2022 Nursing Resume Example & Tips
Looking for a nursing job? The first thing you need is a great resume. Nursing is an incredibly rewarding field, but it’s important to have the right skills and experience to get hired. This guide will help you learn how to write a strong nursing resume so that you can land that dream job!
If you’re a nurse, or planning to be one, your resume is a crucial part of the job search process. After all, employers are looking for candidates who have what it takes to succeed in their organization—and a well-written resume can help them see that you’re that person.
There’s no single correct way to write a nursing resume; however, there are some key things that make any nursing resume effective:
Look at the job description for what to include on your nursing resume
If you are applying for a nursing position, it’s important to know what the job description says about what skills and abilities the employer is looking for.
One thing that many nursing job descriptions have in common is patient care. They often list examples of tasks like:
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Collecting data from patients
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Administering medications or treatments according to prescribed protocols
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Observing and monitoring patient condition (vital signs) and reporting changes to supervising nurse or physician
Here’s what skills you should include on a nursing resume
As a nurse, it’s important to emphasize your role as a caregiver and emphasize patient care on your resume.
You need to show that you have skills needed to provide good patient care. These include empathy, communication, team work and qualities such as honesty, compassion and loyalty. You need to be able to work well with other people in order for patients’ needs to be met efficiently. Patient safety is another important factor in providing quality care; this means doing everything possible avoid mistakes that could put patients at risk or cause them harm (for example by administering the wrong medication). Another skill is being able to educate patients about their conditions so they know what steps they need take during recovery from surgery or illness etcetera.
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Communication skills
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Critical thinking ability
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Compassionate practice
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Critical care experience (if you have it)
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Teaching experience (if you have it)
Nursing Resume Writing Tip #1
Focus on patient care: Show off your skills by describing how you take care of people’s health needs. What are your favorite things about being a nurse? What do you enjoy most about working with patients? Share these things, and show that you have an eye for detail.
Do you have nursing certifications on your resume?
Every nurse should have a nursing certification on their resume. This shows that you are a licensed nurse, and it also tells the hiring manager that you are qualified to handle the job responsibilities.
If you have more than one nursing certifications, list them in order of importance. The most important certification is listed first, followed by any other certifications that may be less important to your career goals.
When listing your nursing certifications:
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List only those certifications relevant to the position being applied for
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Be sure they are still valid and up-to-date (this usually means within five years)
Nursing Resume Writing Tip #2
Show you’re a team player: Nurses work in teams, so it’s important that your resume demonstrates that you can work well with others and communicate effectively with both patients and staff members.
Use as much nursing terminology as you can
If you want to really impress the hiring manager, use nursing terminology in your resume. If they’re not familiar with it, they’ll assume that you aren’t either. The ability to use clinical terms shows them that you know your stuff and can communicate effectively with patients and co-workers alike.
Nursing terminology is also important for job applications because it allows prospective employers to see what type of experience patients who have been treated by RNs have had while under their care. For example: “Patient was treated as an outpatient with IV antibiotics for suspected bacterial pneumonia; patient was diagnosed with viral bronchitis after completion of treatment.” This snippet gives a lot more detail than just saying “I gave him some drugs.” It’s easy to tell from this sentence whether or not an applicant is familiar with the standard protocols used by nurses in their field of practice—and if they’re able and willing enough to follow those protocols!
Nursing Resume Writing Tip #3
Use nursing terminology! It doesn’t matter if your job was called “nurse technician” or “operating room assistant,” talk about it in terms of what it means to your patients and why they need those services.
Follow these tips to write a strong and compelling nursing resume
Follow the job description. When you write your nursing resume, keep in mind that your hiring manager is looking for a certain skill set and experience level.
Put your best skills first. If you’re applying for a position as an RN in the operating room, don’t go into detail about how great you are at changing bedpans—showcase your surgical expertise instead!
Use correct nursing terminology. Your resume should be easy to read, but it’s also important that it reflects what’s expected of someone with a bachelor’s degree in nursing from an accredited university or college. Make sure to use phrases like “standard precautions” and “critical thinking skills” instead of saying things like “make sure not to get sick on anyone.” This will show employers that you know what they want out of their employees without getting too technical about it all (which might intimidate them).
List references ahead of time so they’re ready when needed: It could take weeks or months before companies contact these individuals during their interviews phase so make sure they have all necessary contact information beforehand!
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many different ways to write a nursing resume. The key is to tailor it to the job that you are applying for. Remember that your nursing resume should highlight your skills and experience as well as tell an employer why they should hire you.