Nursing Resume Examples

Being a nurse is a noble and difficult job. Many people may not realize it, but being a nurse requires a lot of hard work, commitment, and includes a number of duties including:

• Caring for the patients.
• Communicating with doctors and other healthcare providers.
• Looking out for the patients; checking their vitals on a regular basis and administering medicine.
• Conduct physical exams.
• Analyze the physical and mental needs of the patients.
• Staying up-to-date with the latest developments and healthcare, medication, treatment plans, etc.

So basically there are a whole lot of responsibilities than normal people can actually account for (but a nurse can).

With competition getting ever so fierce in the medical industry, it is becoming increasingly important for the nurses to have their nursing resume optimized as per the modern standards. 

A single job opening can attract as many as 250 applicants, where only 2% of them will go through the interview process and only one will be able to secure the job.

To secure your position among that 6%, you need to have your new nurse resume composed adequately with the right keywords and content.

You need not just the right content, but the right length and design that serves the intended purpose. In this piece, we will be going through the steps that will help you design a nursing resume ideal for a nursing applicant.

Listed below are a few fundamental steps that are sure to help you create an excellent resume for a nursing job.

We often use resume and CV interchangeably, but have you ever wondered what is the difference? 

A resume is basically a single (or at max. two) page summary of your work experience and background experience that is relevant to the job you are applying to. It is made to emphasize a specific job role and required during the general job application process. It has a number of design choices in terms of layout.

Whereas a CV (curriculum vitae) can be longer and includes a lot of information including job/work experience, academic qualification/achievements, publications, etc. It is most relevant when applying in the academic field or for specialization and has a simple structure.

Since for a nursing job, you need a nursing resume, so you need the right nursing resume format or layout. These includes:

While applying for a nursing job, a professional nursing resume is essential. You need to use the right nursing resume format and layout. There are 4 main resume formats for nurses:

• Chronological resume format: frequently used, everything laid out in reverse chronological order.
• Functional resume format: skill-based resume format, emphasis on the sills of the applicant.
• Hybrid/combination resume format: combines both, chronological and functional.
• Targeted resume format: specifically designed for a specific company or job position. 

As a reference for either a new nurse resume or skilled nursing resume, it is best to first conduct some online research. This includes looking for the right resume format, content, and design. You should also be looking for relevant keywords to help your nursing resume stand out from the rest, especially if this is a new grad nursing resume.

The position you are applying for may have some specific requirements. Maybe they need someone who has good communicational skills, or someone who has served in a particular area pertaining to nursing.

If you tailor your nursing resume accordingly, you will significantly increase your chances of landing an interview.

Never forget to draft a nursing cover letter. This is one of the most common mistakes made by the majority of applicants that can costs them a potential job they may be ideal for.

So keep it in mind that your nursing resume must be accompanied by a cover letter.

You want your nursing resume and nursing cover letter to be perfect, don’t you? So always proofread a few times before you decide to finally send it out.

Make sure there are no careless mistakes here and there, for they can have a really devastating effect on your nursing resume. 

Now, let’s get what you should be putting in your nursing resume. A nursing resume is composed of different sections and each section has a vital purpose that it serves. Before we got in the depth of it, we will tell you what ‘not’ to include in a resume for nursing job. This includes:

1. Resume Profile (Personal Information):

This section provides the recruiter with the essential information about the applicant. The section should include:

Additionally, you may also put:

• Personal Website
• LinkedIn URL
• Other necessary personal info

Here’s an example of delivering your personal information just right:

2. Resume Headline:

Putting out a catchy headline is the best way to make your nursing resume stand out. Think of it as a resume for your resume.

How to write a catchy nursing resume headline?

• Highlight your biggest strength or achievement.
• Make it sound catchy and clever.
• Make sure it is at the top of your resume.

The headline should be compact, concise, yet impactful. Be sure to make it all caps with the relevant keyword inserted. And write a few at that so you can decide on one that sounds just right. Have a look at the example below:

3. Resume Summary:

A resume summary describes your entire nursing resume in just a few easy lines. A well-written summary will immediately grab the attention of a recruiter and make you immediately stand out.

