graduate nurse resume help

How to Create a New Graduate Nurse Resume & Cover Letter

Nursing resume vs cover letter, how to write a new grad nurse resume.

• Resume Tips
• Cover Letters
• Cover Letter Example

By the time you graduate nursing school, you may be an expert in cath placement, starting IVs, and dropping those nursing diagnoses, but you might not be an expert in the one act you’ll need to ace right after graduation: getting your first nursing job .    It might be easy to think that your application process for your first nursing job will be similar to that stressful practicum exam (why is it so much harder to put on sterile gloves in front of other people?!), but to apply for a nursing job, you’ll need to create an effective new graduate nursing resume and cover letter.    Of course, it can be a little more challenging to create a resume if you’re a new grad without any official nursing experience, but don’t worry—most hospitals not only expect that, but welcome new grads, and are specifically recruiting new grad nurses. So, here’s how to craft the perfect new grad nursing resume and cover letter, with examples to help you land that dream job. 

First things first: let’s discuss the differences between a nursing cover letter and a resume. A cover letter is a personal letter that you will include either in an email or with the application. The cover letter directly addresses the employer states your interest in the job, and lists a few personal reasons why you’re right for the job. There will be more on crafting a cover letter below. 

A resume, on the other hand, is your professional portfolio that lists your education, experience, skills, and certifications. You can think of the cover letter as the personal touch and the resume as the highlight reel. 

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There are two basic ways to create a nursing resume : 

• Craft your own version
• Use a premade template 

For instance, many document editing software systems, such as Word, have built-in templates that can be adapted for your own individual use. 

In general, no matter if you craft your own resume or use a premade template, a new grad nursing resume will include 5 basic elements:

1. Your Personal Information

This section will include all of your personal information, such as your name, title, phone number, address, and email. Include a personal email address instead of a school-associated one. Eventually, your school email may be disabled and you will want HR to be able to contact you. Some people will also opt to include a small, work-appropriate headshot (no selfies!) as well.

A resume should highlight specific skills that you possess that can translate into your nursing career. For instance, skills such as working with a team, critical thinking, communication, and time management are all valuable for nurses.

3. Certifications

In this section, you should list any certifications you have already obtained, such as your CPR, ALS, or any other advanced certification you have earned. If you have passed your NCLEX, list your RN credentials as well.

4. Licenses

If you have not passed your NCLEX or have not taken it yet, you can write, “Eligible for NCLEX test for RN on X date,” so that the employer knows when you will be taking the NCLEX. 

Employing hospitals are understanding of the fact that there can be a delay between graduation and getting a date for your NCLEX test, so it’s okay to apply before you have taken your NCLEX test. 

Just be aware that if you are hired, there will be some limitations to your work until you officially become an RN.

5. Education

Under the education section of your resume, you will list any institutions for higher education that you attended. 

It’s optional if you want to include your high school, but considering you’re graduating from a nursing program, it’s not necessary. 

You can include details if you attended a college in the beginning of your education, then transferred. You’ll also include your GPA, any honors you received during your education, and your major and minor.

6. Relevant Experience

Because you most likely don’t have a lot of official nursing experience, this is the section to really highlight what kind of experience you do have that is relevant to the job. 

Of course, you’ll want to include any experience you have—both paid and volunteer—in the medical field. Maybe you’ve volunteered at a nursing home, have piloted community events, or have been working as a CNA. Whatever it is, highlight it!

If you made it through nursing school without any official healthcare work or volunteer roles, that’s okay too. You can translate many skills from different jobs, such as communication, teamwork, and time management with customer service or retail roles. 

>> Find Nursing Jobs Hiring Now on the Nurse.org Job Board

New Grad Nursing Resume Tips

It might feel challenging to create your first nursing resume, but here are some tips to help you along the way:

1. Don’t Be Afraid to Let Your Personality Shine

A new grad resume will be a pretty standard document and you should always keep it professional, but don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through your resume too. 

You can add personal touches, such as design elements, including color, or a personal photo, as well as highlight the skills and experiences and even goals for your future career.

2. Have Friends and Family Review the Resume

It’s time to bring in the village! Gather a few people you trust who can review the resume for you and make sure it’s typo-free and shines a spotlight on your best qualities.

3. Be Sure to Read the Job Description

If you are applying for a specific position or nurse residency program , be sure to carefully read the entire job description and posting so you know what they are looking for. 

If they have outlined specific skills or traits, include those in your resume. If they state that they are looking for someone who has graduated from a local school, highlight that on your resume. If they want someone who is willing to train in new areas, be sure to let them know that that’s you! 

Not only does referencing the job posting in your resume show them that you have done your research and really are the right person for the job, but it can also help ensure your resume gets past any resume-scanning software that the facility may be using.

4. Ask for Help

If you need assistance in crafting your resume, there are resources that can help. 

Firstly, you could consider asking your nursing school or professors for help. They should be able to point you to resources or help you directly. 

Next, a friend may be a good resource—they could have a template you could build off, or offer advice for creating your own resume. 

Lastly, there are professional resume services that you can hire for complete help with your resume. There are perfectly valid reasons why someone might need professional help for a resume, and there’s no shame in that.

5. Include Letters of Recommendation

Some places of employment may require references or letters of recommendation, but even if they do not, it’s a good idea to include references and letters of recommendation, if possible.

 A good place to start is to ask your professors, clinical educators, or current managers.

New Grad Nursing Resume Example

Education and certification.

Use this section to highlight your relevant passions, activities, and how they relate to nursing. It’s good to include Leadership and volunteer experiences here. Or show off important extras like publications, certifications, languages and more.

Bonus! New Grad Nursing Resume Templates You Can Use

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[gated-new-nurse-resume-template-3]

Cover Letters for New Grad Nurses

You’ve got your resume looking great, now it’s time for the dreaded new grad nurse cover letter . Never fear! We have the tips to help you shine on your cover letter.

Do You Need a Cover Letter When Applying to Jobs as a New Grad Nurse?

In most situations, you do need a cover letter when applying for nursing positions.

What Should You Include in a Cover Letter as a New Grad Nurse?

A new nurse grad’s cover letter should include your personal and contact information, like your name, address, phone number, and email, and a personal statement to the employer that you are applying for a job at. 

This is your opportunity to speak personally to the employer, highlight why you want to work for them, and how your skills, experience, and passions match with the job assignment.

How is a New Grad Nurse Cover Letter Unique From Other Cover Letters?

A new grad nurse’s cover letter should focus on your strengths and how those strengths can be an asset to the organization, as well as your future career goals and how taking this position will help you fulfill those goals. 

For instance, if you hope to gain experience in working in an ICU position, speak directly to that goal. 

New Grad Nurse Cover Letter Example

Your name Address Phone number, email

To Whom It May Concern:

I am interested in applying for a position at This Medical Center. I am a recent graduate of Your School, where I obtained my Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. I will be eligible to sit for my NCLEX on THIS DATE and I am eager to utilize my knowledge and grow in experience by becoming a team member with This Medical Center.

During the course of my education, I INSERT PERSONAL DETAILS OR STORY ABOUT WHY YOU WANT THIS JOB OR YOUR OWN SKILLS. I am confident that my clinical experience in combination with my motivation, determination and strong critical thinking skills will enable me to excel in any clinical setting. 

As a long-time member of this community and someone who has had family members who have been patients at This Medical Center, it is extremely important to me to embody the goal of this organization by serving the community with caring, compassion and competence.

It is my sincere hope that I may become a vital member of the healthcare team at this organization. I aspire to grow on a professional level working with other team members, as well as personally, learning from each and every patient I will care for. I am confident that This Medical Center is an excellent choice for meeting these goals. 

Thank you in advance for your consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely, Your name, G.N. (graduate nurse)

How long should a new grad nurse's resume be?

• Ideally, a new grad’s resume should be no longer than one page.

Do you need to include a summary in your nursing resume?

• You do not need to include a summary in your nursing resume, but a few short sentences can highlight your experience up to now, as well as your goals in the job you are applying for. Here’s more on how to write an effective summary.

How can nurses improve new grad resumes?

• As a new grad, you can improve your resume by ensuring it aligns with the job position you’re applying for (for instance, include that any skills you have match what they’re looking for!), having trusted people review it for you, and if needed, hire professional help.

How do you write a nursing resume with no experience?

• If you have no official nursing experience, highlight relevant skills, education, and experiences that could directly translate into a role as a nurse. For instance, many jobs and volunteer roles have relevant skills such as communicating, working as part of a team, and time management.

Should I put GPA on a nursing resume?

• If you are a new grad, it can be helpful to put your GPA on a nursing resume, especially if you have not yet taken your NCLEX. Once you have earned your RN, however, a GPA is not necessary. You can include any academic honors, such as summa cum laude. 

Chaunie Brusie , BSN, RN is a nurse-turned-writer with experience in critical care, long-term care, and labor and delivery. Her work has appeared everywhere from Glamor to The New York Times to The Washington Post. Chaunie lives with her husband and five kids in the middle of a hay field in Michigan and you can find more of her work here . 

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New Grad Nurse Resume Example (W/ Templates & Tips!)

You're an aspiring nurse, and you just graduated!

You've mastered the art of patient care, so now you’re out and looking for your first job as a registered nurse.

But when it comes to writing your resume, you're self-diagnosed with writer's block.

It's ironic that after so many detailed reports you've tackled during nursing school, you just can’t seem to show off your skills and experience.

Just take a deep breath.

Preparing a resume might not be as exciting as your first clinical rotation, but it doesn’t have to be difficult.

With the right pointers, you can create the perfect new grad nurse resume!

And guess what? We're here to guide you every step of the way.

In this article, we’re going to cover:

• What an Amazing New Grad Nurse Resume Example Looks Like
• 8 Steps to Writing a Job-Winning Resume as a Recently Graduated Nurse
• The 67 Top Nursing Skills for 2024

...and so much more!

Ready to begin? Let’s jump right in.

New Grad Nurse Resume Example

That’s a spot-on example of a resume for a recently graduated nurse.

Here’s what it gets right:

• Uses the reverse-chronological resume format. This recent nursing grad has a resume that shows their newest experience first and then works its way back, so hiring managers can have a clear look at their experience.
• Starts with a strong resume objective. The nursing resume example above includes a brief paragraph in the header that catches employers’ attention and lets them know the candidate’s top skills, achievements, and professional aspirations.
• Only includes relevant contact information. Social media profiles aren’t appropriate for a nurse job application, so this candidate only lists her full name, phone number, email address, and location.
• Quantifies achievements. The candidate backs up their achievements with relevant data, which lets employers immediately see the benefit of hiring them.
• Expands on education. Since the candidate has just recently graduated, they elaborate on their education and how well-prepared they are for the role.
• Shows off in-demand skills. This new grad nurse resume makes sure the most relevant hard skills are in plain view, so hiring managers can easily see just what the candidate can do.
• Adds optional sections. The candidate leverages sections such as conferences and languages to make their resume stand out from other recently graduated nurses with similar skills and experience.
• Fits everything on one page. This new grad nurse resume uses every bit of space available to fit all the sections on one page.

