Best Skills For Nursing Resumes
A resume is incomplete without listing the relevant skills. These are the unique abilities that help you perform your duties efficiently. Hiring managers look for specific skills and use the applicant tracking systems to filter out the resumes that dont have these skills.
Use the job description to identify the skills you need on your resume. The right wording also plays a significant role in ensuring your resume gets past the ATS systems. Your resume should have a list of hard and soft skills in separate sections. Check out our resume templates which will help you structure this section.
Hard skills are job-specific skills that you have to learn at school or on the job. Soft skills dont require time to learn. They are character traits that allow you to interact well with colleagues and patients.
If you dont have much experience, this section helps showcase the skills that will help you perform the job diligently. Highlight your transferable skills from previous jobs and school .
Include Clinical And Other Work Experience
While your entry-level or nursing student resume should be heavily focused on medical-specific educational and internship experiences, theres often room for notable non medical-related work experiences as well.
Your clinical work experience section should be focused on preceptorships, residencies, and internships because these will likely be the most relevant experiences you possess for the position youre applying to.
Here are some tips to keep in mind when detailing your clinical work experience:
Nurse Resume: Example #1
- Responsible for basic care of the 20-bed unit.
- Assist nursing staff with tasks including switching IV fluids, taking patient temperatures and blood pressure.
- Preparation of rooms and equipment for patient intake.
- Volunteered to assist in restructuring the nursing and staff schedule, a complex two-week project that has received praise from hospital administration.
Nursing AssistantAdditional Hospital, Another Place, NYMay 20XX – May 20XX
- Responsible for patient intake and record keeping.
- Distributed appropriate medication to patients upon checkout.
- Assisted the nurse practitioner with basic tasks such as taking patients’ weight, height and temperature.
Nursing InternAdditional Hospital, Another Place, NYSummer 20XX
- Shadowed professional physicians during their everyday duties.
- Prepared for procedures including gathering necessary equipment and organizing patient charts.
- Kept a weekly log of experience.
- Assisted with all other administrative duties assigned.
Education
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What To Include In A Nurse Resume
The main sections in a nurse resume are:
- Contact Information
If you want your resume to stand out more, you can also try these optional sections:
- Conferences & Courses
- Interests & Hobbies
Now, were going to go through each of those sections, and explain how to write them.
Not sure which sections to use? Check out our guide to What to Put on a Resume.
Example For Experienced Registered Nurses
- Assisted in diagnosing and providing treatment to patients and worked in a busy and high caseload emergency room in coordination with other healthcare professionals.
- Administered medications and therapies intravenously, rectally, and orally according to physicians written orders and oversaw pain management plans.
- Monitored patient care of wounds, assisted patients with their post-surgery healing and recovery, and provided education and information regarding strategies for continued care.
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Use A Nurse Resume Template
Are you used to creating your resume in Word? Painful isnt it?
Its easy to spend more time tinkering with formatting than it actually takes you to fill in the contents.
Then, you decide to make a single, small layout change, and BAM! Your entire resume layout falls apart.
Theres a better way than using Word: use a nurse resume template.
How To Spot An Ats
If youve ever visited a job posting and seen an APPLY NOW button, youve encountered the elusive resume-reading bot. ATS requires candidates to enter data on the front end.
Maybe youve gone through the steps to create a login, complete the application and upload your resume. Perhaps you didnt realize at the time that you were entering your information into an applicant tracking system.
Raise your hand if you never heard back from an employer after applying online? Raise your other hand if you received an automated response, thanking you for your interest and never heard back!
Now, keep in mind that it can be difficult to stand out when you are applying for a job online, especially when there is an ATS involved. As you consider your overall job search strategy, try to think of other ways that can increase your chances of getting a job. Dont be afraid to ask your network connections for referrals and recommendations, or let friends and family know what type of position you are looking for, and where. While your resume is absolutely important, it isnt the only tool that can lead to you getting a job.
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Rn Resume: Profile Title
A resume is incomplete without a profile title whether you are writing an experienced travel nurse resume, charge nurse resume, new grad nursing resume, nursing student resume, or any level of resume.
Every resume needs to have a profile title to determine where you stand professionally in your field of work.
