sample resume for registered nurse with no experience

New Grad RN No Experience Resume Examples [+4 Samples]

Discover our complete guide and selection of new grad RN resume examples with no experience to use to create your own resume with our easy-to-use resume builder.

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s taught us the importance of the work done every day by registered nurses, or RNs. If you’re a new grad hoping to work as a RN, you could have an amazing career ahead of you. As a RN, you’ll spend your working life helping those in need, improving people’s lives, and providing crucial public services in your community.

What’s more, the number of RN jobs available in the US is projected to keep growing. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics expects that RN jobs will increase by 9% by 2030, which means that you can expect a long-lasting and stable career.

RNs enjoy consistent, full-time employment, with a great rate of pay and plenty of opportunities to use the education they have gained. But if you want to stand a chance of finding work as a new grad RN, you’ll need to make sure your resume is up to scratch. Thankfully, the VisualCV team has your back – we’ve prepared an in-depth guide to building a new grad RN resume that will give you an edge as you look for your first job.

Read on for advice and examples that will help you build your first resume!

What is a RN?

A registered nurse is a critical part of the US healthcare system. RNs are licensed medical professionals who provide direct, hands-on care. They can be found working in a wide range of settings, including:

• Doctors’ offices
• Nursing homes and care facilities
• Individual patients’ homes

From day to day, RNs work with doctors and other healthcare professionals to deliver specialized medical care to patients. They might have to administer medicines or other treatments, analyze the results of patient examinations, record patients’ symptoms or medical histories, or develop comprehensive patient care plans. While some of these tasks can only be performed with a doctor’s order, RNs aren’t exactly subordinate to doctors; they have their own specialist training, and often need to make high-impact decisions under pressure.

As RNs progress through their career, they may choose to specialize in a particular field of nursing. Medicine is a wide world, and RNs can specialize almost anywhere. Some of the most popular options include pediatric nursing, emergency room or intensive care nursing, and medical-surgical nursing.

Further down the line, RNs may wish to specialize even further. If they choose to pursue a master’s or a doctoral degree, they could become an advanced practice registered nurse, or APRN. APRNs can specialize in even more focused areas, like midwifery or anesthesia.

But if you want to embark on this long and highly varied career path, you will need to start with the right education. Most new grad RNs have either a bachelor’s degree in nursing, an associate’s degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing program. They also need to have a nursing license, valid in the state where they want to work, in order to find a job.

How to Write a New Grad RN Resume

As a new grad hoping to work as a RN, your resume needs to demonstrate two things. The first is that you have the qualifications and certifications needed to work as a registered nurse. The second is that you have the skills, both hard and soft, to thrive in the role of your choice.

Having only just graduated, you may not have much in the way of direct work experience. However, depending on your degree or diploma program, you should have acquired some combination of clinical training and residency- or internship-based experience. You may also have built some relevant experience through volunteering or hobbies while you were studying.

All of this should be included on your resume. But as a new graduate, employers may be less concerned about your experience than your education and training. Keep that in mind, and make sure that your qualifications are front and center.

In general, a RN resume written by a new graduate should contain the following:

• Your education
• Any experience you have
• Your skills, including any certifications or licenses you have

The Best Format for a RN Resume

When choosing your professionally-designed new grad RN resume template from our selection, think about what hiring managers are looking for from you. Because nursing jobs require a broad combination of education, skills and relevant experience, you may not need a resume format that prioritizes one element over another.

However, as a new graduate, you may want to consider foregrounding your education and certifications on your resume. Look for a format that will allow you to lead with your strongest assets – specifically, the training you’ve invested so much time and money into pursuing.

Later in your career, once you’ve acquired more direct work experience as a RN, you may want to consider a format that balances your education and training with your experience in previous roles.

It’s also important to remember that these days, many hiring managers use an applicant tracking system (or ATS) to sift through resumes. Although this helps companies streamline and speed up the hiring process, it does create some frustration for applicants – many of whom submit great resumes which are simply never seen by a real person. If your resume doesn’t make it past the ATS software, which usually looks for specific keywords based on the job description, it will usually be put aside.

