are looking for nurses who can handle crises, adapt to changes quickly, and take a lead role in a team. Showcase your resilience and leadership skills in your resume and make sure it feels personal. No two nursing roles are ever the same, just as no two resumes should ever be identical.

Tips to help you write your Experienced Nurse resume in 2024

   highlight your specialized skills.

As an experienced nurse, you've no doubt gained some specialized skills. Perhaps you're an expert in critical care, or you've got a knack for pediatric nursing. Highlight these specialties on your resume. Not only do they showcase your experience, but they also show you're a nurse with a wider skill set.

   Show off your leadership skills

In a job where difficult decisions are made daily, leadership is crucial. You may have mentored new nurses, spearheaded a new initiative, or simply taken charge in a crisis. Show hiring managers you're not just a team player, but a potential team leader. It's these qualities that differentiate experienced nurses from the rest.

Skills you can include on your Experienced Nurse resume

Template 4 of 44: experienced nurse resume example.

As an experienced nurse, you’ll want to emphasize your experience in the field and advanced skill set. You may find yourself moving into positions of leadership or other increased responsibilities, which means highlighting transferable skills and evidence of solid career progression. Your accomplishments are key — instead of listing as many bullet points as you can, consider your most impressive achievements, particularly ones that demonstrate leadership and commitment.

   Bullet points feature strong action verbs to highlight nursing accomplishments

Choosing the right action verb is key to presenting your accomplishments in a positive, proactive light. Verbs like “assisted” and “collaborated” show your ability to work well in a large healthcare team, while ones like “organized,” “coordinated,” and “spearheaded” emphasize your willingness to take on leadership roles and higher-level responsibilities.

   Emphasize career growth in the nursing field

As you move on to more experienced roles, you’ll want to emphasize career progression in your resume. You can demonstrate growth through your job titles, bullet points, or both. Even if you haven’t been formally promoted or your job titles don’t show an obvious progression, you can make this clear by highlighting increased responsibilities in your accomplishments.

Template 5 of 44: Certified Nursing Assistant Resume Example

As a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), you're likely familiar with the critical role you play in patient care. While your daily tasks might involve things like personal care, taking vitals, and assisting with mobility, your resume needs to do more than just list these duties. Recently, employers have been valuing CNAs who can demonstrate empathy and effective communication, in addition to technical skills. When crafting your resume, remember to weave in how you've made genuine connections with patients and supported their wellbeing. Moreover, in light of the pandemic and the changing healthcare landscape, it's impressive if you can show adaptability and willingness to learn new protocols and technologies. This isn't just a list of your tasks - it's a narrative about how you've used your skills and traits to make an impact in your past roles.

Tips to help you write your Certified Nursing Assistant resume in 2024

   include relevant certifications.

As a CNA, you should include any specialized certifications, like CPR or dementia care, on your resume. This isn't just about meeting the job description requirements - it shows potential employers that you're committed to professional development and maintaining high standards in patient care.

   Demonstrate emotional intelligence

Aside from technical skills, you should reflect your emotional intelligence on your resume. Try to describe how you've managed sensitive situations, provided emotional support to patients, or how you've communicated effectively with patients' loved ones.

Skills you can include on your Certified Nursing Assistant resume

Template 6 of 44: certified nursing assistant resume example.

As a certified nursing assistant, you’ll work closely with patients under the supervision of registered nurses. Your nursing assistant resume should emphasize the hard skills you’ll need to do the job, including performing routine medical procedures like taking blood samples, monitoring vital signs, cleaning and sterilizing equipment, and assisting patients with eating, dressing, and bathing. You’ll also need a solid understanding of relevant policies and legislation, including HIPAA.

   Use a relevant resume title

One of the easiest ways to bypass resume screeners and ensure your resume lands on the desk of a hiring manager is to include the exact title of the job you’re applying for on your resume. Including a resume title not only does this, it also clearly shows that you’ve customized your resume for this particular job — always a necessity.

   Include volunteer work where you used your nursing skills

If you don’t have a lot of traditional work experience, consider including volunteer work on your resume. You can create a separate volunteer work section, or simply list it alongside paid work experience. If you do this, you should list it in the same way, with an employer heading, dates of employment, and action-oriented bullet points.

Template 7 of 44: Registered Nurse Resume Example

Registered nursing is a step up the nursing ladder, allowing you to provide care directly to patients. Licensure as a registered nurse (RN) is also a pathway to graduate nursing programs, practice as a nurse practitioner, and specialty certification. As an RN, you’ll provide education and advice to patients and coordinate with physicians and other members of your healthcare team, meaning communication skills are also essential.

Tips to help you write your Registered Nurse resume in 2024

   emphasize hard skills related to nursing.

As an RN, you’ll need a firm grasp on essential skills. Focus on technical skills you’ll need, like phlebotomy, rehabilitative care, triage, and electronic health record (EHR). If you want to include soft skills or more than a handful of hard skills, use your accomplishments to highlight accomplishments that demonstrate them in action.

   Use bullet points provide context on your nursing achievements

Focusing on accomplishments in your bullet points is good, but even better is if you can provide the context for those achievements. A bullet point reading “triaged 50+ patients daily” is far more descriptive than simply “triaged patients.” Try to give clear numbers when talking about the size of teams you’ve led or number of patients you’ve cared for.

Skills you can include on your Registered Nurse resume

Template 8 of 44: icu nurse resume example.

As an ICU nurse, you're stepping into a high-stakes world where precision, quick decision-making, and resilience are part of everyday life. Your resume should reflect this reality and showcase your competencies, experiences, and specializations. It's important to note that hiring trends within ICU roles are leaning towards value-based healthcare delivery. Hiring managers are on the lookout for nurses who are able to provide holistic care, focusing on patient outcomes and satisfaction. When crafting your resume, remember to highlight your accomplishments in these areas, rather than just listing your duties.

Tips to help you write your ICU Nurse resume in 2024

   highlight specialized icu skills.

As an ICU nurse, you've developed a unique skill set. On your resume, be sure to highlight your expertise in areas like critical care, advanced life support, and specific ICU equipment. Demonstrate how you've applied these skills in previous roles to deliver quality patient care.

   Emphasize on team collaboration and leadership

ICU environments are high-stress, high-intensity spaces that require strong teamwork and leadership. Be sure to showcase any experiences where you've effectively coordinated with a team, or led initiatives to improve patient outcomes or processes within the ICU.

Skills you can include on your ICU Nurse resume

Template 9 of 44: icu nurse resume example.

Working in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a hospital means working in an emergency setting providing care to critically ill patients. As an ICU nurse, you may also work in an emergency room or burn center. The crucial and fast-paced nature of ICU nursing means you’ll need extensive nursing experience and additional certifications. Your resume should also emphasize transferable skills recruiters are looking for, including quick thinking and decision-making.

   Focus on ICU experience

When applying for a specific role like ICU nurse, it’s best to focus your resume on experience that’s relevant to that position. If you have past experience as an ICU nurse, it’s a good idea to include more bullet points for that job and cut down on the space you give to less closely related experience, like general nursing positions.

   Clearly list certifications related in nursing

The more specialized the role, the more likely it is that you’re going to need specific qualifications. If you already have the qualifications hiring managers are looking for — like critical care or life support certification — list them in your education section or in an additional section at the bottom of your resume.

Template 10 of 44: NICU Nurse Resume Example

As a NICU nurse, you'll be working in a fast-paced and highly specialized environment, caring for some of the most vulnerable patients. When crafting your resume, it's important to emphasize your skills and experience that are especially relevant to neonatal intensive care. There's a recent trend in the industry that focuses on evidence-based practices and mental-health support for families, so showcasing your knowledge in these areas will give you an edge. Additionally, with advancements in technology and medical devices, many NICU departments prefer nurses who are skilled in using the latest equipment. Mention your experience with different monitors, ventilators, and other NICU-specific devices on your resume, as this can demonstrate your ability to adapt to a rapidly evolving field.

Tips to help you write your NICU Nurse resume in 2024

   highlight relevant certifications.

In addition to your RN license, emphasize any advanced certifications that are relevant to neonatal care, such as the Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) or the Certification for Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing (RNC-NIC). These certifications demonstrate your commitment to providing high-quality care for NICU patients.

   Showcase your teamwork and collaboration skills

NICU nurses work closely with a multidisciplinary team of professionals. Highlight instances on your resume where you collaborated effectively with physicians, respiratory therapists, social workers, and other nurses to develop and implement comprehensive care plans for your patients.

Skills you can include on your NICU Nurse resume

Template 11 of 44: nicu nurse resume example.

Neonatal intensive care (NICU) nurses provide critical care for premature and severely ill infants. As an NICU nurse, you’ll also run NICU equipment, support women during labor, provide neonatal services to healthy newborns, and document patient histories. You’ll need a high level of compassion, the ability to work in a stressful, fast-paced environment, and specific skills in neonatal care, telemetry monitoring, and neonatal medical equipment.

   Tailored to the NICU nursing job

Tailoring your resume to the specific job you’re applying for is essential. One easy way to do this is by including a resume title that matches the job title. Another is to tailor your skills list — for example, by listing NICU-specific skills like neonatal health monitoring and assessment.

   List skills and certifications separately

If you’re listing additional qualifications and skills together in an “other” section of your resume, make sure you don’t just lump everything in together. Using separate subsections for skills and certifications allows you to list more information while ensuring that a recruiter can still easily skim your resume to find the information they’re looking for.

