Emergency Room Nurse Resume Examples and Templates
20 Best Operating Room (OR) Nurse Resume Examples and Templates for 2025
By Andrew Stoner
, Executive Resume Writer and Career Coach
Andrew Stoner
Read More
Executive Resume Writer and Career Coach
Last Updated:
July 2, 2025
For an effective operating room (OR) nurse resume, focus on your relevant skills like equipment sterilization, intraoperative support, or charting and documentation. This guide provides expert tips to help you create a resume showing your best OR nurse qualifications.
Key takeaways:
- Brainstorm details about your career history on a separate document or blank sheet of paper. Then, identify the most relevant ones to feature in your experience section – this helps you focus your resume on the role of OR nurse.
- Spell out the impact of your past work as an OR nurse. Describe how you helped patients undergoing surgery, and how you contributed to a successful OR team or health facility.
- Follow the combination resume format to provide all required information while positioning yourself for surgical nurse jobs that interest you.
Most Popular Operating Room (OR) Nurse Resumes
Operating Room Charge Nurse Resume Example
Why this operating room charge nurse resume example is strong:
Jasmine’s resume clearly illustrates leadership and impact in a high-stakes clinical environment. Quantifying her achievements—like reducing error rates and improving efficiency—demonstrates measurable contributions to patient safety and surgical outcomes.
Key Tips:
To strengthen your leadership role on a resume, learn how to highlight accomplishments in supervisory positions using these resume job description strategies.
Operating Room Circulating Nurse Resume Example
Why this circulating nurse resume example is strong:
Brian’s resume showcases relevant clinical competencies and a clear progression in OR nursing. Including training roles reinforces his reliability and knowledge in surgical protocols.
Key Tips:
Highlight technical skills and tools relevant to your nursing niche. Here’s a guide on showcasing nursing skills for your resume.
Operating Room Nurse Manager Resume Example
Why this operating room nurse manager resume example is strong:
Catherine’s resume effectively conveys leadership, quality improvement, and strategic planning. Budget and infection rate improvements show her broad impact.
Key Tips:
Highlight measurable outcomes to show leadership value. Learn more from this guide on how to make a resume.
Registered Nurse Operating Room Nurse Resume Example
Why this RN operating room nurse resume example is strong:
David’s resume shows solid career progression from med-surg to OR specialization. He includes specific procedures and patient care techniques, making it easy for employers to match his experience to the role.
Key Tips:
Tailor your resume by aligning experience with the job description. This guide on how to list work experience can help.
Operating Room Nurse Job Description Resume Example
Why this job description resume example is strong:
Nicole’s resume offers a realistic and specific look at daily OR nursing responsibilities. She integrates keywords that align with job postings, improving visibility.
Key Tips:
Use job titles and responsibilities strategically—see this list of job title examples to refine yours.
Operating Room Nurse Objective Resume Example
Why this OR nurse objective resume example is strong:
Tamika’s resume starts with a clear objective aligned with her experience and goals. It shows readiness for advancement while backing it with real experience.
Key Tips:
Learn how to tailor your objective to a specific job using this resume objective guide.
Operating Room Nurse Responsibilities Resume Example
Why this resume focused on responsibilities is strong:
Jorge’s resume integrates relevant OR duties without sounding like a list. He demonstrates how those responsibilities contribute to patient safety and surgical efficiency.
Key Tips:
Avoid vague phrasing like “responsible for.” Here are alternatives from our list of action words for resumes.
Operating Room Nurse Resume Skills Resume Example
Why this skills-focused OR nurse resume example is strong:
Megan’s resume draws attention to hands-on OR skills and tech-savvy responsibilities. The inclusion of a specialized robotics team role adds an edge.
Key Tips:
For help crafting your own list of strengths, review this guide to skills to put on a resume.
Perioperative Nurse Resume Example
Why this perioperative nurse resume example is strong:
Olivia’s resume highlights her ability to manage the full surgical patient journey, showcasing well-rounded clinical skills and patient interaction.
Key Tips:
Structure matters—reverse-chronological order keeps your most relevant experience visible. See more best resume formats.
Surgical Services Nurse Resume Example
Why this surgical nurse resume example is strong:
Eric’s resume makes clear that he’s adaptable across OR specialties. It highlights impact (reduced turnover time) and team coordination.
Key Tips:
Even without a BSN, demonstrate clinical expertise. Read more about how to list education on a resume.
Intraoperative Nurse Resume Example
Why this intraoperative nurse resume example is strong:
Danielle’s resume focuses on high-pressure intraoperative care and technical proficiency, which is ideal for OR environments that demand strong crisis management skills.
Key Tips:
If you’ve worked under pressure, include examples. For tips on creating strong resume summaries, check out how to write a resume summary.
Surgical Nurse – Trauma OR Resume Example
Why this trauma OR nurse resume example is strong:
Luis’s resume is tailored for high-stakes trauma environments, showing how he thrives under pressure and contributes to surgical outcomes.