Thankfully, all of VisualCV’s resume templates are built to beat ATS software. When you use one of our templates, you can be sure that your resume’s layout won’t confuse the software and undermine your chances of success. All that matters is the strength of your resume – and with our advice, your resume will be in front of a real hiring manager in no time.

3 New Grad RN Resume Examples

When working on your resume, it’s a good idea to start with your summary – which needs to be a short, to-the-point encapsulation of your best qualities. However, it should also reflect the requirements of the job description, so you will need to tailor it for every role you apply for. Remember, this is the first thing a recruiter will see about you!

As a new graduate, your summary should focus on your educational achievements. Later in your career, you should focus your summary more heavily on your past experience and the qualities that experience proves you possess. 3 summary examples:

• Recent graduate Registered Nurse with 3.7 GPA and extensive clinical training. Licensed to work in New York State. I’m looking for the first step in my nursing career!
• Recent graduate RN, licensed in the state of California, with internship-based experience in a busy clinical setting. Strong communication skills and proven ability to thrive under pressure.
• Licensed RN recent graduate with training and volunteering experience in a variety of clinical setting. Driven to succeed under pressure while delivering the highest standard of care.
• How Not to Write a New Grad RN Resume Summary

Your summary needs to be clear and concise, and it should be focused on what you have to offer. If your summary is too wordy or personal, it could jeopardize your chances of getting the job. You can use your cover letter to tell the story of why you want the job – your summary is about providing a snapshot of why you fit the requirements.

In fact, not all recruiters agree that a summary on your resume is necessary. If you’re struggling to write a summary that gets right to the point, it’s not the end of the world: you can choose to leave it out. Don’t Do This:

• I love helping people, so I studied hard for many years to qualify for a bachelor’s degree program in nursing. During my time in college, I took on as many volunteering opportunities as possible to improve my experience. Now that I’ve graduated with a 3.8 GPA, I’m excited to finally become a registered nurse and change people’s lives!

Do You Need a Resume Objective?

For non-entry-level positions, a resume objective is usually considered unnecessary. However, as a new graduate, your resume could benefit from the inclusion of an objective, as well as your resume summary.

If you’re not sure about the difference between the two, it’s simple! A summary is a short description of the qualities and skills you have that make you suitable for the job you want. An objective is an even shorter statement about your career goals, like the industry or the type of job you’re hoping to work in. New Grad RN Resume Objective Example:

• Licensed Registered Nurse with a BS in Nursing, seeking to apply my training in a new career as a RN.

How to Describe Your Experience on Your New Grad RN Resume

New graduates are often intimidated by the Experience section on their resume. But as a new grad RN, you actually have an advantage over new graduates hoping to enter other professions. You’re much more likely to have received relevant clinical training – as well as opportunities for volunteering work or even internships – as part of your degree program.

All of this can and should form part of your new grad RN resume.

• Describe Your Experience Effectively

Even when writing about experience that doesn’t come from direct employment, make sure you approach it in a way that reflects the effort you put into it. Don’t just list the tasks you carried out! Write about what you accomplished while carrying out those tasks.

In general, recruiters look for hard facts about your success in any given role – even a volunteering role or an internship. What did you do that made your work stand out? If you can show that you were able to succeed in the past, recruiters are more likely to believe that you can do it again. New Grad RN Resume Experience Example: Volunteer Care Assistant, Shady Pines Nursing Home | 2018-2019

• Supported home staff in delivering enrichment activities to residents, and achieved consistently high enrichment attendance rates
• Took responsibility for cleaning and maintaining common areas, ensuring a comfortable and healthy home environment for residents
• Worked closely with home staff to appraise residents’ health and wellbeing, and to intervene where needed
• How Not to Describe Your Experience

The worst thing you can do when describing your experience on your resume is write a simple list of the tasks you performed. Hiring managers are likely to know what you did in your previous role! Your job is to show that you were able to do it all well. Don’t Do This: Volunteer Care Assistant, Shady Pines Nursing Home | 2018-2019

• Delivered enrichment activities
• Cleaned common areas
• Monitored residents’ wellbeing

How to List Skills on Your New Grad RN Resume

Knowing which skills to list on your resume can be a challenge. While the job description can act as a useful guide, there are some skills that recruiters will expect you to have by default – and those skills may not be included in the job posting.