Template 12 of 44: Psychiatric Nurse Resume Example

As a psychiatric nurse, your role entails assessing, supporting, and treating patients with mental health disorders in a variety of settings. In recent years, there's been an increased focus on the importance of mental health care, which has led to a higher demand for psychiatric nurses. When crafting your resume, it's crucial to highlight your clinical experience, therapeutic communication skills, and empathy for patients, as these are qualities that set you apart in this specialized field. In addition to showcasing your clinical skills, it's also important to mention any specific areas of expertise or certifications you hold within the psychiatric nursing field. This not only demonstrates your dedication to the profession but helps you stand out to potential employers who may be seeking nurses with specialized experience to meet the evolving needs of mental health care.

Tips to help you write your Psychiatric Nurse resume in 2024

   emphasize therapeutic communication skills.

As a psychiatric nurse, your ability to communicate effectively with patients is paramount. Highlight your proficiency in therapeutic communication techniques, such as active listening, empathy, and validation to show potential employers that you can provide exceptional care to patients in need.

   Showcase specific mental health certifications

If you have any mental health certifications, like a Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse (CPMHN) credential or training in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), include these in your resume. This not only showcases your advanced knowledge in the field but indicates your commitment to continually improving your skills in psychiatric nursing.

Skills you can include on your Psychiatric Nurse resume

Template 13 of 44: psychiatric nurse resume example.

A psychiatric nurse is a specialized healthcare professional who focuses on the identification and treatment of psychiatric disorders. These nurses are responsible for determining a patient’s mental status, providing appropriate treatments and solutions, monitoring patient safety, and more. Psychiatric nurses must have a strong educational background in both psychiatry and general nursing. To land this role, you should have an undergraduate degree in psychology or nursing and then go on to earn your LPN or RN credential. Many people who land this role will have a dual-degree with a major in nursing and minor in psychology, or vice versa. After you’ve become a licensed nurse, you should gain hands-on psychiatric experience. Hiring managers will look for nurses who are sensitive to the needs of psychiatric patients, display great listening skills, and problem solving abilities.

   Highlight your ability to de-escalate and negotiate with patients

When dealing with psychiatric patients, you will need to have the ability to de-escalate high emotion situations, provide useful mental health interventions, and negotiate with agitated patients. It’s important to highlight any experience you have using these skills.

   Highlight your knowledge in behavioral analysis

Psychiatric nurses will identify problematic behaviors in patients and have the knowledge to prescribe treatment plans based on behavioral symptoms. As such, any knowledge in behavioral analysis or behavioral therapy will be valuable for this role.

Template 14 of 44: Psychiatric Nurse Resume Example

Psychiatric nurses are responsible for supporting patients with mental health and substance abuse issues. As a psychiatric nurse, you’ll be spending more time with a smaller number of patients, developing strong relationships and building trust in order to support patients over the long term. Soft skills in this role are a must, so use your accomplishments to highlight your empathy, resilience, and people skills.

   Short resume summary tailored to psychiatric nursing field

Including a summary at the top of your resume is a great idea if you want to provide extra context for your work history or quickly highlight one or two particularly impressive accomplishments. It’s also a handy place to put anything that doesn’t fit elsewhere on your resume — for example, if you’re changing careers or transitioning to a new specialization.

   Highlight transferable skills

Never list soft skills in your skills section. Instead, use your bullet points to highlight transferable skills. Rather than listing something like “attention to detail,” which is far too subjective, include a bullet point like “administered medications while ensuring correct dosage, frequency, and accuracy,” which shows how you demonstrated that skill in action.

Template 15 of 44: Nurse Case Manager Resume Example

Nurse Case Managers are vital in the healthcare industry as they coordinate patient care and improve healthcare outcomes. They manage and monitor patient cases, ensuring the best possible care is provided to address patients' unique needs. To write a resume for a Nurse Case Manager role, it's essential to stay up-to-date on industry trends and showcase the skills that make you an exceptional candidate. Emphasize your ability to work with interdisciplinary teams, manage patient cases, and navigate complex healthcare systems. In recent years, the focus on preventive care and patient advocacy has grown significantly. Therefore, a Nurse Case Manager's resume should demonstrate the ability to assess patients' needs holistically and develop personalized, comprehensive care plans. It's essential to show your understanding of the importance of patient-centered care and the impact of industry trends on your role as a Nurse Case Manager.

Tips to help you write your Nurse Case Manager resume in 2024

   highlight care coordination skills.

In your resume, emphasize your experience in coordinating care, working with interdisciplinary teams, and managing communication between patients, families, and healthcare providers. Nurse Case Managers need to effectively collaborate with various stakeholders to ensure seamless, efficient care delivery.

   Showcase your expertise in patient advocacy

Nurse Case Managers play a crucial role in advocating for the needs and preferences of their patients. Highlight instances where you've successfully advocated for patients, secured resources, or facilitated access to necessary services. This demonstrates your commitment to patient-centered care and your ability to navigate complex healthcare systems.

Skills you can include on your Nurse Case Manager resume

Template 16 of 44: nurse case manager resume example.

Nurse case managers are registered nurses (RNs) who provide dedicated recovery plans to individual patients, often in a hospital or acute care setting. In addition to licensure as an RN, you’ll need an understanding of patients’ health needs, the ability to monitor patients and work with other care professionals to ensure continued recovery, and the knowledge and background to source cost-effective care solutions.

   Includes numbers and metrics to emphasize case manager achievements

Including numbers and metrics on your resume isn’t just for show. Quantifying your achievements makes them more objective and reliable, and numbers speak to the exact nature of your achievement and its impact on the company or organization. Plus, they’re also just more impressive — consider “managed clinic referrals” versus “managed an average of 400 clinic referrals per month,” for example.

   Focuses on hard skills as a case manager

As a nurse case manager, you’ll need more than just people skills to succeed. Your resume should list any hard skills the job requires, including HCPCS, MEDITECH, and billing software. You should aim to pick 5-10 of the top skills you need and list them at the end of your resume, in a skills or additional information section.

Template 17 of 44: Nurse Case Manager Resume Example

Unlike most nursing positions, the role of a nurse case manager is more administrative in nature. As a nurse case manager, you’ll be in a supervisory role, with responsibilities including making decisions regarding budgets and scheduling, managing a team of nurses, and developing patient care plans. Your resume should highlight soft skills like leadership, decision making, and communication alongside hard skills in patient care and technology.

   Use hard numbers and metrics relevant to nursing

Using concrete numbers in your bullet points can be the best way to demonstrate your achievements. Instead of “lowered spending costs,” be specific and write “lowered spending costs by 25%.” If you led a team of 30, managed records for 500 patients, or oversaw a 26-bed unit, including those details will help your accomplishments stand out.

   Highlight key skills in nursing

In a role like nurse case manager that requires specific hard skills, you can list these in a separate skills section at the bottom of your resume. This includes specific software like HCPCS or MEDITECH systems, which are often keywords that hiring managers or applicant tracking systems (ATS) will be screening for.

Template 18 of 44: Nursing Student Resume Example

As a nursing student, you’ll be relying less on traditional work experience to fill out your resume and more on the skills you’ve gained through coursework and student nursing placements. Even without much experience, you can distinguish yourself by listing your student nursing experience the same way you would paid experience, focusing on your accomplishments and making sure to include relevant skills and keywords.

Tips to help you write your Nursing Student resume in 2024

   emphasize student nursing experience.

If you’re still a student and don’t have any relevant paid work experience, that doesn’t mean your resume should be blank. You can list your student nursing experience in your professional experience section, listing the location you worked at as the employer and “student nurse” as your job title.

   Lists specific competencies relevant to nursing

Even without paid work experience, you’ll be graduating with plenty of the skills you’ll need in your first role. Include a skills section at the bottom of your resume where you list a few of the skills that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for — typically between 5-10 skills.

Skills you can include on your Nursing Student resume

Template 19 of 44: travel nurse resume example.

As a travel nurse, your resume should reflect your unique skill set and adaptability to different clinical environments. With the healthcare industry constantly evolving, it's important to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and practices in the field. When writing your resume, showcase your experience in various medical settings and emphasize any specialized skills or certifications you hold. Travel nursing is all about being flexible and reliable, so highlight your ability to adapt quickly and maintain high-quality patient care in an ever-changing environment. In recent years, travel nursing has become more competitive, and employers are looking for candidates who can easily transition between different roles and facilities. Your resume should not only highlight your clinical skills and experience, but also demonstrate your strong communication and interpersonal skills to ensure seamless collaboration with your colleagues.

Tips to help you write your Travel Nurse resume in 2024

   demonstrate adaptability in clinical settings.

As a travel nurse, you'll be placed in various medical environments, so it's crucial to showcase your adaptability in your resume. Mention instances where you've successfully adjusted to new procedures, protocols, or environments, making sure to highlight the positive outcomes for your patients and team.

   Emphasize specialized skills and certifications

In the competitive world of travel nursing, having specialized skills and certifications can set you apart from other candidates. List any relevant training or certifications, such as Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) or Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN), to show potential employers that you're well-prepared for the challenges of travel nursing.

Skills you can include on your Travel Nurse resume

Template 20 of 44: travel nurse resume example.