8 Steps for a Great New Grad Nurse Resume

You know what a spot-on new graduate nurse resume includes, and now it’s your turn to write one.

Luckily, you just need to follow these easy steps:

#1. Choose a Resume Format

Before you can fill in the contents of your resume, you have to decide how it’s going to look.

Start by choosing the right resume format .

You have three main resume formats to choose from:

• Reverse-chronological (sometimes called chronological)
• Functional (sometimes called skill-based format)
• Combination (which blends elements of both)

For the vast majority of nursing graduates, the reverse-chronological resume format is the best choice.

This format shows your most recent work experience, skills, and accomplishments, which are what healthcare employers will want to see first.

It’s also hiring managers’ favorite resume format worldwide, so that should make it your first choice. 

Here's a quick glance:

Next, it’s time to perfect your resume layout .

Before a hiring manager reads your resume, they’re going to look at it. But if your resume is chaotic and hard on the eyes, it’ll probably get tossed aside.

Here’s how to make sure your new grad nurse resume leaves a great first impression:

• Adjust the margins. The margins on your document should be set to one inch on all sides so it doesn’t look too cluttered.
• Choose an appropriate font. Your resume’s font should be easy to read and stylish, but not overused. Skip Times New Roman and opt for something like Roboto instead.
• Set the font size. If the hiring manager has to squint to read your resume, they might just stop altogether. Use 10-12 pts for the body of your text and 14-16 pts for headings and section titles.
• Change the line spacing. To make sure your text isn’t too spaced out or overlapping, set the line spacing to 1.0 between text and 1.15 after subheadings.
• Send it in the right file format. Your new grad nurse resume should always be sent as a PDF. This way, your layout stays intact regardless of what device or software the hiring manager uses to open it.

Or Use a Professional Resume Template Instead

Starting your nurse resume from scratch takes a lot of effort.

You have to tweak the margins, adjust the line spacing, pick the best font, and make sure the sizes are uniform throughout your whole resume.

What if there was another way?

Just give any of our free resume templates a go and spare yourself the hassle.

Each of our templates is designed hand-in-hand with hiring managers from around the world, all to make sure your resume meets industry standards easily fits on one page, and lets you show off your personality.

Check for yourself how one of our resume templates compares to a standard text editor template:

#2. Fill In Your Contact Details

Once you’ve taken care of your resume format and layout, you can start filling in its contents.

Your contact information is the easiest section to fill out. All you need to do is make sure it’s factual – this isn’t the place to be inattentive. A single typo in your phone number or email address could cost you an opportunity.

Here’s what you need to include in this section:

• Full Name. (E.g. Jessica Smith)
• Professional Title. Make sure your resume’s professional title matches the specific nursing job you’re applying for. (E.g. Pediatric Nurse)
• Phone Number. If you're aiming for a job abroad, don't forget to include the dial code at the front of your number.
• Email Address. Ideally, use a combination of your first and last name. Quirky email addresses from high school won't cut it. (e.g. [email protected] is great, but [email protected] isn’t.)
• Location. List your city and state/country. If you’re willing to relocate for a job, specify it somewhere in your resume.

Jessica Smith - Registered Nurse +1 234 567 8910 [email protected] San Francisco, CA

Jessie Smith, Nurse 1234 567 8910 [email protected] Cali, USA

#3. Write a Convincing Resume Summary (or Objective)

Hiring managers go through hundreds of resumes daily, and they rarely spend more than a few seconds looking at a single resume . So if you want your new grad nurse resume to make an impression, you need to have an elevator pitch ready.

That would be the brief paragraph in your resume’s header, where you summarize some of your top skills, achievements, and other qualifications that make you right for the role.

Depending on your level of experience, here’s what you can write:

• Resume summary. If you have any clinical experience or internships from your time at university, a resume summary is the ideal choice. It provides a snapshot of your hands-on experience, primary nursing skills, and academic achievements.
• Resume objective. For fresh nursing graduates with limited experience, a resume objective is the way to go. This focuses on your nursing skills, relevant academic accomplishments, and your passion for patient care.

Here's a sample for a new grad nurse with some hands-on experience:

• Committed and compassionate Registered Nurse, seeking a position with Hospital X. With over two years of clinical experience during studies, skilled in patient care, medical documentation, and emergency response. CPR and First Aid certified. Eager to support a team in delivering patient-centered care.

For those just stepping into the nursing profession, here's a resume objective for a student with no experience :

• Dedicated Nursing Graduate, eager to join Hospital Y. Proficient in patient assessments, foundational nursing procedures, and effective communication. Motivated to contribute positively to patient outcomes and grow professionally in a dynamic healthcare environment.

#4. List Your Work Experience

The work experience section of your new grad nurse resume is what hiring managers will pay attention to, even if you're fresh out of school.

Presentation is key, so let's make sure yours is on point.

Here’s how to structure this section:

• List in reverse chronological order. Since you're newly graduated, start with your most recent clinical rotations or internships and then any related roles.
• Add the name of the facility. Specify the name of the hospital, clinic, or healthcare facility, and then its location.
• Include dates. Stick to the mm/yyyy format for clarity.
• Describe responsibilities and achievements. Highlight five to six key examples from your most recent experience in bullet points. Older roles might only need two to three.

But if you’re a recent nursing graduate, just listing your experience the right way isn’t enough.

You need to make it shine. Here’s how:

• Tailor your experience to the job. Look at the job ad and compare it to your experience so far. Your recent pediatric rotation might be more relevant for the position of school nurse than that summer you spent as a lifeguard.
• Focus on your impact. The hiring manager knows what a typical nursing student does, so you won’t impress them that easily. Instead, wow them by focusing on the difference you made during your rotations, such as improving patient outcomes or boosting morale.
• Quantify whenever possible. Put numbers next to any achievement you can. Quantifying your achievements can change the generic "assisted with patient care," into the more impressive "aided in the care of 10-15 patients daily under supervision."
• Use strong verbs. Instead of just "helped" or "worked", use powerful words like "administered", "collaborated", or "monitored" to show you as a proactive worker.

Check out this example for a nursing graduate:

Nursing Intern

St. Peter's Hospital

Seattle, WA

05/2022 - 09/2022

• Collaborated with a team of 5 registered nurses in the cardiac unit, assisting in the care of 10-12 patients daily.
• Administered medications under supervision, achieving a 100% accuracy rate throughout the internship.
• Assisted in patient documentation, updating medical histories and vital signs for over 250 patients during the rotation.
• Monitored and reported changes in patient conditions, resulting in timely interventions on several occasions.
• Received commendation from the head nurse for dedication and keen attention to detail during high-pressure situations.

What If I Don’t Have Work Experience?

Entering the world of healthcare as a fresh graduate nurse might seem overwhelming, especially if your resume feels light on professional experience.

However, your nursing resume can absolutely reflect your dedication and skills, even as you’re entering the field!

It's all about highlighting relevant experience, even if it isn’t professional.

Here are some examples you can choose from:

• Volunteering at health camps or local clinics
• Personal projects related to healthcare
• Academic projects related to patient care
• University health drives or campaigns

For example, if you volunteered at a health camp during your summer break, that’s an invaluable hands-on experience that can elevate your resume as a recently graduated nurse.

Here's an example:

Nurse Intern & Health Educator

Springfield Health Camp

06/2022 - 08/2022

• Volunteered in patient care, assisting registered nurses in administering basic treatments and wound care.
• Educated local community members about preventive healthcare measures, receiving positive feedback for clear communication.
• Assisted in organizing health seminars, ensuring informative sessions on nutrition, and hygiene.
• Collaborated with fellow interns to gather patient feedback, leading to improved patient education materials.
• Partnered with local schools to conduct health check-ups, providing basic healthcare knowledge to students.

#5. Add Your Most Vital Nursing Skills

Nursing is more than just administering medication or checking vitals. The job requires a broad range of skills , and the ones you add to your new grad nurse resume should align with the specific nursing position you're after.

Your skills section shows potential employers your clinical competencies and the depth of your training. If you tailor this section right, they’ll see how prepared you are to step into the role.

Here are some tips for writing a great skills section:

• Tailor them to the ad. Does the job description mention certain requirements for candidates? Whether it's wound care, patient education, or managing specific health conditions, add the skills you have to your resume.
• Research what skills you need. The world of healthcare is ever-evolving and the key to success is ongoing learning. Stay updated on patient care guidelines, innovative treatment methods, or emerging healthcare technologies.
• List hard and soft skills separately. Your new grad nurse resume should keep soft skills and hard skills neatly separate. This way, employers can find exactly what skills they’re looking for at a glance.

You've got the know-how to list your nursing skills.

All that’s left is to figure out which you should include on your resume.

Take a look at this list of the 67 most in-demand hard and soft skills for recently graduated nurses to get started!

67 Most In-Demand New Grad Nurse Skills

51 new grad nurse hard skills.

• Aseptic technique
• Electronic Health Records (EHR)
• EPIC Systems
• Record keeping
• Patient assessment
• Wound dressing
• IV insertion and management
• Medication administration
• First Aid and CPR
• Basic Life Support (BLS)
• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
• Catheter insertion and care
• Infection control
• Vaccination administration
• Pain management
• Patient education
• Care and discharge planning
• ECG interpretation
• Emergency response
• Surgical assistance
• Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)
• Oxygen therapy
• Endotracheal intubation
• Fluid and electrolyte balance
• Palliative care
• Ventilator management
• SOAP note documentation
• Patient charting
• Patient transport
• Tracheostomy care
• Gastrostomy feedings
• Diabetes management
• Hemodynamic monitoring
• Sterilization techniques
• Seizure precautions
• Ostomy care
• Orthopedic casting and splinting
• Isolation procedures
• Defibrillation
• HIPAA compliance
• Manual blood pressure measurement
• Nasogastric (NG) tube placement
• Critical care
• Telemetry monitoring
• Mobility assistance

16 New Grad Nurse Soft Skills

• Communication
• Adaptability
• Critical thinking
• Time management
• Problem-solving
• Active listening
• Self-awareness
• Stress management
• Interpersonal skills
• Organizational skills
• Conflict re solution

#6. Elaborate on Your Education

In any resume, work experience and skills speak louder than academic credentials. Usually, this section only gets a passing mention.

However, when you’re a newly graduated nurse, you might want to dive into more details.

If you don’t have as much hands-on experience as your peers, your education section is where your resume can shine.