For general information about skills on your resume, check out our resume skills guide here!

• Top New Grad RN Resume Skills in Demand

Professional Certifications for New Grad RNs

Certifications can be a great way to help your resume stand out. They show hiring managers that you can take the initiative to further your career, and that you take your work seriously. In the medical field, it’s vital for hiring managers to have the confidence that you can perform the tasks necessary to help your patients – certifications are a way to show that you’re truly capable.

With a certification on your resume, you may be able to aim for more specialized positions with higher salaries. Here are a few common certifications for RNs!

• Basic Life Support (BLS)

This certification proves your ability to perform CPR, as well as your ability to use Automated External Defibrillators. It’s valid for two years at a time, and will need to be renewed after that point has passed. However, it’s a fairly straightforward certification, and you can obtain it from a variety of sources – including the Red Cross.

• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)

This certification is recommended for new graduates looking to enter the world of nursing. It builds on the foundation laid in the BLS certification, and will confirm to a hiring manager that you can recognize and respond to a cardiovascular emergency.

• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)

Whether or not you’re planning to specialize in pediatrics, the PALS could be a great addition to your resume. It certifies your ability to resuscitate and stabilize infants and children in critical condition.

The Most Important Soft Skills for Your RN Resume

Most of what you’re taught during your nursing degree is likely to focus on hard skills. However, hiring managers are likely to be interested in your soft skills, too. These skills will help you out during your day-to-day work as a RN, and will enable you to perform more technical tasks more effectively. And for new graduates, who may be lacking in work experience, soft skills are further evidence that you can do the work you will be asked to do if you get the job.

Here are some of the most important soft skills to include on your new grad RN resume!

• Communication

Can you talk to practically anyone? Can you explain complex information in a way that people can understand? Can you take the right tone for the situation at hand, to ensure that people listen to what you’re saying?

If so, you have a vital skill that will help you immensely as a RN. You’ll need to communicate complicated and potentially upsetting information to patients, as well as liaise effectively with other medical professionals. Strong communication skills will make these challenging tasks a breeze for you.

First and foremost, working as a RN is about helping patients. If you’re the kind of person who cares about the wellbeing of others, or who is prepared to step in to help those who need it, you will find that the work you do is incredibly rewarding.

On the other hand, if you prefer a job where you don’t have to take responsibility for others’ happiness and comfort, nursing may not be the career for you.

• Organization

As a RN, you will be asked to balance multiple competing responsibilities every day. Between maintaining medical records, responding to emergency situations, delivering routine patient care, and keeping up a liaison with other medical staff, you’ll always be busy as a nurse! Being able to stay on top of yourself and your workload is a crucial part of the job.

If you highlight your organizational skills on your resume, you’ll be showing hiring managers that you understand the rigors of the job. It’s a good way to show that you’re prepared for the demands of nursing, and it will improve your chances of making it to interview.

New Grad RN Salaries

Nursing is considered to be a respectable and stable career path, with great earning potential. But how much can you expect to make as a new graduate RN?

According to Indeed, new grad RNs can expect to make an average of $38.72 per hour. But check out how you can expect your salary to increase over time:

• 1 to 2 years: $41.62/hour
• 3 to 5 years: $43.68/hour
• 6 to 9 years: $45.26/hour
• 10 years or more: $50.60/hour
• Final Thoughts

RNs do incredible work day in, day out. As a new grad RN, you’ll be embarking on a career that will change your life – as well as the lives of all your patients. If you thrive on helping others and relish working under pressure, consider training as a RN!

And when the time comes to start applying for jobs, VisualCV has you covered. Help your resume stand out from the crowd with a VisualCV Pro membership, which will allow you to customize every aspect of your resume. However you choose to present yourself, we’ll give you the tools you need to do it right.