Travel nursing is a unique experience, allowing you to travel across the United States or even around the world. Many travel nurses still work in traditional hospital and clinic settings, but on temporary contracts. As a travel nurse, you may be entitled to additional benefits, including a higher salary and free accommodation or tax-free housing stipend. You’ll need a high level of flexibility to succeed in this role.

   Use metrics to emphasize soft skills, like communication, which is core to nursing

Want to show off your leadership and teamwork skills? That’s great! Just don’t fall into the trap of listing soft skills in your skills section. Demonstrate them through your accomplishments instead, using metrics like “educated 15 precept nurses in best practices” or “collaborated with 10+ medical specialists” to emphasize how you’ve used these skills in a professional setting.

   Contact information includes LinkedIn profile (make sure your LinkedIn is up to date too!)

Your contact information is a small but important part of your resume. If you don’t already list your LinkedIn profile as a contact option at the top of your resume, you should. This is particularly true as a travel nurse, since you may be more difficult to contact than local applicants — especially if you’re in a different time zone.

Template 21 of 44: Nurse Practitioner Resume Example

A Nurse Practitioner (NP) role is a step forward from a registered nurse, allowing you to really hone in on a specialty of your choosing. As more healthcare facilities are seeking out NPs for their advanced training, it's a hot position on the market. You’re often the first point of contact for patients; this calls for a well-rounded combination of clinical expertise, empathy, and excellent communication skills. When crafting your resume, you need to reflect this diversity of skills and your potential as a healthcare leader. Healthcare trends lean towards a team-based approach, so your resume should showcase not only your clinical competencies but also your ability to work within interdisciplinary teams.

Tips to help you write your Nurse Practitioner resume in 2024

   highlight relevant certifications and specializations.

You've worked hard to obtain your specialized certifications in addition to your RN license. It's crucial to list them proudly on your resume. This could be a Family Nurse Practitioner Certificate or a Pediatric Primary Care NP certificate, for example. This really sets you apart in the NP field.

   Showcase your patient care outcomes

As an NP, results matter. Don't just say you've managed patient care - show the outcomes. Did you achieve a high patient satisfaction rating? Or maybe you led a project that reduced hospital readmissions? Any data you can provide to demonstrate your direct impact on patient care will make you stand out.

Skills you can include on your Nurse Practitioner resume

Template 22 of 44: nurse practitioner resume example.

Nurse practitioners serve as primary care practitioners, often with responsibilities approaching those of physicians. Nurse practitioners need at least a master’s degree but command a higher salary and a greater return on investment than a full medical doctorate. As a nurse practitioner, you’ll have the ability to perform physical examinations, prescribe medication, assist in surgical procedures, and even practice independently in some states.

   List your most relevant and recent experience first

Your work history should always be listed in chronological order, with your most recent experience at the top. The more recent and relevant the position, the more space it can command on your resume — you can get away with listing as many as 5-6 bullet points under your current job, while much older or less relevant roles should only get 1-2.

   Includes appropriate keywords relating to nurse practitioners

The higher responsibilities of a nurse practitioner mean you’ll need to emphasize a high level of skill and competency. Make sure you’re highlighting keywords that show your range of experience, including medical diagnosis, physical examination, education, consultation, and patient care.

Template 23 of 44: New Grad Nurse Resume Example

As a new grad nurse, you're entering an ever-evolving healthcare field with unique challenges. Your resume should not only showcase your nursing skills but also emphasize your adaptability and eagerness to learn. Employers are looking for candidates who can adapt to changes in the industry and effectively communicate with patients and colleagues alike. Healthcare organizations are increasingly focusing on patient satisfaction and outcomes, so highlighting your clinical experience and ability to work in various settings will position you as a strong candidate for such roles. When writing your resume, it’s vital to be specific about your nursing education, clinical rotations, and any relevant certifications.

Tips to help you write your New Grad Nurse resume in 2024

   highlight clinical rotations and experiences.

Detail the clinical rotations you completed during your nursing program, describing the type of units you worked on and the skills you gained. Showcase any experiences in diverse or high-acuity settings to demonstrate your adaptability and competence.

   Emphasize soft skills and teamwork

Since new grad nurses often work in interdisciplinary teams, emphasize your soft skills, such as communication, empathy, and collaboration. Use specific examples from clinical rotations or team projects to showcase your ability to work effectively with others.

Skills you can include on your New Grad Nurse resume

Template 24 of 44: new grad nurse resume example.

As a new graduate nurse, you're entering a highly competitive job market where employers are seeking the best candidates to fill their open positions. In recent years, the nursing industry has seen an increasing demand for skilled nurses, but also a higher number of job applicants. To stand out, it's crucial that your resume effectively showcases your education, clinical experience, and key strengths. Crafting a tailored resume will not only help you land interviews, but also demonstrate your professionalism and commitment to a career in nursing. Resumes are particularly important in the nursing field, as hiring managers need to assess your clinical competencies, ability to work under pressure, and adaptability. Both tactical and strategic recommendations can help you create a resume that highlights your skills and makes you an attractive candidate for potential employers.

As a new grad nurse, you might lack extensive work experience, so it's important to emphasize your clinical rotations and any hands-on experiences you've had during your education. Include the facility's name, department, and a brief description of the patient population and any specialized skills you practiced.

   Focus on soft skills and certifications

While technical skills are essential, nursing is also about communication, empathy, and teamwork. Highlight your soft skills, such as active listening, problem-solving, and time management, throughout your resume. Additionally, mention any relevant certifications (e.g., BLS, ACLS) that showcase your commitment to continuous learning and professional development.

Template 25 of 44: New Grad Nurse Resume Example

As a new graduate nurse, you’ll face a steep learning curve, so be prepared to learn and adapt on the go. Without much professional work history on your resume, you should highlight any nursing experience you’ve gained during your studies, including student nursing placements, clinical practicums, and any experience as a technician or extern.

   Includes student nursing and practicum experience

As a new grad, hiring managers aren’t expecting you to have extensive work experience. Any experience you’ve gained as a nursing student or early in your career can go on your resume in place of paid work experience. Simply list your practicums and student nursing experience the same way you would any job, using action verbs to highlight your accomplishments.

   Lists specific skills relevant to nursing

Even graduate nurses need a firm grounding in essential skills. When it comes to your skills section, be explicit about the skills you’re proficient in, but don’t feel the need to list every skill you’ve ever learned — choose the top ten or so skills that fit the specific job you’re applying for and list those.

Template 26 of 44: Director of Nursing Resume Example

Also called a nursing director, this professional is tasked with managing and overseeing the nursing staff in a healthcare establishment. Some of your tasks will include distributing nurses and resources effectively, creating targets and strategies for the department, and ensuring that all nurses under you follow all healthcare protocols and regulations. To qualify for this job you will need a degree in nursing and an RN license. Beyond that, you will need to show managerial and leadership experience in the nursing field. You must have the ability to work under pressure and in a very fast-paced environment and you must have critical problem-solving skills. Take a look at this successful resume sample.

Tips to help you write your Director of Nursing resume in 2024

   show a career progression in nursing..

The director of nursing position is a very senior position. Recruiters will appreciate seeing a steady upward career progression reflected on your resume. It will give them confidence that you understand the jobs and functions of all your subordinates and will also show them that you are an excellent and driven employee. This applicant has risen in the ranks from a registered nurse to a director of nursing.

   Use metrics to show maximized efficiency and minimized cost.

As much as healthcare facilities are built to offer healthcare to the community, they still need to work to maximize efficiency and reduce costs without reducing the standard of care. It is usually a balancing game that all healthcare directors must play. It is beneficial to show recruiters how successful you have been at increasing efficiency or reducing costs without affecting the standard of care. Use metrics to further impress recruiters. This applicant has done this very effectively.

Skills you can include on your Director of Nursing resume

Template 27 of 44: nursing supervisor resume example.

As the name suggests, a nursing supervisor supervises the nursing staff at a healthcare facility. Tasks you can expect include assigning staff, interviewing incoming nurses, monitoring the nurses, and overseeing patient care. Your main function is to ensure your nursing staff is providing the best possible care and that they are satisfied and happy in their jobs. Your resume must show a degree or diploma in nursing and you must have a valid nursing license. Beyond that recruiters would appreciate any history as a nursing supervisor and evidence of great organizational and interpersonal skills. Here is a recruiter-approved resume sample.

Tips to help you write your Nursing Supervisor resume in 2024

   highlight the nursing teams you have worked with and their relevant achievements..

This is a leadership role and as such recruiters would like to see the size of nursing staff you have managed in the past and the kind of things the team has been able to achieve under your leadership. For example, this applicant supervised 25 nurses in their most recent position, and under the applicant’s leadership, the team managed to the reduce infection rate by 76%.

   Begin your resume with a key achievement.

Including a key achievement in the introduction is a great way to get recruiters impressed from the beginning of your resume. They are bound to look more favorably on the rest of your resume because of it. Try and include a nursing supervisor achievement that is rare or hard to achieve.

Skills you can include on your Nursing Supervisor resume

Template 28 of 44: er nurse resume example.