Now while framing your profile title you should keep in mind that it can help you communicate your current designation, functional industry, and seniority level.
Hence, you should always frame an accurate profile title that validates your level of professional expertise.
The right way to write your profile title is by using 14-16 font-size which is the ideal size to make it stand out as the second-largest text in your resume right after the resume header.
Do not be tempted into exaggerating your profile title in your registered nurse resume just so to get some extra credits from the recruiters.
They will eventually figure out if you are overstating your profile title and may reject your job application over time.
Therefore be specific about your professional status and level while making sure that you rightfully deserve the targeted job profile by honest means.
Here is our nurse resume example showing the profile title:
Add A Detailed Nursing Education Section
Writing your resumes education section as an entry-level nurse is different from writing the education section of your resume in other industries.
This is because medicine has many different specializations and educational requirements that entry-level nurses need to include in their education section.
For example, your education section should include the following information: education, relevant coursework, and licenses and certifications. These three parts make up your overall educational background, and because youre a fresh nursing school graduate, employers will want to immediately see them when reviewing your entry-level nurse resume.
Below, weve included examples of a well-written education section for an entry-level nurse, complete with relevant coursework, licenses, and certifications:
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Nursing Skills And Areas Of Expertise
It is a common mistake to list hard skills last on a resume. With the popularity of ATS this mistake could cost you an interview. This is especially true in nursing as the profession requires very specific skills. List skills within the top of the resume. Your hard skills should be directly targeted to the role as it is expressed in the job description.
Is the employer asking for a specific EMR that you are experienced with? List it! Are you an expert at starting IVs because of your five years of experience in the emergency room? List it!
This should not be a generic list of skills, but a specific list that is as quantified as much as possible. Its possible that if you are a newer nurse or are making a specialty pivot that you may not have hard skills to include. In that case, its okay to omit this section and highlight your transferable soft skills within your job history.
What To Include In An Entry
Here’s what to include in your entry-level nurse resume:
-
Resume header: A resume header includes important details like your name and contact information.
-
Professional summary: A professional summary is a short description of your credentials and qualifications as an entry-level nurse.
-
Experience: An experience section mentions your relevant history in the nursing field.
-
Skills: This section mentions your soft and technical skills as an entry-level nurse, such as your patience and clinical abilities.
-
Education: An education section mentions your academic history by listing your formal degrees in the nursing field.
-
Licensing and certifications: This part of your resume mentions your relevant nursing certifications and licenses.
Related:
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Certified Nursing Assistant Resume
Use this template
Why this resume works
- Much like applying for an RN role, you should include your license right in your resume title . This effectively alerts the employer that you’re qualified for the role .
- In addition to your title, if you have any certifications or additional licenses, include them on your resume in a designated section.
Formatting Your Nursing Resume
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.
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Top 30 Skills For A Nurse Resume
When the HR manager is going through your resume, theyre looking to see if you have the right skills for the job.
Imagine this: youre the best nurse in the world and your resume is impeccable. BUT, you still get rejected, because you didnt mention that you know the exact procedures or techniques that the health centre needs.
Not sure which skills to pick?
Here are some of the most common nurse skills:
Your Nursing Resume Must Be Error
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!
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Add Hard Numbers To Your Experience Section
One of the most effective ways to show employers your capabilities and successes as a nurse is to add hard numbers to your work experience section.
For example, when writing your resume, ask yourself the following questions:
- How many patients did you take care of in your unit?
- How many hours did you work per rotation?
- How many nurses did you work with, or train?
Numbers give the hiring manager a clear picture of your skills and abilities because they add context to the accomplishments on your resume.
Heres an example of a bullet point without numbers:
No hard numbers
- Supervised unit of a large psychiatric facility
Here is the same statement with numbers and context added:
With hard numbers
- Supervised up to 10 staff in the 200-bed adolescent unit of a large psychiatric facility, specializing in eating disorders
What To Highlight On A Nursing Resume
Depending on your level of experience, your resume will highlight different things, but it’s important to tailor your resume to the position you are seeking to make the best impression on the hiring manager. The more specifically you can relate your experience to the requirements of the open position, the better your chances of scoring an interview. You also can use your cover letter to call attention to details in your resume that make you an excellent candidate for the job.