Copyright © 2024 VisualCV

Select Your Language :

• Resume Builder
• Resume Templates
• Resume Formats
• Resume Examples
• Cover Letter Builder
• Cover Letter Templates
• Cover Letter Formats
• Cover Letter Examples
• Career Advice
• Interview Questions
• Resume Skills
• Resume Objectives
• Job Description
• Job Responsibilities
• FAQ’s

Registered Nurse Resume Examples

Writing a resume as a registered nurse can be a daunting task. With so much competition for nursing jobs, you need to make sure that your resume stands out among the rest. As a nurse, you will have many skills and qualifications that employers will be interested in, and it is important to showcase these appropriately. This guide will provide you with tips on how to write a standout registered nurse resume, as well as some examples of resumes that have stood out. With the right approach, you can give yourself the best chance of success when applying for a nursing job.

If you didn’t find what you were looking for, be sure to check out our complete library of resume examples .

Start building your dream career today! 

Create your professional resume in just 5 minutes with our easy-to-use resume builder!

Registered Nurse

123 Main Street | Anytown, USA 99999 | Phone: (123) 456-7890 | Email: [email protected]

I am a passionate Registered Nurse with 6 years of experience in providing quality care to patients in a variety of settings. My expertise in nursing extends to patient assessment, medication management, wound care, and education. I have the experience and skill- set to work with a diverse array of patients, and I am committed to providing compassionate care. I am an excellent communicator and problem solver, and I am capable of managing multiple tasks simultaneously.

Core Skills :

• Assessment & Diagnosis
• Care Planning & Implementation
• Education & Counseling
• Medication Administration
• Crisis Management
• Infection Control
• Quality Improvement
• Patient Advocacy
• Electronic Medical Records (EMR)

Professional Experience :

• Staff Nurse, XYZ Hospital – Boston, MA (2015- Present)
• Provide direct patient care to a variety of patients in the hospital setting
• Carry out nursing assessments, create and implement care plans, and evaluate patient progress
• Administer medications and treatments, monitor vital signs and lab results, and provide patient and family education
• Collaborate with physicians, other healthcare providers, and ancillary staff to ensure quality care
• Maintain accurate patient records and documentation
• Clinical Nurse Manager, ABC Medical Center – New York, NY (2013- 2015)
• Managed and provided direction and oversight to a staff of 20 nurses in the hospital
• Developed and implemented policies and procedures to ensure quality patient care
• Supervised nursing staff including providing performance reviews, mentoring and coaching
• Participated in patient rounds and collaborated with physicians on patient care
• Oversaw and ensured accuracy of patient documentation and compliance with standards of care

Education :

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing, XYZ College – New York, NY (2013)
• Associate of Science in Nursing,

Create My Resume

Build a professional resume in just minutes for free.

Registered Nurse Resume with No Experience

Recent nursing school graduate with a passion for providing quality patient care. Possesses a strong understanding of the fundamentals of nursing, with the ability to use complex medical equipment, assess patient needs, and administer medications. Highly organized, and able to remain composed and professional in fast- paced environments.

• Clinical knowledge and experience
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams
• Knowledge of medical terminology
• Ability to remain organized and composed under pressure
• Expertise in medical equipment use
• Ability to provide patient education

Responsibilities

• Obtain patient vitals and medical history
• Administer medications and treatments
• Monitor patient progress and adjust treatment plans as needed
• Assess and document patient condition
• Educate patients on health and safety
• Collaborate with doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals
• Ensure proper safety protocols and sterilization techniques are followed
• Keep patient records and confidential information secure
• Provide emotional support to patients and families

Experience 0 Years

Level Junior

Education Bachelor’s

Registered Nurse Resume with 2 Years of Experience

Dedicated and experienced registered nurse with two years of experience in diverse healthcare settings. Expertise in providing patient- centered care, helping to improve patient outcomes, and creating a positive atmosphere for staff, visitors, and patients. Possesses a highly organized approach to care and a passion for helping others.