Here’s how you should format the basics:

• Degree Name. (E.g. Bachelor of Science in Nursing)
• University Name. (E.g. Metropolitan University of Health Sciences)
• Location. (E.g. Los Angeles, CA)
• Years Attended. If you haven’t graduated yet, don’t worry about it. Over 74% of new graduate nurses have a job offer lined up before graduation. Instead of using the yyyy - yyyy format, you can specify your expected graduation date. (E.g. Expected graduation: May 2024)
• Optional Details. List any relevant coursework, such as classes, projects, or clinical rotations, that’s relevant to the nurse position you’re applying for.

The goal here is to paint a clear picture of how your studies have prepared you for the hands-on work in the world of nursing. Everything you add should be relevant, so you should skip your high school education.

Here’s an example of how your education section might look:

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Metropolitan University of Health Sciences

Los Angeles, CA

08/2019 - 06/2023

• Relevant Coursework: Pediatric Nursing, Critical Care Nursing, and Nursing Ethics.
• Research Project: "The Impact of Patient-Nurse Ratios on Care Quality."
• Clinical Rotations: Completed practical training in Pediatric, ICU, and Emergency Nursing departments.

#7. Leverage Optional Sections

Once you’ve come to the end of your new grad nurse resume, you have some leftover space.

This is a great opportunity for you to add optional sections, which can take your resume to the next level. These sections can be the cherry on top, giving potential employers deeper insight into who you are both professionally and personally.

Here are some sections you can choose from:

• Licenses and certifications. The more qualifications you have, the more commitment and readiness for nursing your resume shows.
• Awards. Any scholarships, academic honors, or nursing-related competitions you've won are good for showing off on your new grad nurse resume.
• Memberships. Being a part of professional nursing organizations gives you credibility and shows your drive to stay updated with industry trends.
• Languages. Hospitals and clinics appreciate nurses who can communicate with diverse patient populations, so speaking multiple languages is a huge plus.
• Publications or conferences. If you've written healthcare-related articles or created presentations for nursing school or even conferences, list them! It shows expertise and enthusiasm for particular subjects.
• Hobbies and interests. This section gives a glimpse into your personality. Activities like team sports can show teamwork skills and physical stamina, while interests like medical literature or meditation can show an interest in continuous learning and stress management.
• Florence Nightingale Academic Scholarship State Nursing School - 2022
• Top Performer American Red Cross First Aid Competition - October 2021

Memberships:

• National Student Nurses' Association (NSNA) Member - 2020

Always be sure to keep the optional sections you add to your new grad nurse resume relevant. Your interests in cooking or experience in the university drama club probably won’t do.

If you’re based in the USA, you should always include your nursing license number on your resume. But in countries where Nursing graduates are automatically registered with the board, there’s no need to add this credential.

#8. Attach an Equally Well-Made Cover Letter

Once you’ve completed your resume, your work isn’t done yet.

The last step on your resume-writing journey is writing a cover letter .

In reality, not writing a cover letter can significantly lower your chances of getting an interview since hiring managers expect to get cover letters .

There’s no need to worry, though! Your new grad nurse resume can be paired with a matching cover letter in no time.

Just take a look at what a great cover letter for a recently graduated nurse looks like:

You know the drill - you’ve seen a great cover letter, so now it’s time to make one yourself.

Follow our cover letter tips to nail it:

• Include the right contact information. Your new grad nurse cover letter should have the exact same contact information as your resume. Your full name, phone number, professional email address, and general location are enough, followed by the hiring manager’s contact information.
• Address your cover letter. Don’t skip the greeting or use something generic like “To whom it may concern”. Instead, do a bit of research and address the hiring manager by name to make a strong impression.
• Start with a strong opening. Your first paragraph should always include why you’re writing and what skills you can offer the employer, so they’ll want to read more.
• Expand on the details. This is the place to get creative! Elaborate on anything that makes you perfect for the job, but don’t just repeat what’s on your resume. Offer the hiring manager insight they wouldn’t get from just reading your new grad nurse resume.
• Finish it appropriately. Once you’re ready to wrap it up, invite the hiring manager to do something, like contact you. Then add an appropriate closing line and sign your name.

Key Takeaways

And that’s a wrap!

Now you’ll be well on your way to delivering extraordinary patient care.

But before you pick out your new scrubs, let’s recap what we talked about:

• Always add an eye-catching paragraph at the top of your new grad nurse resume. A resume summary is a great way to catch the hiring manager’s attention.
• Don’t worry too much about not having enough professional experience. Hiring managers won’t expect a fresh graduate to have Dr. House’s list of achievements.
• List your soft skills separately from your hard skills so hiring managers can easily find what they’re looking for, and make sure to tailor any skills on your resume to the job ad.
• While your education is usually less important than your hands-on experience, don’t be afraid to give more detail if you’re very inexperienced. It still shows off your medical know-how and it’s better than having blank space.
• Any licenses and certifications are a great addition to your resume as a newly graduated nurse, so make sure to add them right after your most important sections are filled in.

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The Best Resume Guide for Nurses

How to Write a Nursing Resume

Addressing required vs. preferred qualifications, types of nursing resumes.

• What Should Your Resume Include

Are you ready to earn your online nursing degree?

Whether you are a recent nursing school graduate or an experienced healthcare professional, writing a nursing resume that accurately and persuasively depicts your education, skills, and characteristics is the first step to getting an interview.

Since this important document is the initial impression you will make on a hiring manager, you must craft a resume that creatively addresses the employer’s requirements and highlights your professional achievements, helping you stand out from other qualified applicants.

The nursing field heavily relies on extensive practical training, certification and registered nurse licensure , and specialization, so it is important that your resume highlights your qualifications. Even personal qualities should emphasize practical applications (e.g., how your compassionate nature enables you to connect with patients or how your bilingualism helps you accommodate diverse populations as a nurse ).

Being specific can make a resume exceptional. Through this guide, you can learn how to tailor your nursing resume to an employer’s mission and job description.

Do Your Research

Learning how to write a nursing resume requires dedicated research that allows you to target information to your potential employer. On top of carefully going through the job description, look at the employer’s website and social media platforms to figure out their culture and values.

Some healthcare facilities emphasize education and certification, while others want nurses with more clinical experience. Find out what they want in an ideal employee and tailor your application accordingly. It is equally important to consider your needs and if the job fits your standards for professional advancement and personal happiness.

Write Down Your Key Points

Format your resume.

For more details and examples, see our tips for writing a nursing resume .

Addressing a potential employer’s specifications is the main objective in writing a nursing resume. But before writing, it’s important to identify required versus preferred job qualifications.

Because this profession necessitates advanced academic and professional training in addition to licensure and nursing clinical experience , job postings for nurses include extensive requirements that are either required or preferred criteria. Required reflects qualifications a candidate must possess to warrant consideration, while preferred is typically a wishlist of additional skills, experiences, and character traits that benefit the position but are not mandatory.

An effective resume details how an applicant fulfills required qualifications and as many of the preferred qualifications as possible without crowding the page and rendering the information inaccessible. Nurses can take advantage of a cover letter to elaborate and fill in additional qualifications with anecdotal evidence and data, if possible.

While some healthcare facilities outright reject applicants who do not possess all their required qualifications, most see the job listing as a guideline and not a checklist. Even if a nurse does not meet all the standards, they should still apply if they can impress during the interview.

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Ultimately, a resume represents the individual person, their academic standing, professional achievements, personal qualities, and career potential. How do you write a nursing resume that gets all these points across? Choose the proper formatting.

There are three main resume formats, each with their unique structure and distinct purpose: the reverse chronological, the functional, and the combination. Nurses need to use the resume style that best suits their particular skill set and the position they are vying for.

Reverse Chronological

The most commonly used resume type, this form benefits nurses who possess extensive and relevant professional experience. Here, past employment is the most important element, with positions listed in reverse chronological order. However, this reliable resume structure comes with drawbacks, as it can highlight gaps in employment, frequent job changes, and the candidate’s age.

Also referred to as the skill-based resume, this format highlights awards, accomplishments, and training, making it preferable for recent college graduates and other professionals who lack relevant work history. One of the major drawbacks of the functional resume is that it can expose a candidate’s limited experience in the nursing field.

Combination

The most complex resume type, the combination format eschews the either-or structure of the previous forms, enabling professionals to showcase relevant professional experience and skills and training. Experienced nurses, especially those with clinical specializations, benefit most from this resume form. However, versatility also renders it more difficult to construct, as the large amount of information can confuse readers if not conveyed clearly.

What Should I Include on a Nursing Resume?

Education and training.

The American Nurses Credentialing Center provides a standardized way of listing all your credentials. The preferred sectional order is education, licensure, state designations, certification, awards and honors, and additional certification. Start with your highest degree, then work backwards.

You do not need to include high school information or graduation dates. If you are currently working on a degree, state that completion is pending or in progress. Whether you provide GPA information is up to you. Generally, it is only worthwhile if you graduated in the last three years and earned a 3.5 or better.

Display professional nursing experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your current or most recent position. If you have gaps in employment, prepare to address them. Consider listing facility- and unit-specific information, including total beds, trauma levels, and patient demographics. Specificity when writing a nursing resume elevates it from good to great.

For example, while both positions require a great deal of stamina, a nursing home nurse does not fulfill the same responsibilities as an urgent care nurse. By framing professional experience through a personal lens, your resume stands out among the rest.

Out of all the resume sections, this one benefits from keyword use the most. You can usually find out what skills an employer wants by analyzing the job description. Tailor this section to meet those needs. Work in categories, such as basic care, technical, administrative, and computer skills.

Be strategic and specific. Instead of “defibrillation insertions,” list “automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator insertions.” Finally, do not neglect soft skills for nurses , like reliability and adaptability or special skills like a foreign or sign language. These details can set you apart from other applicants.

Licensure and Certifications

As a registered nurse, you’ve earned a state-specific nursing license . And because the profession consists of diverse and advanced nursing specializations , you also may have pursued certification exams and postdegree training in areas like gerontology or cardiac-vascular nursing. List them in their entirety and avoid acronyms.

For licenses, use this order: license type, licensing state/body, license name and number, nurse license compact , and expiration date. For certifications, start with the name, followed by conferring organization, expiration, and certification number, if applicable.

Awards, Accomplishments, and Affiliations

Celebrate all relevant achievements, but do it honestly and in a way that reflects your ongoing commitment to nursing and capacity for high performance in the new position. These achievements may include academic recognition; official awards; and competitive scholarships, fellowships, grants, and internships. Also display membership in professional organizations, such as the American Nurses Association or Sigma Theta Tau, the international honor society of nursing.

As an experienced professional, you may find that you possess an abundance of awards and accomplishments. In these instances, narrow them to the most prestigious, current, and applicable to the job you are applying for.