As an ER nurse, you're on the front lines of healthcare, providing immediate care and treatment to patients in crisis. Nowadays, hospitals and clinics are on the lookout for nurses who not only possess the necessary skills and qualifications, but also display resilience, adaptability, and the ability to work under immense pressure. When crafting your resume for ER nurse roles, remember it's your chance to show how you've excelled in high-stress situations, and how you've used your skills to improve patient outcomes. Moreover, with the recent impact of COVID-19 on healthcare settings, there's a significant increase in demand for ER nurses with experience in infectious diseases, as well as experience supporting critically ill patients. Your resume needs to reflect these industry demands and trends, displaying your comprehensive understanding of emergency care, including your familiarity with ventilators, and infectious disease protocol.

Tips to help you write your ER Nurse resume in 2024

   emphasize on-job emergency experience.

You should make a point to list the types of emergencies you've handled. Have you treated patients in trauma situations? Have you dealt with cardiac arrests, strokes, or acute respiratory issues? Showing your breadth of on-job emergency experience can make your resume stand out.

   Showcase infectious disease understanding

Given the recent pandemic, hospitals are particularly interested in ER nurses who understand infectious diseases. Include specific training or experiences you've had dealing with infectious diseases - this could be anything from measles, to COVID-19.

Skills you can include on your ER Nurse resume

Template 29 of 44: er nurse resume example.

Being an ER Nurse is no walk in the park. This job requires a unique blend of quick thinking, medical expertise, and genuine compassion. When you're crafting your resume, it's essential to wrap this trifecta in a neat, compelling package. Recently, there's been a trend of emphasizing special skills like triage, emergency procedures, and trauma care. More and more, ER Nursing roles require a balance of technical abilities and emotional intelligence. Therefore, your resume needs to show not just your qualifications, but also your knack for handling stressful situations and interacting with patients. Additionally, these days the hiring process has evolved considerably. Many hospitals and healthcare institutions use Application Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter through the flood of resumes. To dodge this digital gatekeeper, you need to include relevant keywords and demonstrate your experience through quantifiable achievements. A well-made ER nurse resume is not just a list of duties, but a showcase of your skills and contributions in a high-pressure environment.

   Detail your emergency room skill set

It's crucial to list down the specific skills that make you a great ER nurse. For instance, if you're proficient in emergency procedures, acute patient care, or triage, do mention them. If you have crisis management skills, don't forget to include that too.

   Feature scenarios where you shone

Describe situations where your quick thinking and nursing skills made a significant difference. It could be a life-saving intervention or a time when you managed a serious crisis. Just remember—it's not bragging if it's fact.

Template 30 of 44: Clinical Rotation Nurse Resume Example

Being a Clinical Rotation Nurse is a unique role in the healthcare field. It’s a position where you'll gain hands-on experience across numerous departments, such as the ER, ICU, and Pediatrics, giving you a versatile skill set. As the healthcare sector evolves, many hospitals are looking for nurses with varied experience, making Clinical Rotation Nurses increasingly valuable. When crafting your resume, keep in mind that hiring managers are looking for evidence of your adaptability, quick learning, and breadth of nursing experience across different departments.

Tips to help you write your Clinical Rotation Nurse resume in 2024

   include specific clinical rotations experience.

On your resume, explicitly list the clinical rotations you've completed and the related skills gained. Remember, this position's essence is to gain diverse experiences. Mention the departments you've worked in and the unique practices you learned there.

   Illustrate Problem-solving Skills

As a Clinical Rotation Nurse, you must rapidly adapt to new environments and challenges. Use examples to depict how you've employed problem-solving skills during your rotations. Maybe you dealt with a unique patient case, or implemented a new process that improved patient care.

Skills you can include on your Clinical Rotation Nurse resume

Template 31 of 44: charge nurse resume example.

The Charge Nurse role is a pivotal one in healthcare. As a Charge Nurse, you're essentially the team leader, the one who sets the pace and coordinates the entire nursing staff. It's a job heavily reliant on excellent communication and management skills. Nowadays, nurses are not just caregivers but also patient educators and advocates, role flexibility that employers love. So one key thing when writing your resume is showcasing how you perform nursing tasks while leading the team. Additionally, with the digitization trend in healthcare, showcasing comfort and competency with medical software or telehealth can really make you stand out. The industry has shifted slightly too, employers are putting a lot of emphasis on soft skills. They want leaders who can handle high-stress situations, manage conflicts and bring teams together. So, your resume should reflect not just the tasks you can perform but also your leadership style and how that contributes to an efficient and collaborative work environment.

Tips to help you write your Charge Nurse resume in 2024

   include key leadership accomplishments.

As a Charge Nurse, your leadership accomplishments can set you apart from other candidates. Ensure to include specific instances where your leadership led to improved patient outcomes or staff efficiency. Use numbers or percentages to quantify these improvements.

   Showcase Digital Competency

With the rise of telehealth and digital record keeping, it's important to demonstrate your capability in navigating such platforms. If you've used these technologies, or even led the implementation, highlight this experience on your resume.

Skills you can include on your Charge Nurse resume

Template 32 of 44: charge nurse resume example.

Being a Charge Nurse is an interesting blend of clinical expertise and leadership. You not only need to be up-to-date with the latest medical practices, but also have the ability to manage a team and coordinate patient care. Recent trends in the industry show an increased demand for Charge Nurses with advanced degrees and certifications, like a MSN or a CNL. When writing a resume for a Charge Nurse, understand that hiring managers are looking for both your clinical competence and your leadership abilities. They want to see your capacity to manage a team and improve patient care, alongside your nursing skills.

   Showcase Leadership Experience

As the Charge Nurse role involves managing a team of nurses, it's vital to display your experience in leadership roles. Include details of previous positions where you were in charge, even if it was outside of healthcare. Describe your responsibilities and any improvements you implemented.

   Highlight Certifications and Education

In this role, academic qualifications, like a master's degree in nursing or relevant certifications, provide an edge. Therefore, you should clearly list your degrees, courses, or any nursing specializations you've attained. But remember, don’t just resort to listing them, delve into how they will be beneficial for your role as a Charge Nurse.

Template 33 of 44: Remote Nurse Resume Example

If you're seeking a remote nursing position, your resume needs to reflect your unique set of skills. Remote nursing roles often require a higher level of independence, self-motivation, and tech savvy abilities, as you won't have physical assistance from colleagues or direct supervision. The recent shift towards telehealth and online patient care, especially during COVID-19, has created a surge in these types of roles. When you're putting together your resume, remember that hiring managers for remote roles are looking for specifics - they want to see how your skills translate to the digital realm. With the rise of digital health platforms, telemedicine, and remote patient monitoring, quite a few healthcare providers are seeking remote nurses who are comfortable with technology. While traditional nursing skills are important, you also need to demonstrate your familiarity with these new technologies and how you've used them in patient care. Your resume should not just outline your skills, but also showcase how those skills were applied in a remote context - a nurses' station is vastly different from a home office.

Tips to help you write your Remote Nurse resume in 2024

   emphasize your technical competencies.

With remote nursing, your ability to use various software and applications for patient care is more important than ever. Include in your resume specific programs and tools you're comfortable using, such as telehealth platforms or electronic health record systems.

   Showcase your communication and self-management skills

As a remote nurse, you won't have in-person contact with patients or team members. Demonstrate how you've managed patient care from a distance and the methods of communication you've effectively utilized, such as video calls, emails, and instant messaging.

Skills you can include on your Remote Nurse resume

Template 34 of 44: preceptor nurse resume example.

Being a Preceptor Nurse means you're a blend of mentor, educator, and leader. You guide newly hired nurses or student nurses through the complexities of the real-world nursing environment. The role itself is evolving, as many healthcare institutions are increasingly recognizing the importance of structured mentoring programs to improve staff retention and patient outcomes. So, in your resume, you need to strike a balance between showcasing your clinical prowess and your ability to effectively instruct and inspire others. Make sure to highlight your nursing experience, specialized skills, and ability to shape fellow nurses' careers.

Tips to help you write your Preceptor Nurse resume in 2024

   demonstrate your leadership and mentoring abilities.

It's imperative that you convey your skills in mentoring, leadership, and supervision, as these are vital for a Preceptor Nurse role. Make sure to include specific instances where you have guided, trained, or supervised new or student nurses in your previous job roles.

   Showcase your advanced clinical skills

As a Preceptor Nurse, you are expected to have advanced clinical skills that you can teach others. On your resume, list any specialized nursing experience or skills you have, using concrete examples from your work history. This could be your ability to handle complex medical equipment, specific procedures you're skilled in, or even patient handling techniques.

Skills you can include on your Preceptor Nurse resume

Template 35 of 44: relief charge nurse resume example.

A Relief Charge Nurse is a unique nursing role where you have to show your versatility and adaptability. Being a transitional leader, you're not just filling in the gaps, but actively steering the unit during your shift. Lately, I've seen a trend for companies seeking nurses skilled in crisis management and staff delegation, reflecting our challenging healthcare environment. When you're crafting your resume for this role, remember, you need to illustrate how you've tackled tough situations and made critical decisions under pressure, all while providing excellent patient care. For this role, it's crucial to demonstrate your ability to step in and lead. Your resume should articulate how you've handled both clinical and administrative tasks, while seamlessly transitioning between regular and relief charge nurse duties.

Tips to help you write your Relief Charge Nurse resume in 2024

   show your leadership skills.

Be specific about your experience as a nurse leader. Did you lead a team during a crisis? Have you mentored junior nurses? Discuss these instances, focusing on the number of people you've managed and the outcomes you've achieved.