• Comprehensive knowledge of nursing principles, procedures, and practices
• Excellent patient communication and assessment skills
• Proficient in the use of medical technology and equipment
• Skilled in developing and implementing treatment plans
• Ability to prioritize tasks and manage time effectively
• Understanding of medical terminology and documentation
• Ability to work cooperatively with other healthcare professionals

Responsibilities :

• Assessing and monitoring patient conditions
• Developing and implementing patient care plans
• Administering medications and treatments
• Documenting patient records and medical histories
• Providing emotional support to patients and family members
• Educating patients and family members on medical conditions and treatments
• Monitoring vital signs, such as blood pressure and heart rate
• Administering intravascular, subcutaneous, and intramuscular injections
• Performing laboratory tests and analyzing results

Experience 2+ Years

Registered Nurse Resume with 5 Years of Experience

Dedicated and experienced Registered Nurse with 5 years of experience providing medical care in hospital and clinical settings. Skilled in leading teams in providing care and monitoring patient progress. Experienced in patient assessment and in developing and implementing treatment plans, working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to ensure quality and timely patient care. Committed to providing the highest level of quality and patient- centric care.

• Patient assessment
• Medical care
• Treatment plans
• Patient monitoring
• Team leadership
• Multidisciplinary collaboration
• Quality assurance
• Assessed patients to identify their needs and develop care plans
• Administered medications, treatments and therapies according to doctor’s instructions
• Monitored patient progress and reported changes to physicians
• Coordinated with multidisciplinary teams to ensure quality and timely patient care
• Collaborated with physicians and other healthcare personnel to implement patient care plans
• Assisted in the development and implementation of patient treatment plans and protocols
• Educated patients and families on home health care needs, treatments and therapies

Experience 5+ Years

Level Senior

Registered Nurse Resume with 7 Years of Experience

A compassionate and accomplished Registered Nurse with seven years of experience in providing quality care to a variety of patient populations. Demonstrated ability to quickly develop trusting relationships with patients and their families. Experienced in promoting cooperation and collaboration among all medical personnel. Highly knowledgeable about the latest medical standards and procedures. Proficient in documentation and communication of patient conditions.

• Interpersonal and communication skills
• Leadership and organizational skills
• Ability to take initiative
• Attention to detail
• Critical thinking
• Compassion and empathy
• Conducting assessments, diagnostics, and treatments for assigned patients
• Developing and implementing individualized plans of care
• Documenting patient assessments and changes in condition
• Educating patients and families on health maintenance and disease prevention
• Collaborating with the interdisciplinary team to ensure quality patient care
• Administering medications and treatments in accordance with physician orders
• Monitoring patient progress and reporting changes to physicians

Experience 7+ Years

Registered Nurse Resume with 10 Years of Experience

Highly skilled, experienced, and compassionate Registered Nurse with 10 years of experience in providing exceptional care to patients. Possesses an in- depth knowledge of clinical practices, medical terminology, and patient care. Adept at managing time, multitasking, and maintaining patient confidentiality. Strong patient advocate who prides in delivering a positive patient experience.

• Proactive and organized
• Exceptional communication skills
• IV insertion and medication administration
• Working knowledge of EMR systems
• Documentation accuracy
• Interpersonal skills
• Assessed patient condition and provided appropriate medical care
• Evaluated patient progress and modified plans as necessary
• Collaborated with other healthcare professionals in developing patient care plans
• Administered medications and monitored patient reactions
• Assisted in emergency situations and ensured patient safety
• Educated patients and their families on treatments and medications
• Provided emotional support to patients and families
• Maintained medical records and patient charts accurately and up- to- date

Experience 10+ Years

Level Senior Manager

Education Master’s

Registered Nurse Resume with 15 Years of Experience

Highly experienced and motivated Registered Nurse with 15 years of experience in providing thorough and compassionate care to patients. Skilled in assessing patient needs and developing treatment plans. Experienced in administering medications, performing medical procedures, and monitoring patient progress. Committed to providing patient- centric care and maintaining a safe and comfortable medical environment.