Volunteer Work

Unpaid positions let prospective employers know you understand the importance of community education, outreach, and engagement. Only include volunteer work that relates to nursing or the health services field. As always, when writing a nursing resume, furnish specific details that showcase your skills in action (e.g., you managed a 10-person team to canvas a neighborhood about HIV/AIDS prevention).

What Should I Put on My Nursing Resume If I Don’t Have Any Experience?

For recent college graduates, professionals switching careers, and those with limited clinical experience, learning how to write a resume for a nursing job may seem overwhelming. You can make up for inexperience by using a functional hybrid resume format that places academic credentials, qualifications, and skills above the employment section. Additionally, you have completed extensive training as a student and perhaps continuing education, so highlight state licensure, optional certification, and organizational membership to further bolster your resume.

Start with a personal introduction that states more than just the obvious (that you want the job), but also speaks to your professional values as a nurse and the training and education you possess. The lack of contextualization can represent a major pitfall of the functional resume. Avoid this by making your skills applicable to actual work scenarios that relate to a nurse’s duties.

Hospital managers seek employees who display skills, such as critical thinking, safe practice, customer service, and interpersonal communication. As a nursing student, you completed hours of clinical training. Use these experiences to show employers your skills in action, framing them in terms of achievements.

Finally, take full advantage of volunteer positions, giving them their own section, to show that you not only display the practical qualifications for the job, but also care passionately about the well-being of patients and healthcare equitability for all communities.

What Is a Resume-Reading Robot/ATS?

To deal with a flood of candidates, many employers use an applicant tracking system (ATS). Like a hiring manager quickly scanning for standouts among the group, the ATS ranks and categorizes nursing resumes by how many designated keywords they contain. This automated process reduces an employer’s manual workload and theoretically vets resumes with a large amount of filler content, an indication of unqualified applicants.

However, the ATS may also unnecessarily reject qualified nurses as part of automated software processes. To avoid this unfair outcome, learning how to write a nurse resume requires working within and overcoming the ATS framework.

Tips for Outsmarting an ATS

• Simple Headers: To accommodate the ATS, use header terms common enough to show up in keyword searches, such as “skills,” “professional experience,” and “education.” Do not neglect to include city, state, and, if living outside the U.S., country, because employers generally vet candidates by location.
• Clean Format: Engaging visuals are useless if they make your resume difficult to read. Use a simple format that contains no graphics or unusual fonts because the standard ATS cannot process such information, resulting in an automatic rejection. In general, Verdana, Tahoma, and Arial fonts at the 10.5 point size or above are acceptable.
• Keywords/Phrases: You can usually glean relevant keywords from the job description. If not, conduct some research into phrases commonly found in the nursing field, such as “patient care,” “clinical research,” and “community outreach.” Avoid abbreviations in all cases.
• Industry-Specific Jargon: ATS keywords reveal a candidate’s relevant skills and experiences. The more specific a keyword is to the particular position you are applying for, the better. When in doubt, use the hiring employer’s phrases first, industry standards second, and your current or previous employer’s terminology third.
• Choose the nursing resume type that best highlights your experience, personality, and qualifications.
• Be specific; specificity helps your resume stand out from the rest.
• Format your resume using headers and keywords that make it easy to read — whether by a person or an applicant tracking system.

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How to Write an Exceptional New-Grad Nursing Resume

Writing a new-grad nursing resume is a daunting task for most new-grads. The fear of having no experience and being unqualified leaves many wondering what details to include . Moreover,  many new-grads wonder how to structure their nursing resume in a way that best conveys their current skill-set and value to prospective employers. As former recruiters, we reviewed thousands of new-grad resumes. In this blog post, we’ll draw on that experience to provide a comprehensive guide to creating an amazing nursing resume for new-grads.

How to Structure Your New-Grad Nursing Resume

How you structure your resume has an impact on its effectiveness. Let’s first consider which headings to include on your resume. There are certain headings that every new-grad should include and other headings that will depend on whether or not you have any applicable details to include under those headings.

Headings that every new-grad nursing resume should include (Required)

Every new-grad resume should include the following headings (we’ll discuss why we recommend these headings and provide tips for each below):

Licenses and Certifications

• Clinical Rotations

Optional headings for your new-grad nursing resume

Each of the following headings should be considered and included based on whether or not you have relevant details to include:

Work History

Affiliations, volunteer activities, honors and awards, skills summary, how to order the headings.

Now let’s take a look at the ordering of the headings. Of course, your contact information should be at the top of your resume. As usual, you should place the Summary as first heading on your resume. Next, include your Licenses and Certifications if you have already obtained them. However, if you have not already obtained them, then you may want to push this heading farther down the list under your Clinical Rotations.

Next, include your Education followed by your Clinical Rotations. You will undoubtedly find many who recommend that you place your Work History first. Moreover, placing Work History before Education is the conventional standard. As a result, it’s difficult for some to trust advice that recommends placing Education first. So, here’s our supporting argument…

As a new-grad, you may not even have work experience. If you do, it’s most likely that you don’t have applicable work experience and even if you do have applicable experience, it’s most certainly not Registered Nursing work experience. You can’t obtain RN work experience without an RN license and you can’t get an RN license without first graduating from an accredited nursing program and passing the NCLEX.

Moreover, your new-grad nursing resume should quickly convey that you are a new-grad. There is no point in trying to hide this fact. If employers are considering new-grads for an open position, then recruiters and hiring managers are going to be receptive to your situation. If they’re not considering new-grads for the opening and are instead requiring experience for the position, then they’re not going to be receptive to your situation. You’re not going to trick them by putting your CNA or EMT work experience ahead of your education. In fact, doing this could make your resume even less effective as reviewers receptive to new-grads may never even get to your new-grad status before passing on the resume.

Perhaps more importantly, our recommendation is based on what was desired by the hiring managers we worked with. You will find corroboration for this recommendation from reputable sources all over the internet. For example, the sample new-grad resumes from California State University Chico and  University of Texas San Antonio  both have the headings listed in the order we recommend. Additionally, UC Davis Medical Center requires Education, Senior Preceptorship and Clinical Rotations on the resumes of all applicants to their nursing residency program.

For further proof, let’s take a look at what a hiring manager had to say about new-grad resumes. As the Director of Workforce Development for Orange County Memorial Care University and a Board Member of the Association of California Nurse Leaders, Maria-Jean Caterinicchio, RN, MS said, “It (your resume) should state where you have done your clinicals and any certifications such as EKG and ACLS. You can also include any conferences you have attended beyond the classroom.” Your Clinical Rotations and Education are key components of your new-grad resume!

That takes care of the 4 required headings. The 6 optional headings can be ranked as you see fit. Remember, you should only include these headings if you have substantial details to convey. And you may want to rank them in order of strength as they relate to the job in question. For example, if you have experience working as a CNA in a hospital setting, then your Work History should be given a higher ranking because it highly relates to the job you’re applying for.

Specific Details to Include on Your New-grad Nursing Resume

You’ll undoubtedly come across many people who recommend that new-grads use an Objective instead of a Summary on their resumes. The argument is that you really have nothing to summarize as a new-grad. However, we think that Objectives are an outdated resume heading that do nothing to advance your main objective of conveying why you’re the right person for the job. Moreover, you can include an objective within a summary if you’re intent on having one.

Here are three articles from major publications that support summaries over objectives:

• Forbes on Summaries
• themuse on Summaries
• Careerealism on Summaries

Now, you may have heard that recruiters spend 6 seconds reviewing your resume. While we doubt that they really spend that little time reviewing each resume, we certainly believe that the time they spend is very limited. Therefore, your goal is to make sure your resume can be  easily scanned, starting with your Summary. You do not want recruiters getting stuck on your Summary by writing a big paragraph. Instead, use bullet points and try to keep each point at 1 to 2 lines .

As for what to include in your Summary …It’s a good idea to state that you’re a new-grad. You might summarize your clinical rotations. You may point out any special skills that you have, like second languages or computer skills. And, as mentioned previously, you may include an objective.

We recommend listing each license and certification with the following information:

• Full name of the license or certification.
• Full name of the issuing body of the license or certification.
• Expiration date of the license or certification if applicable.
• License or certification number if applicable.
• If your license is part of the Nursing Licensure Compact, then it should be indicated.

Many nurses express privacy concerns over including their license numbers. Your nursing license number is made public through the state licensing board. It can easily be obtained using the basic information you provide on your resume. Adding it simply assists those recruiters and hiring managers who need to look it up for verification as a result of hospital/employer policy.

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Education for Your New-Grad Nursing Resume

You should display all of your relevant college education. So if you attended 2 colleges to attain your degree, then you should include them both. Please do not include your high school education. We recommend including the following information for each pertinent education institution you attended:

• Full official name of the education institution.
• City and State
• Dates attended.
• Degree achieved.
• GPA if it was good.

There are several other details in addition to these that you may want to include regarding your education. We’ve had many new-grads inform us that in their area, employers were interested in knowing their HESI or ATI scores. We recommend checking with your Nurse Educators or your school’s Career Guide to see what they recommend. You may also wish to include relevant coursework and corresponding grades if you got an A. However, keep this brief and relevant to the job you’re applying for.  Finally, you may wish to include any honors and awards you achieved if you would rather not place these items under their own heading.

Clinical Rotations on Your New-Grad Nursing Resume

Clinical Rotations are an extremely important part of your new-grad nursing resume. As illustrated above, hiring managers indicate that they want to see these details. Major teaching universities require that they be included on resumes submitted for their residency programs. We consider them the crux of your new-grad resume. At a minimum, you should include the following:

Details to include about your clinical rotations

• Type of experience (Clinical Rotation, Senior Preceptorship, other).
• Start and end dates.
• Total number of hours worked.
• Name of the hospital or institution.
• City and State.
• Name of the unit/department (examples: Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Medical Surgical Unit (MS), Labor and Delivery Unit (L&D)).

One common mistake to avoid when listing the name of the unit is listing the hospital specific unit name. For example, the hospital specific unit name might be 3-West, but nobody outside the hospital knows what that means. Instead, list the type of unit it was as designated by the type of patients the unit took.

In addition to the details above, we also recommend including the following information:

Optional details to include about your clinical rotations

• Facility type: Every facility has a technical designation. For example, most hospitals are “Acute Care Hospitals”. Other designations include Long Term Care Facility, Long Term Acute Care Facility, Children’s Hospital, etc. Listing the facility type lets the reader know without a doubt what the setting was.
• Number of beds in the facility.
• List the facility’s trauma designation if applicable.
• If the facility was a teaching hospital, then include that information.
• Number of beds on the unit you were assigned to.
• Trauma designation of the unit you were assigned to if applicable.
• Age range of the patients the unit cared for if applicable.
• Nurse to patient ratio on the unit.
• Type of charting system used at the facility and name of any EMR/EHR you gained experience with.
• The grade you received if it was an A.