Key Tips:
Tailoring your resume to niche roles, like trauma, shows focus. Learn more about what to put on a resume.
Operating Room Float Nurse Resume Example
Why this OR float nurse resume example is strong:
Heidi’s resume emphasizes her adaptability and readiness to step in as needed—key for float positions. Her cross-training makes her a valuable asset.
Key Tips:
Float roles should show flexibility and reliability. Check out resume keywords to match your resume to float nurse job listings.
Outpatient Surgical Nurse Resume Example
Why this outpatient surgical nurse resume example is strong:
Kenneth’s resume shows his specialty in outpatient surgery—a growing field. He demonstrates impact on efficiency and patient experience.
Key Tips:
When applying to specialty areas, highlight setting-specific duties. This guide on how to list degree on resume can help you format education cleanly.
OR Nurse – Robotic Surgery Resume Example
Why this OR nurse – robotics resume example is strong:
Stephanie’s resume positions her as a specialist in a high-tech area, backed by quantifiable experience and peer education.
Key Tips:
Showcase niche equipment experience. Learn how to enhance layout for technical resumes with this guide on how a resume should look.
Pediatric OR Nurse Resume Example
Why this pediatric OR nurse resume example is strong:
Rachel’s resume demonstrates a balance between technical expertise and soft skills, crucial for pediatric care. Her collaboration with child life services shows holistic patient support.
Key Tips:
Pediatric roles benefit from emotional intelligence—learn how to highlight this in your resume personal statement.
Scrub Nurse Resume Example
Why this scrub nurse resume example is strong:
Marcus’s resume showcases deep technical knowledge and strong intraoperative support experience. His attention to setup and process improvements adds value.
Key Tips:
Use your experience to show efficiency and detail-focus. Find more advice on how far back your resume should go.
OB/GYN Surgical Nurse Resume Example
Why this OB/GYN surgical nurse resume example is strong:
Natalie’s resume emphasizes both clinical experience and patient-centered care—critical in women’s health roles.
Key Tips:
Make your experience relatable and compassionate. Explore how to tailor your resume to specific units in this nursing resume skills guide.
Travel OR Nurse Resume Example
Why this travel OR nurse resume example is strong:
Chase’s resume shows his adaptability, quick learning, and reliability in diverse work settings—top traits for travel roles.
Key Tips:
Emphasize flexibility and readiness. Learn more about optimizing your layout in this guide to resume formatting.
Neuro OR Nurse Resume Example
Why this neuro OR nurse resume example is strong:
Elena’s resume stands out by focusing on high-complexity cases. She emphasizes both hands-on and technical skills specific to neurosurgery.
Key Tips:
Match your resume to specialized roles using precise keywords. Here’s how to structure your resume to highlight specializations.
Operating Room (OR) Nurse Text-Only Resume Examples and Templates
How To Write an Operating Room (OR) Nurse Resume
Your OR nurse resume should usually include these sections:
- Contact information
- Profile
- Key skills
- Professional experience
- Education and certifications
Below are tips and samples to help you organize each resume section.
1. Share your contact information
Give your full name, phone number, email address, location, and links to any online professional profiles. Ensure your contact information is current so employers can reach you for an interview.
Template
Your Name
(123) 456-7890 | [email protected] | City, ST 09876 | LinkedIn
2. Write a compelling profile summarizing your operating room (OR) nurse qualifications
You can impress hiring managers at the top of your resume by giving the three to five primary reasons you’ll excel as their next OR nurse. These key selling points may include your:
- Years of related nursing experience
- Work style or approach (focused, prompt, collaborative…)
- Advanced degree(s) or certifications in your field
When writing this section, use simple, direct phrases like “skilled in” or “focused on,” and avoid more elevated language like “outstanding” or “exceptional.”
Example:
Operating room nurse with over 10 years of experience supporting general and specialty surgeries in high-volume hospital settings. Skilled in instrument preparation, patient safety, and cross-team collaboration. Known for maintaining 100% compliance with infection control standards and assisting in over 3,000 procedures.
3. Add an accomplishment-driven professional experience section
View the experience section as a chance to give examples of your work and success in roles similar to the one you’re pursuing. For each job in your recent work history, brainstorm your duties and achievements on a separate document or sheet of paper. Then, choose the most relevant details to feature as bullet points in this section.
Example:
Operating Room Nurse, Jefferson Medical Center, Baltimore, MD | March 2015 to present
- Supported 10+ surgical specialties, averaging 40 procedures per week while maintaining zero breaches in sterile field protocols
- Reduced average patient prep time by 18% by streamlining setup procedures and collaborating with surgical technologists
- Mentored 12 junior OR nurses in hospital onboarding and equipment orientation, improving new hire retention by 30%
Resume writer’s tip: Quantify your experience
When possible, use relevant performance data to measure the results you’ve achieved as an operating room (OR) nurse.