• Patient Assessment
• Patient Monitoring
• Medical Procedures
• Treatment Planning
• Documentation
• Patient Education
• Team Collaboration
• Interpersonal Communication
• Assessed patient condition upon admission and during treatment
• Administered medications and intravenous injections as prescribed by physician
• Monitored patient progress and responded to changing conditions
• Developed treatment plans and documented patient care
• Educated patients and families on medical conditions and treatments
• Implemented infection control measures to maintain safe and sanitary environment
• Collaborated with healthcare team to ensure quality patient care
• Responded to patient requests in a timely manner

Experience 15+ Years

Level Director

In addition to this, be sure to check out our resume templates , resume formats ,  cover letter examples ,  job description , and  career advice  pages for more helpful tips and advice.

What should be included in a Registered Nurse resume?

A Registered Nurse (RN) resume is a critical part of the job search process and is the primary way employers will evaluate your skills and qualifications. To stand out from the competition and land your perfect job, you need to make sure that your resume is professional, complete, and up-to-date.

Here are some key elements that should be included in a Registered Nurse resume:

• Contact Information: Your full name, current address, phone number, and email address should be listed prominently at the top of your resume.
• Professional Summary: This section should include a brief overview of your qualifications and experience as a Registered Nurse.
• Education: Include the name and location of the nursing program you attended and the degree you earned.
• Clinical Experience: List any clinical experience you have, such as internships, practicums, or volunteer work.
• Certifications and Licenses: Be sure to list any professional certifications or licenses you have earned, such as the Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) or the Registered Nurse Practitioner (RNP) credential.
• Skills: Summarize your skills and abilities, highlighting any specialties you have.
• Awards and Honors: Include any awards or honors you have received for your nursing work.
• Professional Memberships: List any professional organizations you are a member of that are related to nursing.
• References: Provide contact information for two or three professional references.

What is a good summary for a Registered Nurse resume?

A good summary for a Registered Nurse (RN) resume should demonstrate a proven track record of providing quality patient care. It should concisely highlight the RN’s educational qualifications, certifications, specialized training, and relevant experience. The summary should also emphasize the RN’s ability to handle multiple tasks, collaborate and communicate with other medical staff, and provide compassionate care to patients. Most importantly, the summary should emphasize the RN’s commitment to continuing professional development and staying up-to-date on the latest medical advancements. Overall, the summary should showcase skills and achievements that make the RN an outstanding candidate for the position.

What is a good objective for a Registered Nurse resume?

What is a Good Objective for a Registered Nurse Resume?

When you are applying for a job as a registered nurse, you will want to make sure that your resume stands out from the competition. Having a well-crafted objective statement is a great way to make your resume shine. An objective statement is a brief sentence or two that states your career goal and highlights your skills and qualifications.

A good objective for a registered nurse resume should:

• Highlight your relevant qualifications and skills
• Showcase your ability to think critically and solve problems
• Express a desire to be part of a team
• Showcase your commitment to patient care
• Demonstrate your dedication to providing quality healthcare
• Emphasize your desire to stay up to date with the latest nursing practices

By including an objective statement on your resume, you will be giving potential employers a better sense of who you are and why you are the right fit for the job. Be sure to include information that will be relevant to the specific role you are applying for.

How do you list Registered Nurse skills on a resume?

When listing your Registered Nurse skills on a resume, you should include both hard and soft skills that show your expertise in the nursing field. The skills you list will demonstrate to potential employers how you can contribute to their team. Below is a list of the kinds of skills to consider including on your resume when applying for a nursing job:

• Patient Care: Showcase your skills in providing direct care to patients and helping them reach their health goals.
• Clinical Protocols: Demonstrate your knowledge of the clinical protocols used in the nursing profession.
• Diagnosis and Treatment: Highlight your ability to diagnose and treat patients effectively.
• Communication: Demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively with patients and other medical staff.
• Computers and Software: Showcase your skills in using computers and software related to the nursing profession.
• Teamwork: Prove you are capable of working well with other medical staff and providing excellent patient care.
• Caring: Showcase your strong bedside manner and ability to provide compassionate care to patients.
• Documentation: Demonstrate your ability to accurately document data and patient progress.