   Showcase your adaptability

Relief Charge Nurse roles require flexibility. Display moments where you've stepped into different roles or handled fluctuating patient volumes. Remember, it's about showing how well you cope with change and unexpected situations.

Skills you can include on your Relief Charge Nurse resume

Template 36 of 44: lpn nurse (licensed practical nurse) resume example.

Becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) is all about showing you've got the chops to provide high-level care under the guidance of registered nurses and physicians. When crafting your resume, remember that it's not just about showing your clinical skills, but also demonstrating your ability to support patients emotionally. This field is rapidly changing with technologies like telemedicine and electronic health records becoming more prominent, which means you need to show you can keep up. Given that many LPNs work in elder care, where we're seeing a surge in demand, emphasize any relevant experience or skills in this area.

Tips to help you write your LPN Nurse (Licensed Practical Nurse) resume in 2024

   include relevant certifications and training.

As an LPN, you've likely completed a bunch of certifications, such as IV therapy or gerontology. Make sure these are clearly outlined in your resume, particularly if they're ones that the job description specifically mentions.

   Detail your patient care experience

Hiring managers want to see that you can handle patient care responsibilities, so include details of the type of care you've provided. For instance, if you worked in a long-term care facility, describe how you managed patient hygiene, medication administration, and vital signs monitoring.

Skills you can include on your LPN Nurse (Licensed Practical Nurse) resume

Template 37 of 44: lpn nurse (licensed practical nurse) resume example.

As you pursue a role in the world of nursing as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), you must be prepared to showcase your unique blend of clinical skills and empathy. In recent times, healthcare settings are increasingly relying on LPNs not just for basic nursing care but for their ability to connect with patients. They appreciate LPNs who can balance human touch with technical proficiency. So, when drafting your resume, remember to present a compelling mix of your technical knowledge, patient care skills, and ability to work under pressure. The industry is moving towards more specialized care, which means your resume needs to emphasize any specific nursing skills or areas of expertise you've developed. Similarly, companies value LPNs who are continuous learners and are adapting to the evolving healthcare landscape. It's critical to demonstrate your commitment to ongoing education and upskilling on your resume.

   Show your hands-on experience

Keep in mind, recruiters are likely to favor LPN applicants who can prove real-world experience. Be sure to detail your clinical rotations, duties performed, and the types of healthcare settings you've worked in.

   Emphasize your specialized skills

If you have expertise in a specialized area like geriatrics, palliative care, or rehabilitation, make it prominent on your resume. Don't bury unique skills, these can set you apart from other LPN applicants.

Template 38 of 44: LVN Nurse (Licensed Vocational Nurse) Resume Example

As an LVN (Licensed Vocicational Nurse), you have a key role in healthcare that is rewarding and challenging. The demand for LVNs is quite high due to an aging population and an increasing need for healthcare services. However, the competition for positions in prestigious facilities is as fierce as ever. Your resume, therefore, needs to clearly communicate your technical skills, hands-on nursing experience, and compassion for patients. And although patient care is paramount, do not underestimate the importance of displaying soft skills such as communication and teamwork. Keeping up-to-date with current trends, such as the shift towards home health care, can also give your resume an edge.

Tips to help you write your LVN Nurse (Licensed Vocational Nurse) resume in 2024

   include relevant certifications and trainings.

As an LVN, you've probably undergone additional training or earned complementary certifications, like IV certification or wound care. Include these to demonstrate your commitment to continuing education and to stand out from the competition.

   Emphasize your patient care experience

You should explicitly list the types of care you have provided to patients. Whether it's administering medication, assisting with personal hygiene, or working with specific patient populations (like geriatrics or pediatrics), your experiences can make you particularly attractive to certain employers.

Skills you can include on your LVN Nurse (Licensed Vocational Nurse) resume

Template 39 of 44: lvn nurse (licensed vocational nurse) resume example.

As a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN), you play a vital role in the healthcare industry, often serving as the backbone of patient care. Your resume should reflect your robust skills set — your ability to assist with diagnostic tests, take vital signs, and provide emotional support to patients. Recently, the industry's focus has increasingly shifted to holistic care, and as an LVN, you're more likely to work in interdisciplinary teams. When crafting your resume, it's essential to convey the breadth of your nursing skills and your ability to work well with a diverse set of professionals. In the ever-evolving world of healthcare, trends tend to focus on emerging technologies and automation of administrative duties. This doesn't reduce the value of an LVN, but rather increases the demand for interpersonal and technical skills. Your resume should show your adaptability to new technologies, and your knack for juggling both patient interaction and administrative tasks. Remember, your resume doesn’t just outline your past jobs—it tells your professional story, offering a glimpse into who you are as an LVN.

   Showcase your expertise in patient care

To stand out as an LVN, you should convey your extensive knowledge in basic patient care. This includes taking vitals, administering medications, and wound care. Make sure to detail your hands-on experiences in these tasks on your resume.

   Highlight your technical and interpersonal skills

Since the LVN role involves working with a variety of tech tools and diverse teams, your resume should reflect your ability to navigate both. Mention any software you're proficient in, and provide examples of your teamwork skills within your past roles.

Template 40 of 44: ICU Charge Nurse Resume Example

As an ICU Charge Nurse, you're the backbone of the Intensive Care Unit, handling not only patient care but team leadership as well. In recent times, the demand for experienced and skilled ICU charge nurses has soared; critical care has become a focal point due to the pandemic. When writing your resume, remember ICU charge nursing is not just about medical proficiency, but also leadership and crisis management. With hospitals increasingly prioritizing these qualities, it's crucial to convey these attributes effectively on your resume. Balancing between the dual nature of the role, both as a nurse and a team leader, can be challenging. However, your resume should demonstrate your nursing expertise while not neglecting your leadership acumen. Ensure you portray yourself as a competent medical professional and a proficient manager, adaptable to high-pressure situations, and capable of making crucial decisions swiftly.

Tips to help you write your ICU Charge Nurse resume in 2024

   emphasize your leadership achievements.

You should detail your leadership roles and accomplishments in your previous positions, specifically in crisis situations. Explain how you coordinated the team, handled emergencies, and managed resources efficiently. It's critical to show you can successfully lead a team under stress.

   Demonstrate your specialized ICU nursing knowledge

As an ICU Charge Nurse, you need advanced knowledge in areas such as mechanical ventilation, advanced life support, and patient assessment. Provide specific examples of how you have used this specialized knowledge in critical situations to improve patient outcomes.

Skills you can include on your ICU Charge Nurse resume

Template 41 of 44: prior authorization nurse resume example.

When creating a resume for a Prior Authorization Nurse, it doesn't follow the traditional nursing resume structure. It's essential to know that though medical knowledge is a plus, employers look out for administrative prowess and excellent communication skills. In the recent past, companies hiring for the prior authorization nurse role focus on those with solid experience in insurance protocols, and electronic health record (EHR) systems. Realistically, when writing your resume, you'll need to emphasize these aspects. Moreover, with the healthcare industry becoming more digitized and the significance of cost management, there's an increasing demand for nurses who can navigate insurance issues efficiently. You must consider this when crafting your resume — underscore your capability in handling insurance matters and proficiency in digital health systems.

Tips to help you write your Prior Authorization Nurse resume in 2024

   emphasize insurance knowledge.

Understanding insurance company operations, criteria for prior authorizations and claims processes is crucial. Ensure you elaborate on your grasp of Medicare and Medicaid procedures, private insurance policies and your ability to interpret and apply complex insurance documents.

   Detail Proficiency in EHR Systems

With the move towards digitization in healthcare, you should underscore your proficiency in EHR systems. Discuss your experience in using these platforms for patient data management, billing, and prior authorization requests. It will demonstrate your ability to work efficiently in today's digital health environment.

Skills you can include on your Prior Authorization Nurse resume

Template 42 of 44: clinic nurse resume example.

As a clinic nurse, your role is extremely dynamic and multifaceted. Your resume should reflect this. You're not just administering care to patients but educating them, assisting physicians, and keeping track of medical records. An increasing trend in the healthcare industry is the need for nurses to be technologically adept to handle electronic health record systems. Writing your resume for this role needs strategic emphasis on these unique skill areas. When penning down your resume, bear in mind that you're writing for hiring managers possibly shifting through hundreds of applications. They're looking for the standout features they can pick up in seconds. Make their job easy by providing punchy, concise details of your experiences and skills.

Tips to help you write your Clinic Nurse resume in 2024

   showcase your technical competency.

As more healthcare facilities embrace technology, your competence in using electronic health record systems is of high value. Mention specific systems you have experience with and any related accomplishments.

   Highlight patient education skills

As a clinic nurse, you're often the bridge between doctors and patients, translating complex medical jargon into understandable terms. Illustrate instances in your career where your ability to educate patients made a marked difference, be it in patient recovery, satisfaction scores or clinic efficiency.

Skills you can include on your Clinic Nurse resume

Template 43 of 44: medical surgical nurse resume example.

Medical Surgical Nurses, or Med Surg Nurses, are a vital part of the healthcare team. They work in a highly dynamic environment, providing care to patients post-surgery, and are often the ones providing round-the-clock monitoring. The medical field is evolving rapidly, with technological developments influencing care delivery methods. Therefore, in writing your resume, you need to showcase your ability to adapt and learn quickly. It's also important to note that the healthcare sector is increasingly seeking a holistic approach to patient care. This means demonstrating not only your technical skills but also your capability to provide patient-centered care.