Do
- “Facilitated 600+ procedures annually with a 98% patient safety score from post-op evaluations”
Don’t
- “Assisted in surgeries and ensured patient safety”
Resume writer’s tip: Tailor your resume to each application
For each job posting you respond to, note any details given about the hiring organization’s size, community, or main services. How do these areas compare to your recent experience? By citing these similarities in your profile, you can make a stronger first impression on the nurse manager.
Say you’re applying to a high-volume hospital. You could enhance your profile by changing your first line from “OR nurse with seven years of experience” to “OR nurse with seven years of experience including five years at a large hospital.”
What if you have no experience as an operating room (OR) nurse?
As long as the job posting doesn’t strictly require it, you don’t need direct work experience to write an effective resume. The trick is focusing on your transferable skills, which can come from various areas such as your other nurse jobs, volunteer positions, or college courses. By detailing these areas in full on your resume, you can ensure it helps you get interviews for your target job.
4. Include relevant education and certifications
With the education and certifications sections, you can show you have a strong knowledge base in your specialized field. Each degree or credential also serves as a formal endorsement of your skills and professionalism. Following are templates to help you organize this information on your resume (note, years are optional).
Education
Template:
[Degree Name], [School Name], [City, ST] | [Graduation Year]
[Relevant honors, coursework, or activities]
Example:
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Nursing, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
Certifications
Template:
[Certification Name], [Awarding Organization] | [Completion Year]
[Description if the credential is lesser-known but relevant]
Examples:
Certified Perioperative Nurse (CNOR), Competency & Credentialing Institute | 2023
5. List pertinent key skills
A separate skills section lets you quickly display the various ways you can care for patients and support an OR. Below, you’ll find some key terms and skills to consider for this section:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Aseptic technique | Charting and documentation |
| Electronic medical records (EMR) | Infection prevention |
| Intraoperative support | Patient and family relations |
| Patient assessment | Patient positioning |
| Postoperative care | Preoperative planning |
| Surgical equipment sterilization | Surgical instrumentation |
| Team collaboration | Vital signs monitoring |
Resume writer’s tip: Use common action verbs
Start each bullet point with a strong action verb. Dynamic verbs help you keep the hiring manager’s attention and tell a compelling story about your experience.
The following list can help you find a good mix of action verbs for your OR nurse resume:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Administered | Assisted |
| Collaborated | Created |
| Decreased | Delivered |
| Documented | Enhanced |
| Facilitated | Fostered |
| Generated | Improved |
| Increased | Introduced |
| Lowered | Managed |
| Monitored | Operated |
| Organized | Prepared |
| Prevented | Provided |
| Ranked | Reduced |
| Sanitized | Sterilized |
| Streamlined | Supported |
| Trained | Updated |
| Won | |
How To Pick the Best Operating Room (OR) Nurse Resume Template
A resume is a simple tool for professional communication and should be formatted that way. Choose a template that’s clear and straightforward, and avoid any template with elaborate graphics or various colors and font styles. Simple resume design helps a nurse manager scan for relevant information. It also helps you tailor the document to each job application and update your work history going forward.
Frequently Asked Questions: Operating Room (OR) Nurse Resume Examples and Advice
How do you align your resume with an operating room (OR) nurse job posting?
Focus on editing your skills section. With just a few quick changes to this section, you can further hone your resume and help it get past screenings by applicant tracking systems (ATS).
First, take a close look at the job posting and highlight any skills required. Then, compare those highlighted terms against your resume's existing skills section. Delete any skills from your list that don't appear in the job posting, and add any missing skills of yours that do.
Say the job posting calls for experience in mentoring junior staff, which you have. Add the phrase "Junior staff mentoring" to your skills section so ATS and human readers can see you have the leadership ability they're looking for.
What is the best operating room (OR) nurse resume format?
The combination (or hybrid) format, because it lets you present yourself both clearly and strategically. According to job search experts Wendy Enelow and Louise Kursmark, this format "gives you many opportunities to share your specific successes.... It offers immense flexibility in an easy-to-follow structure."
A combination resume has these two features:
- An introduction to your strengths. Typically, the resume intro consists of a profile paragraph and skills list, as in the examples on this page. But there are many variations. Depending on your job search, you may choose to omit one or both of these sections in favor of a brief professional headline. You may also add elements like charts or client testimonials. Whatever approach you choose, make sure your introduction tells why you're great for the job.
- One or more experience sections. Hiring managers want to know your latest career activities. The combination format lets you provide that information with sections for your recent years' work, internship, education, or other experience. For most job seekers, the bulk of their combination resume will be a "Professional Experience" section with detailed job descriptions in reverse-chronological order.
Expert advice:
Include a cover letter with your resume
A good cover letter sharpens your job application by answering the question, Why are you interested in this particular job? As on your resume, start with some free-form thinking. Brainstorm your ideas on a separate document or paper and then choose the most compelling ones as your foundation. When possible, quote or paraphrase text from the job posting and explain why it caught your attention.
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Executive Resume Writer and Career Coach
Andrew Stoner is an executive career coach and resume writer with 17 years of experience as a hiring manager and operations leader at two Fortune 500 Financial Services companies, and as the career services director at two major university business schools.
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