You should also include any industry-specific certifications or licenses you have in the relevant section of your resume. By showing off your Registered Nurse skills on your resume, you can prove to employers that you have the experience and knowledge needed to succeed in the profession.

What skills should I put on my resume for Registered Nurse?

When looking to apply as a Registered Nurse, it is important to showcase your qualifications and experience on your resume. To strengthen your resume, there are certain skills that employers look for when hiring Registered Nurses.

• Clinical Skills: Registered Nurses are required to possess a wide variety of clinical skills, and it is essential that they are able to demonstrate these skills effectively and efficiently. This includes administering medications and treatments, providing patient assessments, and monitoring patients.
• Communication Skills: As a Registered Nurse, you must be able to effectively communicate with patients, family members, and other medical professionals. This includes being able to clearly and concisely explain medical procedures and treatments, as well as provide support and comfort to patients and their families.
• Problem-solving Skills: Registered Nurses must be able to think on their feet, and must possess strong problem-solving skills. In many cases, RNs must be able to recognize and diagnose medical conditions and determine appropriate medical interventions in order to provide the best care for their patients.
• Leadership Skills: Registered Nurses are often responsible for managing teams of medical staff, and therefore they must possess strong leadership and organizational skills. This includes effective delegation of tasks, being able to mentor and guide other medical staff, and taking initiative in developing new approaches to patient care.

By including these skills on your resume, you will be able to show employers that you have the necessary qualifications and experience to excel as a Registered Nurse.

Key takeaways for an Registered Nurse resume

When crafting the perfect resume for a Registered Nurse, it is important to ensure that the key skills, qualifications and experience are effectively highlighted to capture the attention of potential employers. This blog section will aim to provide some key takeaways that will help you create an impressive resume for a Registered Nurse.

• Highlight your Nursing Experience: A Registered Nurse resume should begin with a detailed summary of your nursing experience. Include the types of care you’ve provided, the length of time you spent in the position, and any certification or licensure you have. Make sure to also include any clinical experience you have, such as working in specialized areas like hospice, geriatrics, or neonatal.
• Showcase your Communication Skills: As a Registered Nurse, communication is key. Make sure to highlight your ability to communicate effectively with patients, families, and other healthcare professionals. Include any awards or accolades you have received for your communication skills and any additional training you have done to further develop your professional capabilities.
• Detail your Leadership Qualities: Nursing is an industry that highly values leadership. Highlight any leadership roles you have held throughout your career, such as team leader or head nurse. If you have any experience working with other healthcare professionals, include this as well. Focus on any areas you have led in that have helped improve patient care and outcomes.
• Talk About Your Education: Nursing requires a certain level of education. Make sure to include any degrees or certifications you have earned in your resume. Be sure to list your education section in reverse chronological order, meaning that the most recent degrees or certifications you have should be listed first.

By following these key takeaways, you can create an impressive resume for a Registered Nurse that will help you stand out from the competition. Highlighting your nursing experience, communication skills, leadership qualities, and education can help to showcase your skills and make you a top candidate for the job.

Let us help you build your Resume!

Make your resume more organized and attractive with our Resume Builder

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.

Find Nursing Programs

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

>> Related: New Graduate Nurse Resume Examples + Free Templates

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.

Creating a resume as a new grad with no nursing experience or with non-nursing healthcare experience can be challenging. Don’t worry, Nurse.org has two templates for you to choose from - depending on if you have healthcare experience or not. 

By clicking download, you agree to receive email newsletters and special offers from Nurse.org. You may unsubscribe at any time by using the unsubscribe link, found at the bottom of every email.

Your request has been received. Thanks!

>> Show Me Online RN-to-BSN Programs

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.

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.

Angelina has her finger on the pulse of everything nursing. Whether it's a trending news topic, valuable resource or, heartfelt story, Angelina is an expert at producing content that nurses love to read. She specializes in warmly engaging with the nursing community and exponentially growing our social presence.

Plus, get exclusive access to discounts for nurses, stay informed on the latest nurse news, and learn how to take the next steps in your career.