Tips to help you write your Medical Surgical Nurse resume in 2024

   evidence of continuous learning.

In this rapidly changing field, it's critical to show that you're up to date. Include any additional training or certifications you've obtained, especially those relating to new technologies or procedures in surgical care.

   Demonstrate a blend of skills

Beyond your clinical skills, recruiters are looking for nurses who can provide compassionate patient care. Be sure to include experiences that emphasize your communication skills, empathy, and ability to work in a team.

Skills you can include on your Medical Surgical Nurse resume

Template 44 of 44: patient care technician resume example.

Patient Care Technician roles are evolving rapidly with the ever-changing dynamics of the healthcare field. Nowadays, PCTs do much more than just direct patient care; they are often involved in medical record maintenance and can even assist with minor procedures. This increased responsibility has made it crucial for PCTs to demonstrate a wider range of skills on their resumes. Not only medical knowledge and hands-on skills, but soft skills like communication and teamwork are rising to the forefront. Remember, while the trend is to digitize, the role remains hands-on, and your resume should reflect this balance. In crafting your resume, it's important to know that hiring managers are seeking versatile candidates who can swiftly adapt to new protocols and technologies, while still delivering high-quality patient care. The key here is to clearly project both your technical proficiency and human touch. So when you're working on your resume, work towards striking that perfect balance.

Tips to help you write your Patient Care Technician resume in 2024

   showcase your certifications and training.

As a Patient Care Technician, your certifications and specialized training are essential and should take center stage on your resume. Clearly, list your PCT certification, CPR training, any additional relevant certifications, and your proficiency in using electronic health record software.

   Highlight patient care experiences and achievements

To paint a full picture of your practical skills, mention specific experiences where you provided high-quality care to patients. For example, you might talk about a time when you effectively managed the care of multiple critically ill patients. If you've ever been recognized for your patient care skills, don't hesitate to share that too.

Skills you can include on your Patient Care Technician resume

As a hiring manager who has recruited nurses at top hospitals like Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and Johns Hopkins, I've seen countless nursing resumes. The best ones always stand out by showcasing the candidate's unique skills, experience, and impact in a clear and concise way. Here are some tips to help you create a strong nursing resume that will catch the attention of hiring managers and help you land your dream job.

   Highlight your nursing specializations and certifications

Nursing is a broad field with many specializations. Make sure to highlight your specific areas of expertise and any relevant certifications you have earned. This will help you stand out from other candidates and show that you have the skills and knowledge needed for the job.

Here are some examples of how to showcase your specializations and certifications:

• Certified Critical Care Nurse (CCCN) with 5+ years of experience in intensive care units
• Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN) with expertise in administering chemotherapy and managing cancer patients
• Certified Wound Care Nurse (CWCN) skilled in assessing and treating complex wounds

   Quantify your nursing achievements and impact

When describing your nursing experience, don't just list your job duties. Instead, focus on the impact you made and the results you achieved. Use specific numbers and metrics to quantify your accomplishments whenever possible.

Here are some examples:

• Reduced patient falls by 50% through implementing a new fall prevention protocol
• Improved patient satisfaction scores from 75% to 95% by providing compassionate and attentive care
• Trained and mentored 20+ new graduate nurses to help them transition to practice

In contrast, here are some examples of what not to do:

• Provided patient care
• Administered medications
• Collaborated with healthcare team

   Tailor your resume to the specific nursing job

One mistake many job seekers make is using the same generic resume for every job application. Instead, take the time to tailor your resume to the specific nursing position you are applying for.

Here's how:

• Read the job description carefully and identify the key skills and qualifications the employer is looking for
• Highlight any relevant experience or accomplishments that match those requirements
• Use the same language and terminology as the job description to show that you are a good fit

For example, if the job description emphasizes experience with electronic health records (EHR), make sure to include any EHR systems you have used and how you leveraged them to improve patient care.

   Showcase your nursing soft skills

While technical skills are important for nurses, soft skills are equally crucial. Employers want nurses who are compassionate, empathetic, and able to work well in a team. Make sure to highlight these soft skills in your resume.

Some examples of nursing soft skills include:

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work well under pressure and in fast-paced environments
• Attention to detail and ability to multitask
• Empathy and compassion for patients and their families

You can showcase these skills through your job descriptions, achievements, and even volunteer experiences. For example:

• Collaborated with a multidisciplinary team to develop and implement a patient education program
• Provided emotional support and guidance to patients and families during end-of-life care

   Include any relevant volunteer experience or leadership roles

Nursing resumes shouldn't just include paid work experience. Any relevant volunteer experience or leadership roles you have held can also help you stand out to employers.

For example:

• Volunteered at a local free clinic, providing basic healthcare services to underserved populations
• Served as a board member for the American Nurses Association, advocating for nurses and advancing the profession
• Led a quality improvement project to reduce hospital-acquired infections, resulting in a 30% decrease in infection rates

These experiences show that you are dedicated to the nursing profession and have taken on additional responsibilities outside of your day-to-day job duties. They can help demonstrate your leadership skills, initiative, and commitment to providing high-quality patient care.

Writing Your Nursing Resume: Section By Section

  header, 1. include your full name and credentials.

Start your header with your full name, followed by your nursing credentials. This quickly establishes your identity and qualifications. For example:

• Jane Smith, RN, BSN
• Michael Johnson, APRN, MSN, FNP-C

Avoid nicknames or short forms of your name. Use your legal name as it appears on your nursing license. If you have a preferred name you go by, you can note that in parentheses.

Elizabeth (Liz) Thompson, RN

2. Add your phone number and email

Next, add your phone number and email on a single line below your name. This makes it easy for hiring managers or recruiters to contact you. For example:

• [email protected] | 123-456-7890
• [email protected] • 987-654-3210

Double check that your email address is professional. Avoid outdated email providers or informal handles like:

• [email protected]

Instead, stick with a standard format using your name and a modern provider like Gmail.

3. Decide if you should include your location

In the past, including your full mailing address was standard. However, with more digital and remote job searching today, including your city and state is usually sufficient. For example:

• Seattle, WA
• Tampa, Florida

If you're applying for jobs in a different city than where you currently live, consider listing your targeted location instead. This signals to employers that you are serious about relocating for the role.

In some cases, you may decide to omit your location entirely, especially if you are searching for fully remote nursing roles.

  Summary

As a nurse, your resume summary is an opportunity to highlight your most relevant qualifications, skills, and experiences that make you an ideal candidate for the role. While a summary is optional, it can be particularly useful if you are a career changer or have a diverse background that may not be immediately apparent from your work history alone.

When crafting your summary, focus on your nursing expertise, specializations, and key accomplishments. Avoid using an objective statement, as it shifts the focus away from what you can offer the employer. Instead, use your summary to provide a snapshot of your nursing career and the value you bring to the position.

To learn how to write an effective resume summary for your Nursing resume, or figure out if you need one, please read Nursing Resume Summary Examples , or Nursing Resume Objective Examples .

1. Tailor your summary to the specific nursing role

When writing your nursing resume summary, it's essential to customize it to the specific role you are applying for. This demonstrates to the hiring manager that you have carefully considered how your skills and experiences align with their needs. Consider the following examples:

• Experienced registered nurse seeking a challenging position in a healthcare facility.
• Dedicated and compassionate nurse with 5+ years of experience in various healthcare settings.

While these summaries provide an overview of the candidate's nursing background, they lack specificity and fail to target a particular nursing role. Instead, try something like this:

• Critical care nurse with 5+ years of experience in fast-paced ICU environments, skilled in managing high-acuity patients and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams.
• Pediatric nurse with 3+ years of experience in providing compassionate care to children and their families, adept at patient education and fostering a positive healthcare experience.

2. Highlight your nursing specializations and expertise

As a nurse, you may have specialized skills or certifications that set you apart from other candidates. Your resume summary is an excellent place to showcase these qualifications and demonstrate your expertise in a particular area of nursing. For example:

Oncology nurse with 7+ years of experience in providing comprehensive care to cancer patients. Certified Oncology Nurse (OCN) with expertise in chemotherapy administration, symptom management, and patient education. Skilled in collaborating with oncologists and multidisciplinary teams to develop personalized treatment plans and improve patient outcomes.

By highlighting your oncology nursing certification and specific skills related to cancer care, you demonstrate your specialized knowledge and commitment to professional development in this field.

3. Quantify your accomplishments and impact

To make your nursing resume summary more impactful, include quantifiable achievements that demonstrate your value as a healthcare professional. This could include metrics related to patient outcomes, process improvements, or leadership initiatives. Consider the following examples:

• Experienced nurse with strong clinical skills and a commitment to patient care.
• Skilled in managing a busy unit and mentoring new nurses.

While these summaries touch on important nursing skills, they lack specific, quantifiable evidence of the candidate's impact. Instead, try incorporating metrics like this:

• Experienced emergency room nurse who treated an average of 50 patients per shift, maintaining a 95% patient satisfaction rating.
• Nurse leader who mentored and trained 15 new graduate nurses, resulting in a 20% reduction in staff turnover rates.

To identify your key accomplishments and quantify your impact, reflect on your nursing career and consider instances where you:

• Improved patient outcomes or satisfaction
• Implemented process or quality improvements
• Assumed leadership roles or mentored others
• Received recognition or awards for your work

By highlighting these achievements in your summary, you'll give hiring managers a clear picture of the value you can bring to their organization.