How to write a professional nursing resume summary statement?

• Read through the job description.
• Pick the most relevant nursing skills and experience.
• Assemble your qualifications.

Be sure to include your:

• Awards
• Soft/technical skills
• External achievements
• Educational background

4. Nursing Resume Objective:

A resume objective helps to capture the attention of the recruiter. Although it is not compulsory but helps a candidate stand out. Be sure to place it where it can be immediately visible. 

Be sure to showcase your traits and specify your experience when writing the resume objective. It can help your highlight your career goal and personalize your statement. Adding the name of the company you are applying for in your nursing resume objective can help you stand out.

5. Skills for a Nursing Resume:

This is the most important section on your nursing resume which the recruiter will be most interested in. It will help the recruiter determine whether you are the right fit for the job or not.

It is also beneficial for people fresh in the market and lack experience to put in their resume. A skilled nursing resume is basically a functional resume.

3 simple steps to write the nursing skills section:

1. Learn about job requirements.
2. List down all the relevant nursing skills you possess pertaining to it.
3. Filter irrelevant stuff and write down the skills that are suitable in your resume.

Try to keep your skills section short, relevant, and legible. Be sure to include both hard and soft skills, and double-check the job requirements. Avoid overused buzzwords (quick learner, passionate, highly motivated, etc.) and skills that are a bit too common to stand out (online research, etc.).

6. Work Experience on a Nursing Resume:

Employers require employees having an experience that is relevant to the position or the role offered. For that, it is essential that the experience section must be written to highlight all the important aspects of work history. Try to add at least two relevant and latest work experiences.

Be sure to add:

• Name, state, and titles held at the previous organization of the employment.
• Starting and end date for the period of employment.
• A brief description of the skills that meet the requirements for the job you are applying for.

7. Education:

Education helps in creating relevance to the role you are applying for. Keep important section in your nursing resume such as:

• Degree
• Major(s)
• Graduation year
• School attended
• Honors and awards earned

Additionally, you can include;

• GPA
• Minors
• Extra-curricular activities
• Licenses and certifications

8. Extra Information on Nursing Resume:

Items listed above can all be added in the nursing resume where there is space available for them and they are not interfering with the existing content and sections. Some of these can also be integrated existing content.

For instance, certifications and awards can be added to either academic or professional achievements given the relevance. Similarly, references can be added at the bottom of the experience section. 

Follow the below-listed tips to make your nursing resume truly stand out and capture the attention of the hiring manager.

1. Customize the nursing resume for the job.

The better it is customized for the role, the better your chances of landing an interview. So optimize your nursing resume by researching the hospital/facility you are applying at. Make a list of most relevant job experiences and put in the most noteworthy achievements at front.

2. Use keywords (from JD) in your nursing resume.

You have a limited window to catch the attention of the recruiter, so utilize keywords that are appropriate and belong in your resume. They are a sure eye-catcher and makes it easy for the recruiter to skim through the resume.

3. Quantify results on your nursing resume.

Long descriptions are often overlooked, numbers on the other hand grab attention and state a lot more in much less. Therefore, use statistics to showcase your achievements and expertise. 

4. Choose an ATS-friendly nursing resume format.

Making your resume ATS-friendly will make it easier for you to apply for positions at international corporates. ATS-friendly nursing resumes have a simple yet powerful layout that compact and contain all that is necessary instead of excessive gibberish.

5. Adopt nursing resume action words.

Nursing resume action words or verbs can easily be searched online and incorporated in your resume. Doing that will make your nursing resume seem more powerful and professional, thus, making it stand apart from the rest and much more attention-grabbing.

6. Add in your most impressive achievements/experience.

Nurses encounter numerous situations where they are responsible for saving lives. It all depends upon how well they are able to handle and understand a situation and respond to it adequately. As a nurse, if you have had such an encounter, putting them in your nursing resume can help you land a job.

A nursing cover letter should always be customized for the place of application and comprise of the following:

To wrap things up, given below is an example of a nursing resume that is based on the things covered thus far and a great aid to help you design your own nursing resume.