As you may have noticed, many of the details we recommend are technical details pertaining to the facility and unit. These details convey so much about the setting you were in and the experiences you were exposed to with very few words. So including them provides the reader with a ton of useful information. Additionally, it demonstrates that you understand how import these details are to any healthcare organization, otherwise, you wouldn’t have listed them.

Additional options for highlighting your clinical rotations

Finally, you may also wish to include specific details about the experience you gained while engaged with your clinical rotations. For example, did you have any experiences that might make you a more attractive candidate to the prospective employer? Did you learn anything specific about compassion for patients, team work, the importance of learning and growth as a new-grad RN? If you did, then try to offer the specifics to illustrate exactly what happened.

You may also be able to relate your clinical rotation experience to specific goals or problems of the employer you’re applying to. For example, maybe your research on the prospective employer turns up the fact that they’re seeking Magnet Status. If one of the facilities that you worked at during your rotations was seeking to achieve the same goal, then you may be able to find some way to relate your experience to it. Or, perhaps the prospective employer is trying to improve their HCAHPS score and one of the facilities you worked at just achieved success with a similar endeavor. There are limitless possibilities with this option. The main idea is to try and relate your experience during clinical rotations to a real problem or goal faced by the prospective employer.

At this point, we’ve covered each of our recommended required headings. As you may have noticed, we’ve offered tons of options. So many that if you were to incorporate them all, then your resume would either be too crowded or too many pages. However, many of the details we offer are simply for your consideration. It’s not required to include them all. So pick and choose the ones that work best for you by researching the job in question and determining which details will be of most value to the prospective employer.

Optional Details for Your New-grad Nursing Resume

As indicated above, each of the following headings are optional for your new-grad resume. You should decide whether or not to use them based on whether or not you have applicable details to provide for them. Let’s take a brief look at each of them

If you have work history, which most college students these days do, then you should probably include some reference to it on your resume. Try your best to convey how the experience relates to nursing. This will be a lot easier to do if the experience was healthcare related. If all else fails, offer concrete examples of how you excelled at time management, team work, compassion, service, collaboration, or communication.

One important issue to consider regarding work history is stability. Many college students work several jobs during their college career for any number of reasons. Too many short term stints may exhibit instability to prospective employers who are about to devote a large amount of resources to you. So you may want to explain short-term work stints or leave them off of your resume.

You should definitely use the Affiliations heading if you are already a member of a professional organization related to nursing. For example, if you’re a member of the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, then prospective employers will want to know. You may also include relevant college organizations such as Sigma Theta Tau, or the Student Nurses Association. Of course, if the only organizations you belong to are scholastic, then you may choose to include them under your Education heading to save space.

When listing your affiliations, consider including the following details:

• Full name of the organization.
• Date joined.
• Your designation within the organization.
• Any special duties.
• Organization conferences attended.

Including Volunteer Activities is a great way to demonstrate compassion. You may have volunteered for charity or at a healthcare facility. Consider including the following details:

• Dates of engagement.
• Quantify the number of hours volunteered.
• Description of duties and results you achieved if applicable.
• Any awards or recognition you received.

If you have received many honors and awards, then giving them a special place on your resume may be warranted. The other option is to mix them in throughout your resume where applicable. Consider including the following details:

• Name or title of the award.
• Date received.
• Organization received from.
• Significance of the award, or reason it was received.

For most new-grads, a Skills Summary heading may not be warranted. Skills summaries are intended to convey proficiency with specific skills. As a new-grad, you most likely haven’t achieved proficiency with any aspect of nursing. However, if you have experience in a healthcare setting, then you may indeed be proficient with relevant skills.

For example, you may be certified in phlebotomy or Crisis Prevention. In any case, if you haven’t achieved proficiency, then you may be better served by listing skills as details under the heading that pertains to where the skills were practiced.

Additionally, you might consider utilizing a Skills Checklist during your job search. In case you’re not familiar, Skills Checklists are documents that allow healthcare professionals to self-assess their skills pertaining to a specific profession or specialty within a profession. They are commonly used by healthcare employers of all types to gauge their employees’ skill sets.

BluePipes has over 100 comprehensive skills checklists that you can complete, save and download at your convenience. You can print them out and take them to job interviews in order to easily convey your level of expertise with hundreds of skills.

Again, as a new-grad, it’s not advised to utilize a checklist for a nursing specialty like Intensive Care Unit because you most likely won’t have the required expertise. However, if you have experience as a CNA, Phlebotomist, or LPN, then you could use one of those checklists as a way to stand out from the crowd.

These checklists are free to use on BluePipes. So, join today to take advantage!

A recent study by Wanted Analytics found that “bilingual” was the second most common skill listed on nursing job postings in the United States. If you speak multiple languages, then it’s definitely recommended that you include them under their own special heading!

What Hiring Managers and Job Postings are Looking for in New-Grad RNs

It’s important to remember that experience, temperament, talents, and convictions vary from person to person. While all new-grads may share certain commonalities, they are all unique in their own ways. Similarly, it’s fine for new-grad resumes to share certain commonalities, but each should be unique in it’s own way.

As you’ve seen, we have strong opinions on the structure of your resume and we provide many recommendations on various details to include. However, we’re not writing the resume for you. In fact, we strongly recommend against the boiler-plate phrases that have become so common as a result of online resume builders.

So, when it comes to the meat of your resume, let the words of hiring managers and job postings guide your efforts. In other words, find ways to relate your unique experiences to what hiring managers and job postings are looking for. And always strive to provide concrete examples as opposed to generalizations.

Assuming that you’re applying for a job through a job posting (as opposed to networking for a job), you should do your best to optimize your resume for the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). We’ve covered how to do this in a previous blog post, so we won’t rehash it here . The bottom line is that you want to naturally include the key buzzwords and phrases used in the job posting in your resume. This way, you’re ranked higher by the ATS.

Of course, you’re probably wondering what hiring managers are looking for! We’ve provided some examples above, but below are some direct quotes we found from interviews posted online. These quotes validate what our own experience as recruiters taught us.

“Knowing that new nurses are very green in regards to their technical skills, we look to whether a nurse is really ready to step into the profession. We are looking for those who are really interested in making life better for people who are suffering.”  Kimberly Horton, MSN, RN, FNP, DHA, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Mercy Hospital and Mercy Southwest Hospital in Bakersfield, California “We expect our new nurse graduates to have the basic fundamental nursing knowledge and we are also looking for compassion, a sense of teamwork, accountability and communication. We look for an attitude of collaboration and communication.”  Maria-Jean Caterinicchio, RN, MS, Director of Workforce Development for Orange County Memorial Care University and Board Member of the Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL) Always side on patient safety first. Be open to feedback. Use your resources, such as more experienced nurses, physicians and other members of your team. This will also help you build a support system. Always ask questions when you are unsure or don’t know something.  Discuss your feelings and/or concerns with your unit leadership. From the first day on the job, be a team player.   Greg Kingsley, RN, New Grad Nurse Recruiter, Emory Healthcare 

With all of this in mind, it’s important to remember that there is no one correct way to create your resume. We certainly hope this guide provides an idea of best practices as well as an idea of what you shouldn’t do.

Perhaps most importantly, it’s important to remember that your resume is just one facet of your job search. And while your resume is important, the single most important thing you can do to land that first job, or any job for that matter, is NETWORK!

Estimates indicate 70% to 80% of all jobs are filled through networking. And it’s always best to operate with the “80-20 rule” in mind. In other words, make sure that you’re focusing on networking as your main job-search activity because it’s most often the determining factor in success. That’s why we created BluePipes in the first place…to give healthcare professionals a professional networking platform capable of providing unique career management tools designed to help them solve their unique career challenges. Join today, it’s free and easy!

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So my situation is a little different. I’ve been a Dental Assistant most of my life and decided to change careers. I have now achieved my RN. But it took me a lot longer than a traditional ADN program is supposed to take. I had an “issue” at the first school I started the nursing program at and ended up needing to find another school to complete the program. Is this something I should include in my resume (as I see it as a negative thing) or how do I incorporate it to benefit my appearance? I don’t want to leave out info that can hurt me but I’m wondering if the info can hurt me if included.

I agree with Kyle.

List out your clinicals. Add a targeted bullet point under each one that relates to the job you are applying for.

Learn about ATS. Read the job posting. What words are on there most? What qualifications MUST you have? What qualifications do they PREFER? All the ones you have – write them down. Yes, use their words.

Also read their mission and values. Look through their website. Encorporate their values with yours. A great place to do this is in your cover letter.

– Melissa

Thanks! It did 🙂

What do you recommend to someone like me whose 19 years old. Has no work experience, this is my first career.. my resume would be completely blank pretty much. I know you said don’t include high school education.. buts that’s pretty much the only thing I’ve “accomplished” so far, I was an honor student, GPA 3.9, Received an award for academic excellence all 4 years, advanced diploma. And currently my GPA is 3.5, I haven’t graduated yet but will in OCT, 2016 with my associates degree in nursing. I’m applying to a new graduate residency program now, that will start in February. Please HELP! 🙁 how can I make my resume better?

Thanks for the inquiry Glenda. Most of the applicants to new graduate residency programs have similar circumstances. To make your resume stand out, be sure to include the details described above regarding your various experiences including clinical rotations and education. You’re welcome to include your high school education. However, chances are it will not be considered. Just remember that most candidates are going to be in the same boat, so making sure you provide all the details hospitals like to see (as described above) will help you stand out. I hope this helps!

Great article! Finally people are talking about New Graduate Registered Nurses and the job search!! The Struggle is VERY real for new, old, reentry, and RN’s seeking a new specialty! Especially in oversaturated markets like California.

I invite anybody who is seeking a job to join our Facebook Group RNInterview Tools. https://www.facebook.com/groups/PlayingTheGame/ All are invited to share what worked for them, post questions, and seek support from others who understand.

Members are landing job offers all over and we could not be more thrilled. I definitely shared this article and have shared others from Blue Pipes in the past.

Thank you for assisting all of us Nurses in our quest.

Glad to hear the article is useful and thanks for sharing, Melissa!

Help! I just graduated in May 2016 and got hired as an RN in a hospital. Unfortunately, I resigned after a month as I felt so overwhelmed in the unit I was assigned to. Should I include that one month experience in my resume?

Thanks for sharing, Aleli and sorry to hear about the difficulties. This is a tough situation. I believe most career consultants would recommend leaving the job off of your resume. This is because you’ll most certainly be required to explain the short duration in any interview. Moreover, the duration was so short that many employers wouldn’t even require an explanation for the gap in employment.

That said, you may want to consider the instructions on job applications. Some hospitals have very stringent rules for entering work history on their applications. For example, they might require every employer for the past 7 years to be entered on the application regardless of duration and also require applicants to provide an explanation of any gaps in employment of greater than 1 month. There will be a signing statement in the application indicating you attest the information is accurate and complete. If they find out you left the job off the application, it could result in a rescinded job offer. Although the chances of this happening are slim.