For more insights on crafting a compelling resume, try using Score My Resume , which provides instant, expert feedback on your resume based on 30+ key criteria that hiring managers look for.

  Experience

Your work experience is the most important section of your nursing resume. It's where you show recruiters and hiring managers how you've applied your skills to make an impact for previous employers. It's also the best place to position yourself as a qualified applicant.

In this section, we'll break down everything you need to know about writing an effective work experience section for your nursing resume, including what to include and what to leave out, how to list your work experience, and tips for making your experience stand out.

1. Focus on your relevant nursing experience

When listing your work experience, it's important to focus on the nursing positions that are most relevant to the job you're applying for. This means including your clinical experience, as well as any relevant volunteer work, internships, or externships.

Be specific when describing your nursing experience. Instead of simply listing your job duties, use action verbs to describe how you contributed to patient care, improved processes, or made an impact on your unit.

• Developed and implemented a new patient education program that reduced medication errors by 15%
• Collaborated with interdisciplinary team to create a fall prevention protocol that decreased patient falls by 20%
• Provided compassionate end-of-life care to patients and their families, ensuring their comfort and dignity

2. Quantify your accomplishments with metrics

Whenever possible, use metrics to quantify your accomplishments and show the impact of your work. This helps recruiters and hiring managers understand the scope of your experience and how you can contribute to their organization.

For example, instead of saying:

• Responsible for administering medications to patients
• Administered medications to up to 20 patients per shift, ensuring accurate dosing and timely delivery

Other examples of metrics you can use include:

• Number of patients served
• Infection control rates
• Patient satisfaction scores
• Number of staff trained or supervised

3. Highlight your clinical skills and expertise

Your nursing resume should showcase your clinical skills and expertise, as well as your ability to work effectively in a healthcare setting. Use your work experience section to highlight specific skills and competencies that are relevant to the job you're applying for.

This can include:

• Patient assessment and triage
• Medication administration
• Patient and family education
• Electronic health record (EHR) documentation

Skilled in conducting comprehensive patient assessments, developing individualized care plans, and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to ensure optimal patient outcomes. Proficient in EHR documentation using Epic and Cerner systems.

4. Include relevant certifications and training

In addition to your clinical experience, be sure to include any relevant certifications, training, or continuing education you've completed. This shows your commitment to staying current in your field and can help set you apart from other candidates.

Some examples of certifications and training to include:

• Basic Life Support (BLS)
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
• Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC)
• Certified Critical Care Nurse (CCRN)

You can also include any relevant coursework or academic projects that demonstrate your knowledge and expertise in a particular area of nursing.

  Education

The education section of your nursing resume is a crucial component that showcases your academic background and qualifications. It demonstrates to employers that you have the necessary knowledge and training to excel in the nursing field. Here are some key tips to keep in mind when crafting your education section:

1. Highlight your nursing degree

As a nursing professional, your nursing degree is the most important aspect of your education section. Make sure to prominently feature your degree, including the full name of the degree, the institution you attended, and the year of graduation.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Graduated: May 2018

2. Include relevant coursework and clinical experience

If you are a recent graduate or have limited work experience, you can strengthen your education section by including relevant coursework and clinical experience. This helps employers understand the specific skills and knowledge you gained during your nursing education.

Avoid listing every course you took. Instead, focus on courses that are directly relevant to the nursing position you are applying for, such as:

• Advanced Medical-Surgical Nursing
• Pharmacology for Nurses
• Community Health Nursing

3. Showcase your nursing licenses and certifications

In addition to your nursing degree, it is crucial to highlight your nursing licenses and certifications in the education section. This demonstrates to employers that you have met the necessary requirements to practice as a registered nurse and have specialized knowledge in certain areas.

Include the following information for each license or certification:

• Name of the license or certification
• Issuing organization
• Date of obtainment
• Expiration date (if applicable)

Registered Nurse (RN), California Board of Registered Nursing License Number: 123456 Expires: February 2024

4. Keep it concise for experienced nurses

If you are a mid-level or senior-level nurse with extensive work experience, you can keep your education section brief. Employers will be more interested in your professional accomplishments and skills rather than your academic background.

Here's an example of what to avoid:

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) New York University, New York, NY Graduated: May 2005 Relevant Coursework: Advanced Pharmacology, Healthcare Informatics, Nursing Leadership and Management GPA: 3.8

Instead, keep it concise and focus on the essentials:

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) New York University

Action Verbs For Nursing Resumes

You probably know that it’s important to focus your bullet points on your accomplishments. But how? Frame your achievements in a positive light by using strong action verbs at the start of each sentence. Structuring your bullet points this way emphasizes what you actually did and avoids listing bullet points that read more like a job description. In addition to technical skills and medical know-how, nurses need a lot of transferable skills — think qualities like leadership, communication, empathy, and resilience. The best way to show that you have these qualities is through your choice of action verbs. If you’re applying for an entry-level nursing assistant role, you might want to emphasize your ability to follow instructions and work as part of a team, so choose verbs like Assisted or Prepared. If you’re looking for a more senior role, highlight your leadership potential with verbs like Implemented or Oversaw.

• Coordinated
• Administered
• Implemented

For more related action verbs, visit Nursing Action Verbs .

For a full list of effective resume action verbs, visit Resume Action Verbs .

Action Verbs for Nursing Resumes

Skills for nursing resumes.

Targeting your skills section is the easiest way to tailor your resume to the specific job you’re applying for. You can use a separate section at the bottom of your resume for this or include these skills as part of your bullet points. If you are using a dedicated skills section, make sure you’re only listing hard skills — soft skills, like communication and attention to detail, should be demonstrated through your accomplishments instead. Often, recruiters will be looking for specific skills and may even be using ATS to automatically screen resumes for certain keywords. You can get a feel for what keywords you should be including by reading over the job description, or by checking out our list of recommended skills and keywords or using our free Targeted Resume tool.

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Safety
• Inpatient Care
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
• Healthcare Information Technology (HIT)
• Nursing Management
• Quality Improvement
• Nursing Education
• Clinical Research
• Patient Education
• Public Health
• Patient Advocacy
• Medical-Surgical
• Electronic Medical Record (EMR)
• Nursing Process
• Critical Care Nursing
• Customer Service
• Strategic Planning
• Emergency Nursing

How To Write Your Skills Section On a Nursing Resumes

You can include the above skills in a dedicated Skills section on your resume, or weave them in your experience. Here's how you might create your dedicated skills section:

Skills Word Cloud For Nursing Resumes

This word cloud highlights the important keywords that appear on Nursing job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more 'important' it is.

How to use these skills?

Other medical resumes, dental assistant.

Respiratory Therapist

Nursing Resume Guide

• Dental Assistant Resume Guide
• Case Manager Resume Guide
• Respiratory Therapist Resume Guide
• Medical Billing Resume Guide
• Therapist Resume Guide
• Quality Control Resume Guide
• Care Coordinator Resume Guide
• Occupational Therapist Resume Guide
• Clinical Research Resume Guide
• Radiologic Technologist Resume Guide
• Pharmacy Technician Resume Guide
• Medical Technologist Resume Guide
• Microbiologist Resume Guide
• SLP Resume Guide
• General Nurse Resume Example
• Experienced Nurse Resume Example
• Certified Nursing Assistant Resume Example
• Registered Nurse Resume Example
• ICU Nurse Resume Example
• NICU Nurse Resume Example
• Psychiatric Nurse Resume Example
• Nurse Case Manager Resume Example
• Nursing Student Resume Example
• Travel Nurse Resume Example
• Nurse Practitioner Resume Example
• New Grad Nurse Resume Example
• Director of Nursing Resume Example
• Nursing Supervisor Resume Example
• ER Nurse Resume Example
• Clinical Rotation Nurse Resume Example
• Charge Nurse Resume Example
• Remote Nurse Resume Example
• Preceptor Nurse Resume Example
• Relief Charge Nurse Resume Example
• LPN Nurse (Licensed Practical Nurse) Resume Example
• LVN Nurse (Licensed Vocational Nurse) Resume Example
• ICU Charge Nurse Resume Example
• Prior Authorization Nurse Resume Example
• Clinic Nurse Resume Example
• Medical Surgical Nurse Resume Example
• Patient Care Technician Resume Example
• Tips for Nursing Resumes
• Skills and Keywords to Add
• All Resume Examples
• Nursing CV Examples
• Nursing Cover Letter
• Nursing Interview Guide
• Explore Alternative and Similar Careers

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• Nursing Resume Examples

Put your finger on the pulse of the job market with our nursing resume examples . Our writing tips and resume builder help you craft a strong resume.

Our Recommended Examples

Certified Nursing Assistant

Popular examples in the nursing space, staff nurse, operating room registered nurse, clinical nurse.

Table of Contents

• Nursing Resume Examples by Job Title

Create a Nursing Resume in 5 Simple Steps

Get expert writing recommendations for your nursing resume, 8 do’s and don’ts for writing a nursing resume, beat the ats with these nursing resume skills, nursing resumes for every professional level, recommended nursing cover letter, resume success stories, statistics and facts about nursing jobs, nursing resume.