By clicking “Join Now”, you agree to receive email newsletters and special offers from Nurse.org. We will not sell or distribute your email address to any third party, and you may unsubscribe at any time by using the unsubscribe link, found at the bottom of every email.

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)

To provide a safer experience, the best content and great communication, we use cookies. Learn how we use them for non-authenticated users.

Build my resume

• Resume builder
• Build a better resume in minutes
• Resume examples
• 2,000+ examples that work in 2024
• Resume templates
• 184 free templates for all levels
• Cover letters
• Cover letter generator
• It's like magic, we promise
• Cover letter examples
• Free downloads in Word & Docs

7 Registered Nurse (RN) Resume Examples for 2024

Registered Nurse (RN)

Best for senior and mid-level candidates

There’s plenty of room in our elegant resume template to add your professional experience while impressing recruiters with a sleek design.

Resume Builder

Like this template? Customize this resume and make it your own with the help of our Al-powered suggestions, accent colors, and modern fonts.

• RN Resume by Education
• RN Resumes by Experience
• RN Resumes by Type

Registered nurses (RN) are a profession in very high demand. In addition to a hiring rush during COVID-19, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts a 12 percent growth in demand for RNs through 2028.

Nursing is a tough enough profession in its own right. So, don’t be discouraged if you’re struggling to draft your  nurse cover letter  or  write a resume  that puts your best foot forward.

We’re here to help with seven great RN resume samples that guarantee success in the challenging world in 2024. It doesn’t matter if this is your first job out of nursing school or if you’re a seasoned vet; these resumes are a great starting place when writing or updating your own.

Registered Nurse (RN) Resume

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• You’re undergoing a career change,
• You just finished nursing school and this is your first RN job, or
• You’re going to customize it to the  nursing job description .
• If none of those are relevant to you, skip the objective!
• Two other relatively common requirements for RN positions (though certainly not all positions) are Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and Basic Life Support (BLS). Explicitly mention those in your resume if you have them.

RN BSN Resume

• Next, delve into outstanding performances like streamlining shifts and reducing scheduling conflicts. Also, adding measurable impact further elevates your suitability.

New Grad RN Resume

• If the activities are related to healthcare or show you in a professional, positive light and you need some help filling out your new grad RN resume , then include one or two.
• Color is one way to show some personality on your resume while still portraying professionalism. Try a strong accent color while keeping the color basic everywhere else, as seen in many of our  resume examples .
• P.S. You can catch this mistake easily when you take advantage of our  resume builder  and its AI-powered tips. 

Experienced RN Resume

• As you gain more and more experience as an RN, try your best to show a progression in responsibility and ownership on your experienced RN resume. 
• Here’s the trick: Keep a master copy of every job and a working list of job description bullet points for each. Then, pull from this master list and customize it according to the specific role for which you’re applying now.
• Two other quick things you can do to fit more content are to reduce vertical spacing and reduce page margins, which is a simple click of a button in our  resume maker .
• Hit the highlights in your resume, but you can delve further into these details when creating a cover letter .

Travel RN Resume

• Mentioning and quantifying outcomes possible through your keen eye and observation (hint: cut documentation errors by 28%) is a great way to make this attribute count.

Med Surg RN Resume

• Pay attention to the skills, qualifications, and responsibilities listed in the job description to gain ideas on what you should include in your skills section.
• RNs can work in a ton of different areas in medicine. If you’re applying to a specific job (like Med/Surg Nurse) and you have experience in that area, be sure to match your job title to that of the job description.
• White space is a commonly overlooked factor in resume design, and if it’s a concern for you, try simplifying the process by picking one of our  free resume templates .

ICU RN Resume

• Check your resume  to ensure you’re using action verbs that propel your bullet points forward and keep hiring personnel engaged.
• Another way to demonstrate impact is by quantifying it, that is, tying the outcome of your work to a number. By linking a number to your claims, proof of impact becomes clear.
• Ultimately, nursing is a profession involving people. So if you can show that you’re comfortable with the human aspects of the job (patient care, plans of care, family interactions, etc.), speak as much as possible concerning that experience in your ICU RN resume .

Related resume guides

• Physician Assistant
• Medical Assistant