I hope this information helps!

Nursing is my second career. I taught elementary school before this. Should I include my education for that? Also, should I include teaching school in my work history? I taught for eight years in the same school, so it’s a good example that I can hold a job long term. Thanks!

Congratulations on your new career, Priscilla. Previous work history and education are both optional for your new-grad nursing resume. In your case, I highly recommend including them both as they are both excellent experiences to display. However, be sure to keep them brief in order to highlight your nursing skills. I hope this helps!

Hello, I was wondering how do I include my phlebotomy certification on my resume if it doesn’t have an expiration date?

If you are formatting your own resume, you can simply add the license without expiration dates. However, I’m wondering if you’re using BluePipes to format your resume? Please let me know if so. Thanks!

Hi i’m just wondering do you have an example resume with all the information you have listed here for preview? thank you!

My apologies, but we don’t have a sample. We’ll work on creating though. Thanks!

How about information on building a new-grad RN Cover letter?

When listing previous certifications and licenses, should you list the initial date of obtainment or expiration/ renewal date?

Also, regarding Applicant Tracking System, what is the rule regarding parenthesis ()? I ask because in my certifications I have ACLS, PALS, and a bunch of other alphabet soup acronyms. Should I use (ACLS) after Advanced Cardiac Life Support?

Good questions! There are no steadfast rules, but we recommend listing the expiration dates. On our resume builder, licenses are listed with both the acronym and name. For example: ACLS – Advanced Cardiac Life Support

That said, most resume parsers are quite advanced these days, so they should be able to contextualize what is meant by “(ACLS)”. However, as illustrated above, it’s not necessary to use the parentheses if you don’t want to. I hope this helps!

Help! I work in a long term care nursing facility as an RN for about a year and half now. This is my first nursing job and nursing is my second career. What can you suggest in writing my resume? Are my clinical rotations still relevant? Thanks.

There isn’t a steadfast rule that applies to your question. I think it’s fair to say that most recruiters and nursing career advisers would say that your clinical rotations shouldn’t be added to your resume after a year and a half of working in an LYC facility. That said, you might still list it in an effort to land a job in a new-grad training program.

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29 Nursing Resume Examples That Worked in 2024

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

Writing Your Nursing Resume

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

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

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

No matter your specialty or where you’re in your nursing career, we’ve got 29 nursing resume samples to help you  make a resume online  from scratch or update your current resume to get you your next nursing job in 2024!

Nursing Resume

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

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

Experienced Nurse Resume

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

Nursing Student Resume

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

New Grad Nursing Resume

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

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

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Resume

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

RN BSN Resume

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

Registered Nurse Resume

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Resume

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

Nursing Manager Resume

• How far back should you go? You wonder. If you have a master’s degree in nursing or healthcare management, make that the centerpiece of your education section. Otherwise, a bachelor’s degree fits the bill! Of course, don’t forget to add the institution’s name and the year you graduated.

Critical Care Nursing Resume

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

Director of Nursing Resume

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

NICU Nurse Resume

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

Operating Room Nurse Resume

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

School Nurse Resume

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

Telemetry Nurse Resume

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

Nurse Practitioner Resume

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

ICU Nurse Resume

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

Travel Nurse Resume

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

Charge Nurse Resume

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

Chief Nursing Officer Resume

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

Telehealth Nurse Resume

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

Nurse Consultant Resume

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

Office Nurse Resume

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

Home Dialysis Nurse Resume

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

ER Nurse Resume

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

Labor and Delivery Nurse Resume

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

Nurse Manager Resume

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

Pediatric Nurse Resume

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

Related resume guides

• Physician Assistant
• Dental Assistant

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

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

Reverse-chronological, functional, and combination/hybrid format

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

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

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

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

Contact header

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

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

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

Will your nursing resume beat the ATS?

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

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

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

Writing your nursing resume

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

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

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

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

When to include a career objective in your resume:

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

When a summary is right for your resume:

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

When not to use objectives or summaries:

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

When objectives or summaries are worth including:

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

Nursing work experience?

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

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

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

Writing your job experience bullet points for your nursing resume

Three examples of poor job experience bullet points for nurses:

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

Three examples of good job experience bullet points for nurses:

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

Quantify your impact as a nurse

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

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

Examples of how to quantify metrics:

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

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

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

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

Top skills for your nursing resume

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

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

Examples of hard skills:

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

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

Examples of soft skills:

• Communication 
• Professionalism
• Positive attitude

Get noticed! Look for keywords within a job description:

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

Nursing education and certifications

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Examples of hobbies/interests:

• Volunteering for community health services
• Learning new languages

Examples of projects:

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

Adjust your nursing resume for every job application

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

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

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

Your nursing resume must be error-free

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

Confidently land your next Nursing gig

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

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

Graduate Nurse Resume Sample

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Create a Resume in Minutes with Professional Resume Templates

Work Experience

• Serves as the patient and family advocate with respect to the patients right to privacy by protecting confidential information
• Accompanies Level 1 Trauma patients transported to University Hospital in accordance with physician orders
• Serves as the patient and family advocate with respect to the patients' right to privacy by protecting confidential information
• Clinical Role Model - Demonstrates an advanced level of clinical skills, rehabilitation nursing skills, and the
• Leadership - Demonstrates interpersonal skills and competency in leadership, supervision and management
• Serves as the patient and family advocate with respect to the patient’s right to privacy by protecting confidential information
• Participates and cooperates in department based Quality Improvement processes
• Serves as the patient and family advocate with respect to patients' right to privacy by protecting confidential information
• Assesses and coordinates patient’s discharge planning needs with members of the healthcare team
• Current license or permit to practice nursing in the State of Texas
• ACLS within 12 months of hire and maintain certification throughout employment
• PALS within 12 months of hire and maintain certification throughout employment
• Patient careincluding but not limited to medication administration, identifying potential problems, changes or instability, and organizing activities and interventions
• Completing initial assessments
• Initiating and updating treatment plan and documentation
• Being an advocate for our patients
• Facilitates patient care through developing and maintaining therapeutic & effective communication/ relationships with patient/family and the health care team
• Assessments - Collects, prioritizes, and synthesizes comprehensive data pertinent to the patient’s health or situation
• Evaluation - Evaluates the patient’s progress towards attainment of the outcome
• Professional Practice Evaluation - Evaluates one’s own nursing practice in relation to professional practice standards and regulatory guidelines
• Documents patients’ physical assessment, vital signs, treatment reviews and observations in patient medical records and brings issues to the attention of the physician and primary nurse under the supervision of a registered nurse
• Communicates emergencies, patient life-threatening complications and related incidents to supervisor, hospital staff, and the patient’s physician
• Nursing care is provided in accordance with hospital policies and procedures, applicable state Nursing Practice Acts, ANA Standards of Practice, and the generic and unit structure standards

Professional Skills

• Administrative - Demonstrates excellent skills in planning, organizing and managing personnel resources in
• Demonstrating dependability, excellent customer service, superior communication, organization and documentation skills
• Support network and education to develop critical thinking skills and new graduate competence
• Clinical Nurse II (CN II) - Level of entry for a newly hired experienced Registered Nurse possessing at least one year of RN experience
• Application of clinical knowledge and new skills in a state-of-the-art health care environment
• Experience: No experience required for new grads
• Over 60 ours of hands on skills lab training

How to write Graduate Nurse Resume

Graduate Nurse role is responsible for nursing, research, patient, regulatory, oncology, training, integration, compensation, reporting, education. To write great resume for graduate nurse job, your resume must include:

• Your contact information
• Work experience
• Skill listing

Contact Information For Graduate Nurse Resume

The section contact information is important in your graduate nurse resume. The recruiter has to be able to contact you ASAP if they like to offer you the job. This is why you need to provide your:

• First and last name
• Telephone number

Work Experience in Your Graduate Nurse Resume

The section work experience is an essential part of your graduate nurse resume. It’s the one thing the recruiter really cares about and pays the most attention to. This section, however, is not just a list of your previous graduate nurse responsibilities. It's meant to present you as a wholesome candidate by showcasing your relevant accomplishments and should be tailored specifically to the particular graduate nurse position you're applying to. The work experience section should be the detailed summary of your latest 3 or 4 positions.

Representative Graduate Nurse resume experience can include:

• Completes patient documentation in a comprehensive manner in accordance with facility policies and regulatory requirements that promotes interdisciplinary communication
• Demonstrates the ability to transfer skill set and work in other Facility/Hospital settings when required
• Mentoring on your evidence-based practice project, career planning, and development of a rewarding professional nursing identity
• Completion of an accredited nursing program and less than 12 months of nursing experience
• At least 4 months of experience as a Nursing Assistant in an Emergency environment
• Experience working as an EMT or Paramedic

Education on a Graduate Nurse Resume

Make sure to make education a priority on your graduate nurse resume. If you’ve been working for a few years and have a few solid positions to show, put your education after your graduate nurse experience. For example, if you have a Ph.D in Neuroscience and a Master's in the same sphere, just list your Ph.D. Besides the doctorate, Master’s degrees go next, followed by Bachelor’s and finally, Associate’s degree.

Additional details to include:

• School you graduated from
• Major/ minor
• Year of graduation
• Location of school

These are the four additional pieces of information you should mention when listing your education on your resume.

Professional Skills in Graduate Nurse Resume

When listing skills on your graduate nurse resume, remember always to be honest about your level of ability. Include the Skills section after experience.

Present the most important skills in your resume, there's a list of typical graduate nurse skills:

• Phase 1 & 2: 11 weeks classroom, self study, OR skills days, & facility clinical days with looping assignments
• New leaders with a passion for supporting nurses in reaching their professional goals, excellent practice, and collegial relationships
• A strong voice in making decisions that affect your working environment
• New leader on this unit with a passion for supporting nurses in reaching their professional goals, excellent practice, and collegial relationships
• Customer Service - Demonstrates awareness of his/her unique position and method of dealing with customers
• Pass the NCLEX exam prior to starting employment at MedStar Health

List of Typical Experience For a Graduate Nurse Resume

Experience for new graduate nurse resume.