• Admission Nurse Resume
• Aesthetic Nurse Resume
• Agency Nurse Resume
• Ambulatory Care Nurse Resume
• Baby Nurse Resume
• Cardiac Nurse Resume
• Catheterization Laboratory Nurse Resume
• Certified Nurse Aide Resume
• Chief Officer Resume
• Circulating Nurse Resume
• Clinic Nurse Resume
• Clinical Instructor Resume
• Clinical Nurse Leader Resume
• Clinical Nurse Specialist Resume
• Clinical Nurse Supervisor Resume
• Clinical Research Nurse Resume
• Community Health Nurse Resume
• Company Nurse Resume
• Correctional Nurse Resume
• Critical Care Nurse Resume
• Dental Nurse Resume
• Dermatology Nurse Resume
• Detox Nurse Resume
• Dialysis Nurse Resume
• Doctors Office Nurse Resume
• Emergency Room Nurse Resume
• Endoscopy Nurse Resume
• Fertility Nurse Resume
• Float Nurse Resume
• Flu Shot Nurse Resume
• Geriatric Nurse Resume
• Government Nurse Resume
• Head Nurse Resume
• Hemodialysis Nurse Resume
• Home Care Nurse Resume
• Home Health Nurse Resume
• Home Nurse Volunteer Resume
• Hospice Nurse Resume
• House Officer Resume
• Infection Control Nurse Resume
• Infusion Nurse Resume
• Intensive Care Unit Nurse Resume
• International Nurse Resume
• Iv Nurse Resume
• Labor And Delivery Nurse Resume
• Maternity Nurse Resume
• Mds Nurse Resume
• Medical Surgical Nurse Resume
• Mental Health Assistant Resume
• Mental Health Nurse Resume
• Midwife Nurse Resume
• Military Nurse Resume
• Mother Baby Nurse Resume
• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nurse Resume
• Neonatal Nurse Resume
• Neurology Nurse Resume
• Newborn Nursery Nurse Resume
• Nurse Anesthetist Resume
• Case Manager Resume
• Nurse Educator Resume
• Nurse Practitioner Resume
• Nurse Tutor Resume
• Nurse Volunteer Resume
• Nursing Home Nurse Resume
• Informatics Coordinator Resume
• New Graduate Resume
• Shift Coordinator Resume
• Unit Clerk Resume
• Obstetrics Gynecology Nurse Resume
• Obstetrics Nurse Resume
• Office Nurse Resume
• Oncology Nurse Resume
• Operating Room Nurse Resume
• Operating Room Registered Nurse Resume
• Ophthalmic Nurse Resume
• Orthopedic Nurse Resume
• Outpatient Nurse Resume
• Overseas Nurse Resume
• Patient Care Associate Resume
• Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Nurse Resume
• Pediatric Nurse Resume
• Pediatric Registered Nurse Resume
• Perioperative Nurse Resume
• Plastic Surgey Nurse Resume
• Post Anesthesia Care Unit Nurse Resume
• Postpartum Nurse Resume
• Preoperative Nurse Resume
• Private Duty Nurse Resume
• Professional Tutor Resume
• Psychiatric Nurse Resume
• Public School Nurse Resume
• Red Cross Volunteer Resume
• Rehabilation Nurse Resume
• Scrub Nurse Resume
• Student Nurse Technician Resume
• Surgical Intensive Care Unit Nurse Resume
• Telemetry Nurse Resume
• Telephone Triage Nurse Resume
• Theatre Nurse Resume
• Trauma Nurse Resume
• Triage Nurse Resume
• Utilization Review Nurse Resume
• Visiting Nurse Resume
• Wound Care Nurse Resume

Nursing Cover Letter

• Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Cover Letter
• Advanced Practice Nurse Cover Letter
• Aide Assistant Cover Letter
• Auxiliary Nurse Cover Letter
• Cardiac Nurse Cover Letter
• Caregiver Cover Letter
• Case Manager Cover Letter
• Dialysis Nurse Cover Letter
• Director Of Nursing Cover Letter
• Educator Cover Letter
• Emergency Nurse Cover Letter
• Endoscopy Nurse Cover Letter
• Family Nurse Practitioner Cover Letter
• Instructor Cover Letter
• Intensive Care Nurse Cover Letter
• Intensive Care Unit Registered Nurse Cover Letter
• Licensed Practical Nurse Cover Letter
• Manager Cover Letter
• Medical Surgical Nurse Cover Letter
• Mental Health Nurse Cover Letter
• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nurse Cover Letter
• Neonatal Nurse Cover Letter
• Occupational Health Nurse Cover Letter
• Operating Room Registered Nurse Cover Letter
• Pediatric Nurse Cover Letter
• Perioperative Nurse Cover Letter
• Practical Nurse Cover Letter
• Psychiatric Nurse Cover Letter
• Public Health Nurse Cover Letter
• Registered Nurse Cover Letter
• School Nurse Cover Letter
• Supervisor Cover Letter
• Theatre Nurse Cover Letter
• Certified Nursing Assistant CV
• Director Of Nursing CV
• Licensed Practical Nurse CV
• Nurse Practitioner CV
• Registered Nurse CV

A nursing resume is more effective when you incorporate specific phrases that relate to the industry. LiveCareer’s Resume Builder includes prewritten text suggestions composed by professional resume writers. Simplify the writing process by using them in your own resume.

Hiring managers want applicants to show they have the experience and skills necessary for a nursing position. Our resume builder may recommend phrases such as these for your nursing resume:

• Managed average of 10 patients a day in orthopedic wing.
• Focused on recovery-centered approaches and minimized hospital stays by 10 percent.
• Communicated with other health care professionals at shift change to ensure seamless patient care.
• Educated patients and families about diagnosis, and informed patients on treatment options.
• Performed regular physical and physiological assessments on patients, and reported changes to appropriate health care professionals.
• Trained incoming nurses and hospital staff on protocols to optimize safety and performance.

As you begin to write your nursing resume, keep the following tips in mind:

• Do include your education. Nursing positions have very specific education requirements, so make sure to include your nursing degree and school you attended.
• Do use professional language and format. To qualify for a nursing job, you need to demonstrate your professionalism. Use a more formal format and include industry-related language.
• Do show your patient-related skills. Nurses spend much of their time working with patients, so details on this need to be a big part of the resume. Include soft skills, such as empathy, and technical skills, such as proficiency in infection control measures, to prove competence.
• Don’t leave out additional training. As a nurse, you need skills such as the ability to perform CPR. Make sure to list any certifications and training outside of your degree.
• Don’t include irrelevant information. Hiring managers do not spend a lot of time reading resumes, so do not include information that does not pertain to the position. For example, do not include work history at a restaurant if applying for a nursing job.
• Don’t leave out quantitative measures. Highlight your achievements by using numbers, figures and facts. For example, include the number of patients you managed, percentage of patient improvement under your care or number of staff you supervised.
• Don’t forget your licensing information. Many nursing roles require a license. If you have a current license or are in the process of obtaining one, note it on your resume.
• Don’t skip proofreading. Attention to detail is important as a nurse, so read your resume over a few times and send it through a spelling and grammar check before submitting it.

Hospitals and clinics often receive many resumes for each open position. Using applicant tracking systems (ATS) help them narrow down the nursing applicant pool quickly. By searching for specific words and phrases, an ATS can eliminate candidates without those keywords before the hiring manager ever sees them.

To help get through an ATS, it’s critical to use keywords that relate to nursing. Study the job ad to determine the most important skills and experience for the position and emphasize those.

Using our resume builder can help you identify nursing-friendly skills. Here are a few that our builder might recommend for your resume:

• Strong phlebotomy skills.
• Compassion toward patients.
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) training.
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training.
• Effective decision-making in emergency situations.
• Ability to dialogue with concerned patients.
• Strong critical thinking skills under pressure.
• Ability to manage effectively.
• Excellent ability to multitask with patients.
• Physical stamina to work on feet and move patients.

Entry-level Nursing Resume Example: School Nurse

This resume uses a functional format , which works well for the job seeker who does not have a lot of nursing experience. The focus is on the applicant’s transferable skills by providing multiple examples of technical and soft skills that are necessary as a nurse.

It also demonstrates how the applicant uses these skills under the Summary of Qualifications. Work experience is at the end, but the format of the resume draws the employer’s attention to the applicant’s abilities in the beginning.

Mid-career Nursing Resume Example: Nursing Manager

This resume for a nursing manager shows off both skills and a consistent employment history in the field. A combination format showcases not only the job seeker’s work as a nurse and nurse manager but also a strong skill set and summary of medical-related qualifications.

This combination resume shows a hiring manager that the applicant has a progression in her career from medical receptionist to nurse manager, indicating a desire to work hard and do what it takes to perform a job well.

Executive-level Nursing Resume Example: Chief Nursing Executive

Nursing applicants who have many years of work experience should use the chronological format . This classic format focuses on work experience and the applicant’s career trajectory.

In this format, the job seeker uses the Work History section to demonstrate leadership and supervisory abilities as well as nursing skills. The Skills and Education sections follow, as the emphasis of this type of document is mainly on the experience.

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Job Outlook by Job Title (2018–2028)

Source: bureau of labor statistics, median annual pay by job title, highest paying nursing careers.

• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
• Nurse Researcher
• Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
• Certified Nurse Midwife
• Pediatric Nurse
• Orthopedic Nurse

Source: Nurse Journal

Education statistics.

Registered Nurses (RNs) and college education

Gender Diversity Stats

Registered nurses, source: amn healthcare education services.

*As seen in :