When you are just beginning your career as a nurse, it is perfectly acceptable to include the experience you gained during your education: related coursework, volunteer positions you have held, and paid or unpaid internships.
Two resume examples are provided.
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Registered Nurse Outpatient Infusion Services Clinicresume Examples & Samples
- Current AHA Basic Life Support Certification for Healthcare Provider
- Minimum of two years RN experience
- Oncology Nursing Society Certification
- Oncology Nursing experience
- Possesses and demonstrates working knowledge of anesthetic agents and adjuncts, sedation, analgesia, assessment and monitoring
- Displays knowledge of pain and comfort management measures and uses them appropriately PONV/PDNV management
- Demonstrates competence in physiological systems review assessment, neurologic assessment
Tailor Your Nurse Resume To The Job Posting
Each time you find a job ad, scan the posting for resume keywords that can be incorporated into your RN resume. Tailoring your resume to the job posting ensures employers see exactly how you fit the position being advertised.
Heres an excerpt from a job posting for a licensed practical nurse the keywords are underlined:
When writing your nursing resume, take note of keywords like this and work them into your experience section when possible.
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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
- 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 , certified registered nurse anesthetists, and clinical nurse specialists. Including your area 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:
Registered Nurse Outpatientresume Examples & Samples
- BSN or actively enrolled in a BSN program with completion within 6 years of start with OSF. Must show proof of enrollment or acceptance letter from College for the current/next semester. Validating documents must be shown at time of interview
- 1 year of RN experience or completion of an RN Residency program
- Registration and current IL RN license
- Current American Heart Association HealthCare Provider BLS CPR or approved equivalent completed prior to employment
- BLS CPR , ACL within 6 months of hire
- 1 year of RN experience in a Medical, Surgical, Telemetery or higher acuity area required
- Previous Surgical experience desired
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How To Make A Strong Resume For Nursing
Nursing is a fulfilling career, and most practitioners in this field are satisfied with their jobs . However, you need an effective nursing resume before you get a position that takes you to the next level in your career.
Writing a resume that separates you from the other candidates and gets the recruiters attention is not always an easy task. One tip that can help you is tailoring each resume to match the job requirements.
Usually, the job description will help you determine what the recruiter is looking for. Use it to your advantage and add the keywords and action verbs that will optimize your resume. Hiring managers dont have much time to read through long resumes, so keep it short and summarize your qualifications on one page.
The resume format, layout, and structure are also crucial. Here are more details on them.
Rn Resume Sample For Professional Experience
To learn how to perfectly build this section make sure to read Hiration’s Blog on how to compose the work experience in your resume.
You can also refer to the nurse resume example attached below to help you understand how an ideal professional experience should be created in a registered nurse resume:
There is more that you can do with your resume on Hiration’s Online Resume Builder.
Apart from creating your nurse resume template, you can also get your existing registered nurse resume reviewed by our resume experts within minutes.
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Additional Information On Salaries And Job Market For Nurses
According to the U.S Bureau of Statistics, the employment of registered nurses is projected to grow six percent from 2021 to 2031, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
The industries with the highest levels of employment for Registered Nurses include:
- General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
- Offices of Physicians
- Outpatient Care Centers
- Nursing Care Facilities
The average salary for a registered nurse is $82,000. The typical range is between $59,000 and $106,000, depending on your level of education, skills, and experience.
Required Vs Preferred Qualifications
When reading job postings youll likely come across the terms Required Qualifications and Preferred Qualifications. Understanding the difference between these two is key.
Required qualifications. These are just what they say – requirements. Those who do not possess these qualifications will not be considered.
Preferred qualifications. These are the skills that are desired but are not deal-breakers for the employer. You may still be considered even if you do not possess these. If you dont have all the qualifications listed, dont sweat it, you could still apply and be considered for the role.
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Write A Professional Summary
A professional summary gives hiring managers an initial idea of whether you’re the right candidate for the job. Under your resume header, write two or three sentences that summarize your industry experience and achievements.
Focus on your strongest qualifications in this field, such as your nursing skills and academic accomplishments. You can also refer to the job post and identify you can use in your resume. This can help hiring managers determine whether you fit their needs.
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