• Evidence-based capstone project
• No experience. For Fall 2018 Graduate Nurses
• Seeks appropriate resources for problem-solving as needed. Assumes responsibility for own learning outcomes
• Provide patient teaching based on identified needs
• Participates in data collection for ongoing research. Applies research findings to clinical practice
• 5-5:General medicine unit with teaching services and telemetry
• 0 nursing GPA or higher
• BSN, Associates or Diploma in Nursing with commitment to obtain BSN within three years of date of hire
• Self- Scheduling -

Experience For New Graduate Nurse Residency Program Resume

• Observes patient status and responses
• Documents and reports observations to preceptor or other appropriate staff
• Attends Facility/Hospital orientation, homeroom meetings, and mandatory in-services as required
• Verifies accurate charges and documentation are submitted in a timely manner Enters ACOI Data accurate and in a timely manner
• Patient Care & Service.Promote and restore patients' health by completing the nursing process; collaborating with physicians and multidisciplinary team members; performing various treatment procedures; providing physical, educational and emotional support to patients, friends and families; supervising assigned team members

Experience For Graduate Nurse Starn Fellowship Resume

• Planning & Communication.Develop and document individualized care plans customized for each patient’s unique needs, with support from the interdisciplinary health team as needed; maintain effective communication to convey patient health status, treatment plans and progress
• Compliance.Adhere to required department and system protocols, regulations (local, state, federal) and education requirements
• Documents and reports observations and discrete data elements to preceptor or other appropriate staff
• Assists preceptor with overall assessments of patient condition
• Supports the mission statement of Munson Healthcare (MHC), Munson Medical Center (MMC) AND Munson Nursing: Munson Healthcare and its partners work together to provide superior quality and promote community health

Experience For Graduate Nurse L&d Nights Resume

• Assesses and documents initial and ongoing needs for children with complex medical and surgical needs
• 7:00 p.m. - 7.30 a.m
• Utilizes critical thinking to formulate nursing plan based on patients complex needs and problems. Formulates nursing plan based on patient complex needs and problems and indicates plan on the patient care plan
• Gathers data through history taking and physical assessment and interprets data in order to plan and implement interventions to meet patient care needs
• Develops, evaluates and revises patient's plan of care and nursing actions in response to patient's needs
• Directs and supervises others in the performance of delegated nursing activities

Experience For Graduate Nurse Labor & Delivery Nights Resume

• Develops realistic and appropriate long- and short-term goals based patient/family needs
• Implements patient plan of care for patients and family with both critical and complex needs
• Evaluates the patient's and family's response to care and modified care plan accordingly
• Documents care provided and patient's progress toward attainment of desired outcomes
• Teaches the patient and/or significant other(s) about the plan of care. Prepares patients to manage their care after discharge, transfer or preparation for procedure/test
• Manages time and resources to deliver patient care
• Leads the health care team
• Competently implement the nursing process (assessment, diagnosis, outcome, identification, planning, implementation, and evaluation) and accurately document the care of patients

Experience For Graduate Nurse Neuro Ortho Resume

• Recognize priorities within patient?s plan of care
• Provides nursing care in accordance with established standards of care policies and procedures. Documents patient information and assessments in a timely manner according to charting guidelines. Effectively uses provided technology for patient care delivery and documentation
• Serves as a patient advocate by communicating clinical concerns in a timely manner to other members of the health care team, seeking assistance as needed. Collaborates with other team members to plan and attain patient goals
• Attends all classes scheduled for the Graduate RN’s over the first year. Participates in unit-based in-services as appropriate. Successfully completes unit orientation
• Provides evaluation of orientation and preceptor
• Participates in multidisciplinary, quality and service improvement teams as appropriate. Participates in meetings, serves on committees and represents the department and hospital/facility in community outreach efforts as appropriate
• Develop and implement a plan of care and demonstrate leadership to ensure all patient/family needs are met. Monitor patients before, during and after surgery and /or procedures to provide safe, efficient care. Evaluate the plan of care and the patient's responses: reassess and revise the plan based upon changing needs and priorities
• Demonstrate the skill and judgment necessary to implement Physician's orders, nursing interventions and procedures as necessary for the care of the patient

Experience For Graduate Nurse Endoscopy Rotating With Call Resume

• Maintain up to date and accurate documentation of nursing care provided to insure the integration of information for use by the health care team and to insure the totality of quality care
• Promote effective working relationships and work cooperatively as part of the department team to facilitate the department's ability to meet its goal and objectives. Contributes to Quality Improvement activities and participates in the departmental Quality Improvement Program
• Responsible for own professional development to insure appropriate knowledge of advances in practice to provide state of the art treatment for patient population serviced
• Primarily responsible for the delivery of coordinated nursing care for a patient or an assigned group of patients within an assigned unit and for the day-to-day management and supervision of the related clinical activities
• Utilizes the nursing process in providing and coordinating the plan of patient care for the age appropriate population. (30%)
• Accountable for coordinating the plan of care with the patient, family and interdisciplinary team
• Responsible for supervising and directing the activities of ancillary personnel , utilizing both professional and supervisory discretion, independent decision making, and critical judgment
• Assists with implementation and monitoring of patient care plans
• Initiates interdisciplinary plan of care based on assessment findings and physician orders for the age appropriate population. (30%)

Experience For Starn New Graduate Nurse Residency Program Resume

• Completes patient documentation in a comprehensive manner and promotes communication between caregivers. (10%)
• Contributes to Division, Hospital, and Department goals. (10%)
• Provides detailed and appropriate teaching to patients and families to effectively guide them through the episode of care as well as transition to another level of care and/or home. (10%)
• Grade Point Average of greater than 3.0 is required
• Join one of the largest employers and health care leaders in the Tri-Cities region
• Current BLS & ACLS certification(s)
• Cover letter - Begin with "Dear Nurse Manager," and introduce yourself and your goals
• Resume - Include all education and experience, including dates. A list of clinical rotations is helpful when evaluating your experience in various areas of nursing practice

Experience For Graduate Nurse RN Resume

• Phase 3: 12 weeks clinical preceptorship
• AORN Perioperative 101 Core Curriculum
• ECG, TeamSTEPPS, BLS/ACLS certifications
• BLS (Basic Life Support) AHA Required
• Clinical Ladder to promote advancement
• Tuition reimbursement for BSN and Master's degrees

Experience For Graduate Nurse Nicu Nights Resume

• Wellness Incentives - earn up to $500 every six months
• Adult Medical/Surgical and Medical/Telemetry Specialty
• Adult Critical Care (PCU/ICU)
• Florida Hospital Apopka (currently no openings)
• Florida Hospital Children's (currently no openings)
• Florida Hospital for Women (Orlando) (currently no openings in the Women's units)

List of Typical Skills For a Graduate Nurse Resume

Skills for new graduate nurse resume.

• Utilizes the nursing process to ensure appropriate patient care is provided in a cost effective, quality driven, and patient focused manner
• Participates in quality of care activities, evaluates the quality and the effectiveness of nursing practice
• At least 4 months of experience as a Nursing Assistant in a critical care environment
• BLS prior to starting
• Some experience in a hospital setting
• Licensure in good standing
• Partnership with experienced mentors
• Current, valid State license as a Registered Nurse

Skills For New Graduate Nurse Residency Program Resume

• One or more years’ experience in desired specialty
• Valid State licensure as an LPN
• Experience: None required for new grads
• Experience:None required for new grads
• Maintain a valid Maryland RN license and American Heart Association BLS for Health Care Professionals certification
• Graduate Nurses and Experienced Nurses welcome to apply

Skills For Graduate Nurse Starn Fellowship Resume

• Graduation from an accredited BSN program within the twelve (12) months prior to date of hire required
• Surgical/Orthopedic/Neurological care experience
• Graduation for an accredited ASN program within the twelve (12) months prior to date of hire required
• Supporting a Family Centered Care philosophy and promoting patient education
• Verifying or obtaining BLS certification
• Graduating from an accredited nursing program by December 31, 2018
• Providing support for the mother during labor

Skills For Graduate Nurse L&d Nights Resume

• Measuring the strength and timing of contractions
• Administering medications and performing diagnostic tests
• Assisting with inducing labor
• Coaching the mother during delivery
• Identifying and assisting with complications
• Assisting with various procedures, including Cesarean sections
• Monitoring and performing tests on newborns

Skills For Graduate Nurse Labor & Delivery Nights Resume

• Cutting edge treatment, top clinicians, leading researchers, and the most modern technology and equipment in health care today
• Evening, Night, Weekend and Holiday Shift Differentials
• Handling a busy unit as the pace is fast and unpredictable
• Monitoring the fetal heart rate, and mother’s vital signs
• Consulting with physicians and other members of the care team
• Providing education and support to mothers and families after delivery
• Evening/ Night Shift
• Access to ongoing professional development activities, individualized learning, coaching, and peer support

Skills For Graduate Nurse Neuro Ortho Resume

• A nursing career ladder that is challenging and rewarding, with opportunities for growth and advancement
• Bases nursing actions by applying principles of purposeful, organized thinking to make clinical judgment/decisions
• Complete this on-line application application which includes uploading the following documents
• RN with A.DN or BSN, seeking new specialty training
• Support (Mentoring and Debriefing)
• Start your nursing career with your Temporary Practice Permit before obtaining your state RN boards
• Assists in determining nursing and health needs of patients
• 2 Medical/Surgical Units totaling 60 beds
• Take part in a one (1) day shadowing events to explore units of interest

Skills For Graduate Nurse Endoscopy Rotating With Call Resume

• Current registration with Florida State Board of Nursing as a registered professional nurse (with less than one year of RN licensure)
• Opportunity to excel in the field of nursing through professional growth and autonomy
• Intensive Nursing Care Unit
• Recognition of your achievements through award programs, bonuses for achieving certifications and more
• The GN or RN I independently use the nursing process to safely, therapeutically and efficiently care for a group of patients
• Graduate from an accredited Bachelors of Science in Nursing program
• Graduate of Accredited College of Nursing

Skills For Starn New Graduate Nurse Residency Program Resume

• Graduated from an accredited nursing program within the last 12 months
• The program is 10 weeksof classroom training and 7 weeks in a clinical preceptorship
• Administers bedside patient care in a hospital setting under the supervision of a preceptor and/or charge nurse
• 10-7: Medicine with adult ventilator weaning, adult cystic fibrosis, primary pulmonary hypertension
• Save your documents with the file names formatted in the following manner
• Opportunities for training in specialty areas such as ER, OR and ICU
• Self- Scheduling after completion of orientation/preceptorship
• 23 Weeks of Intensive Training and education
• Self- Scheduling - (72 hr shift only)

Skills For Graduate Nurse RN Resume

• Core content on critical topics, aimed to develop your confidence and build competence in your nursing practice
• State-of-the-art simulation training
• Completed a Senior Practicum in an Emergency setting
• An Emergency rotation in an acute care facility (hospital setting)
• Completed a Senior Practicum in a critical care setting
• A critical care rotation in an acute care facility (hospital setting)

Skills For Graduate Nurse Nicu Nights Resume

• Medical Benefits (No waiting period)
• Assists with implementation and monitoring of patient care plans. Monitors, records and communicates patient condition as appropriate
• Assists with documentation and implementation of physician and nursing orders
• Top tier compensation and benefits, including tuition reimbursement
• Registered Nurse with current state licensure or licensure from a state within the Nursing Compact
• Attendance is imperative throughout the StaRN Training Program

List of Typical Responsibilities For a Graduate Nurse Resume

Responsibilities for new graduate nurse resume.

