Written by: Andrew StonerExecutive Resume Writer and Career Coach
Choose a simple and effective template if you want your resume to make a good impression on recruiters and hiring managers. The best registered nurse resume template will be clean, organized, and well-written. Although you should aim to stand out among other nursing applicants, avoid flashy templates with too many graphics. Instead, opt for a template that highlights your key skills, clinical experience, and certifications. Simple formatting and adequate spacing will allow your text to shine.
After you’ve picked the perfect template, it’s time to start writing. You’ll use all the basic elements of a resume and customize each part to reflect your unique professional and educational history. Avoid being overwhelmed by taking the writing process one section at a time. First, let’s do a quick breakdown of what exactly should be included on your registered nurse resume:
Creating a document that fully expresses all of the technical nursing skills you’ve learned and continue to develop can be a challenge. We’re here to help guide you through the process of creating a registered nurse resume that speaks to your abilities. Let’s look at some key components before we show you a real resume example.
Want to boost your professional credibility? Go deeper than a list of work experience and responsibilities. Provide real examples of how you affected change in your workplace, using numbers and metrics when possible. Show your prospective employer how you prioritize patient care and what you accomplished because of it. For example:
Think of your resume as an advertisement. You’re trying to capture the attention of recruiters and hiring managers for an interview. To do that, you need to know what they want. Take what you know about their needs from the job description and determine how your experience, education, and skills are a perfect match. Blend some of the language used by the company into your resume in an organic way, but don’t force it. Get creative with how you present your experience as the solution to their problem.
List your hard skills in their own “key skills” section. These attributes determine your eligibility for a job and should be showcased in a straightforward way that stands out.
On the other hand, soft skills should be referenced indirectly rather than highlighted in their own section — these attributes can seem rather vague and generic when grouped together, but when they are sprinkled throughout your resume they will subtly support the idea that you would be a valuable member of the hiring organization’s team.
It’s worth noting once more that the skills you include on your resume should be sourced from the target job description as much as possible. Look at the table below for examples of the types of key skills that should be included on your Registered Nurse resume.
| Hard Skills | Soft Skills |
|---|---|
| Medical equipment knowledge | Adaptability |
| Patient monitoring and charting | Emotional intelligence |
| Medication administration | Strong communication |
| Diagnostic test interpretation | Critical thinking and problem-solving |
| Knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology | Collaboration |
Action verbs will make your resume concise and dynamic. They also help you avoid speaking in the first person (e.g., “I was responsible for administering…”). Hiring managers already know who they’re reading about, so save space on your resume by avoiding first-person grammar. Instead, begin sentences with an action verb to cut to the chase and highlight what you did. Consider using some of these words on your registered nurse resume:
Even if you haven’t worked professionally as a nurse yet, there are plenty of transferable skills and relevant experiences you can use as a solid foundation. Here are some examples of things to include on an entry-level registered nurse resume:
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Compassionate and detail-oriented Registered Nurse with five years of experience seeking a position at Downey Medical Center. Dedicated to exceptional patient care and support through strong interpersonal communication and an empathetic bedside manner. Looking to join a team of dynamic medical professionals with a commitment to quality healthcare service.
Registered Nurse, Eisenhower Health, Rancho Mirage, CA
February 2020 – Present
Registered Nurse, California Medical, Glendale, CA
November 2017 – December 2020
California Registered Nurse License
October 2017
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Nursing
UCLA SCHOOL OF NURSING, Los Angeles, CA September 2013 – June 2017