• The program is 8 weeksof classroom training and 7 weeks in a clinical preceptorship
• The graduate nurse shall have submitted an application for examination to NCLEX
• Two letters of recommendation from a Clinical Instructor
• SC NCLEX Test date
• SC RN Licensure required no later than June 26, 2016
• Obtained a State specific RN License, ATT letter to sit for licensure exam or state-approved temporary license
• Current Licensure as an RN in Utah by the program start date
• Acceptance into the program requires a two year commitment to MountainStar Healthcare
• Georgia RN Licensure required no later than February 6, 2017 (first day of program)

Responsibilities For New Graduate Nurse Residency Program Resume

• Current RN license required. (Required within 90 days of graduation in Missouri)
• BCLS certification required upon hire and maintained
• Current BLS Certification (accredited by American Heart Association or American Red Cross)
• Acceptance into the program requires a two year commitment to Timpanogos Regional Hospital
• Acceptance in programs requires a two-year commitment to the facility
• American Heart Association BLS certification (required)

Responsibilities For Graduate Nurse Starn Fellowship Resume

• Georgia RN Licensure required no later than June 26, 2017 (first day of program)
• Pass NCLEX and have Missouri RN license within 90 days of graduation date
• Current licensure in the State of Louisiana
• Licensure/Certification/Registration:Current RN license in the State of Mississippi
• Special Qualifications:CPR for Healthcare providers through AHA upon hire
• BLS certification (American Heart Association)
• Licensed and eligible to practice as a registered nurse in the state of Maryland at time of hire

Responsibilities For Graduate Nurse L&d Nights Resume

• CPR certified (American Heart Association)
• Obtain ATT letter to sit NCLEX exam
• Obtain a State approved temporary or permanent license
• Obtain ATT Letter to sit for NCLEX exam
• OR have a temporary/permanent RN License
• Obtain ATT letter to sit for licensure exam (we know new grads do not get this until graduation)

Responsibilities For Graduate Nurse Labor & Delivery Nights Resume

• Or state-approved temporary/Permanent license
• Obtain ATT letter to sit for licensure exam (we know that new grads do not get this until after graduation)
• Obtain ATT letter to sit for licensure exam (We know that new grads do not gt this until graduation)
• Licensure/Certification/Registration: Current temporary/permanent Louisiana RN license
• Licensure/Certification/Registration:Current Louisiana RN license/permit

Responsibilities For Graduate Nurse Neuro Ortho Resume

• Special Qualifications:CPR for healthcare provider through AHA upon hire, NRP (within 6 mos. of employment)
• Licensure/Certification/Registration: Temporary/Permanent Louisiana RN license/Permit
• Letter of eligibility to test for the NCLEX Exam
• Obtain ATT letter to sit for licensure exam
• Licensure/Certification/Registration:Obtain temporary/permanent Louisiana RN License
• Special Qualifications:CPR for healthcare provider through AHA upon hire, NRP (within 6 months of employment)

Responsibilities For Graduate Nurse Endoscopy Rotating With Call Resume

• Commit to scheduled meetings and projects required for completion of 12-month Nurse Residency Program
• Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital
• Obtained a State specific RN License, ATT letter to sit for licensure exam or state-approved temporary license and BLS
• Nurse to patient ratios based on acuity (very fast pace)
• Patient turnover ranges from 5 – 12 days
• Is a stroke designated unit, where patients with neurologic problems are seen
• Part of LGMC Shared Governance councils

Responsibilities For Starn New Graduate Nurse Residency Program Resume

• Nurse to patient ratio based on acuity
• Growth opportunities include: Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) certification and participation in Shared Governance Councils
• Patient turnover ranges from 3 – 10 days
• Of patients on this unit undergo cardiothoracic surgery, as well as vascular, thoracic and other surgical procedures
• ACLS certification required within 3 months of hire
• Act 33 Child Abuse Clearance
• Obstetrics/ Labor and Delivery
• 4-6: General medicine with telemetry and hospice beds

Responsibilities For Graduate Nurse RN Resume

• 4-7: General medicine unit with telemetry, focus on alcohol withdrawal
• 6-7: Medical sickle cell care, and telemetry, oncology overflow
• 7-5: General medicine with renal concentration and peritoneal dialysis
• 9-5: General medicine with focus on infectious disease
• 9-7: General medicine unit with telemetry, long term patients
• Clinical narrative - See the instructions on the CCR website
• Last Name, First Initial Cover Letter (e.g., Breznau, A Cover Letter)

Responsibilities For Graduate Nurse Nicu Nights Resume

• Last Name, First Initial Resume
• Last Name, First Initial Transcript
• Last Name, First Initial Narrative
• Complete the electronic reference process as instructed by Human Resources
• Clinical Nurse III (CN III) - Voluntary advancement process upon review and approval of application portfolio

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• Nurse Career

Essential Job Search Tips for Nurses

Whether you’re a new graduate or a seasoned nurse looking for a change of scenery, you eventually need to search for a job. Sifting through job advertisements can feel overwhelming, even when using a job board to narrow the listings. And after you find a job, you have to figure out how to apply and get noticed. Luckily, there are several things you can do to simplify the job search process. 

Understanding the Healthcare Job Market

Understanding the healthcare market before searching and applying for any position helps you gain direction. Research by focusing on the physical location you wish to work in and the specialty you’re interested in. The situation can be completely different from one hospital department to the next.

Strategies for learning the healthcare job market include the following:

• Talking to colleagues already in the healthcare arena can help you understand current openings and positions that may be in the works within their organizations. Network with previous coworkers, classmates, clinical instructors, and even friends of friends.
• Consider attending continuing education classes and workshops in person, which allows you to meet and network with others.
• The US Department of Labor releases reports with information on current labor shortages and forecasts needs for the future. They are predicting a major shortage of nurses , which you can use to your advantage in your job search.

Crafting a Standout Resume and Cover Letter

This step is one of the most important in any job search. You need an excellent nursing resume or CV and cover letter to stand out from the crowd (and get through to an interview).

There are three main formats for resume writing: chronological, functional, and combination. 

• Chronological resumes list positions in order from newest to oldest. These work great for someone with a history of positions in the same field or type of position. Chronological formats also support a long work history.
• Functional resumes list skills and accomplishments as highlights. These are best for people changing careers or returning to the workforce. 
• Combination resumes combine the other two types. This format is ideal for nurses, as it allows you to highlight your work experience and specific nursing skills while also listing your experience.   

Below are some important sections to include in your nursing resume:

• A professional summary : This part is a brief section at the top with your nursing qualifications and years and types of experience.
• Licenses and certifications : Include your license number (if public), state of licensure, and expiration date. Include nursing certifications such as specialty certifications or skill-based certifications specific to your field.
• Professional experience : List each job with the position title, employer, location, and dates of employment. Use bullet points to highlight your responsibilities and achievements, emphasizing aspects like patient care, treatment planning, and collaboration with healthcare teams.
• Education : List your nursing degree(s) and any relevant formal education. Include the degree obtained, the institution, and graduation year.
• Skills : Highlight specific nursing skills (e.g., wound care, administering medication, patient education) and soft skills (e.g., communication, empathy, problem-solving).
• Awards and honors : If applicable, mention any recognitions you’ve received in your nursing career.
• Professional memberships : Include any professional associations or memberships to healthcare or nursing-related organizations.

Tailor your resume as needed to each position you apply for. Adding keywords from the job descriptions can help your resume get through the screening phase and into the right hands.

Many people hire a professional writer to ensure they have the best nursing resume possible. Use a service dedicated to healthcare and nursing professionals, such as Health eCareers resume and CV writing services .

Cover Letter

A cover letter is the perfect place to make a great first impression. Additionally, many organizations have software that scans your cover letter (and resume) for keywords they’ve added to the job description. Don’t use the same cover letter for every application submission. Adjust your writing to meet each unique job posting.

Your cover letter is a business correspondence and needs to be formatted as such:

• Begin with your name and address as a header. It’s also a good idea to add a phone number and email. Make sure you have a professional email address. 
• Address the letter to the appropriate person with their name, organization/facility, department, and address.
• Begin your letter in a business manner, such as Dear [Name of hiring manager] or Dear Hiring Manager, if you don’t have a contact name. Addressing the hiring manager by name is always best practice.
• In the body of your letter, introduce yourself, describe the position you’re applying for, and provide any pertinent information about how you came upon this job opening.
• Highlight your skills and qualifications that match the specific job listing. Use keywords from the job posting if they fit your abilities.  
• Include a short statement about why you want to work for this specific organization. Be enthusiastic in your reasoning.
• Close with “Sincerely” or “I am looking forward to hearing from you soon,” and sign.

Writing a cover letter can feel daunting but there are plenty of tips out there to help you craft the perfect cover letter .

Leveraging Professional Networks

Finding jobs can be daunting. But remember, there’s a nursing shortage, and employers want to find you. One way to put yourself in a position to be seen by employers is to join and participate in professional nursing associations . Attending conferences and events allows you to network with other professionals. You may even hear about open positions that have yet to be posted publicly.  

Attend events dressed appropriately for an interview, and be prepared with a few copies of your resume in case you have the opportunity to give it to a prospective employer. Carry yourself at all networking events as though you were in an interview. Show your best self!

Considering Various Employment Settings

If you’re looking for a job and struggling, you may be limiting yourself too much. Restricting a nursing job search to only hospital settings prevents you from seeing multiple opportunities with great earning potential. Keep an open mind about work specialty and setting . Opportunities may become available that are outside of a traditional bedside role.

Nurses are needed in many areas:

• Clinics and physician’s offices
• Home health care  
• Long-term care/rehabilitation centers   
• Schools 
• Occupational health
• Public health
• Hospice care
• Travel nursing
• Insurance companies
• Research and academia
• Correctional facilities

Preparing for Interviews

After you land a nursing interview , don’t go in unprepared! You have a resume and the appropriate attire, but you need more before heading to an interview. To help you prepare, you can search for popular interview questions and prep your answers ahead of time. 

• Look up the prospective employers’ organization online.
• Read their mission statement.
• Look at all the services the organization or facility offers.
• Understand their purpose and future plans.
• Read all the position requirements and consider how you meet them through your previous positions or education.
• Think of on-the-job examples of how you’ve used the listed required skills.
• Why did you become a nurse?
• How do you handle stressful situations?
• How do you react in an emergency?
• How do you handle a difficult patient?

Nursing jobs are in demand nationwide. If you’re ready to kick off your nursing job search, Health eCareers has thousands of nursing jobs to explore.

Kate Houck, RN, BSN, is a L&D nurse with over nine years of experience in OB, lactation, school nursing, and pediatrics. She has a passion for taking care of families and helping new nurses be the best they can be.