Create a Nursing Resume
in 5 Simple Steps

  • Step 1: Add Contact Info

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  • Step 2: Include Work Experience Details

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  • Step 3: Provide Education Details

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  • Step 4: Select Your Skills

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  • Step 5: Fill in Your Background

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Get Expert Writing Recommendations for Your Nursing Resume

A nursing resume is more effective when you incorporate specific phrases that relate to the industry. LiveCareer’s Resume Builder includes prewritten text suggestions composed by professional resume writers. Simplify the writing process by using them in your own resume.

Hiring managers want applicants to show they have the experience and skills necessary for a nursing position. Our resume builder may recommend phrases such as these for your nursing resume:

  • Managed average of 10 patients a day in orthopedic wing.
  • Focused on recovery-centered approaches and minimized hospital stays by 10 percent.
  • Communicated with other health care professionals at shift change to ensure seamless patient care.
  • Educated patients and families about diagnosis, and informed patients on treatment options.
  • Performed regular physical and physiological assessments on patients, and reported changes to appropriate health care professionals.
  • Trained incoming nurses and hospital staff on protocols to optimize safety and performance.

8 Do’s and Don’ts for Writing a Nursing Resume

  • Do include your education. Nursing positions have very specific education requirements, so make sure to include your nursing degree and school you attended.
  • Do use professional language and format. To qualify for a nursing job, you need to demonstrate your professionalism. Use a more formal format and include industry-related language.
  • Do show your patient-related skills. Nurses spend much of their time working with patients, so details on this need to be a big part of the resume. Include soft skills, such as empathy, and technical skills, such as proficiency in infection control measures, to prove competence.
  • Don’t leave out additional training. As a nurse, you need skills such as the ability to perform CPR. Make sure to list any certifications and training outside of your degree.
  • Don’t include irrelevant information. Hiring managers do not spend a lot of time reading resumes, so do not include information that does not pertain to the position. For example, do not include work history at a restaurant if applying for a nursing job.
  • Don’t leave out quantitative measures. Highlight your achievements by using numbers, figures and facts. For example, include the number of patients you managed, percentage of patient improvement under your care or number of staff you supervised.
  • Don’t forget your licensing information. Many nursing roles require a license. If you have a current license or are in the process of obtaining one, note it on your resume.
  • Don’t skip proofreading. Attention to detail is important as a nurse, so read your resume over a few times and send it through a spelling and grammar check before submitting it.

Beat the ATS With These
Nursing Resume Skills

Hospitals and clinics often receive many resumes for each open position. Using applicant tracking systems (ATS) help them narrow down the nursing applicant pool quickly. By searching for specific words and phrases, an ATS can eliminate candidates without those keywords before the hiring manager ever sees them.

To help get through an ATS, it’s critical to use keywords that relate to nursing. Study the job ad to determine the most important skills and experience for the position and emphasize those.

Using our resume builder can help you identify nursing-friendly skills. Here are a few that our builder might recommend for your resume:

  • Strong phlebotomy skills.
  • Compassion toward patients.
  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) training.
  • Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training.
  • Effective decision-making in emergency situations.
  • Ability to dialogue with concerned patients.
  • Strong critical thinking skills under pressure.
  • Ability to manage effectively.
  • Excellent ability to multitask with patients.
  • Physical stamina to work on feet and move patients.
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Nursing Resumes for Every Professional Level

Entry-Level

School Nurse

This resume uses a functional format, which works well for the job seeker who does not have a lot of nursing experience. The focus is on the applicant’s transferable skills by providing multiple examples of technical and soft skills that are necessary as a nurse.

It also demonstrates how the applicant uses these skills under the Summary of Qualifications. Work experience is at the end, but the format of the resume draws the employer’s attention to the applicant’s abilities in the beginning.

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Mid-Career

Nursing Manager

This resume for a nursing manager shows off both skills and a consistent employment history in the field. A combination format showcases not only the job seeker’s work as a nurse and nurse manager but also a strong skill set and summary of medical-related qualifications.

This combination resume shows a hiring manager that the applicant has a progression in her career from medical receptionist to nurse manager, indicating a desire to work hard and do what it takes to perform a job well.

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Executive-Level

Chief Nursing Executive

Nursing applicants who have many years of work experience should use the chronological format. This classic format focuses on work experience and the applicant’s career trajectory.

In this format, the job seeker uses the Work History section to demonstrate leadership and supervisory abilities as well as nursing skills. The Skills and Education sections follow, as the emphasis of this type of document is mainly on the experience.

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More nursing resume samples

Find resume examples for your desired nursing career. Get access to expert writing recommendations, do’s and don’ts and everything you need to write a perfect resume.

Recommended Nursing Cover Letter

If you find this sample helpful, we have many more nursing cover letter examples.

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Resume Success Stories

Statistics and Facts About Nursing Jobs

Job Outlook by Job Title (2018–2028)

Nursing Assistants9% growth
Licensed Practical Nurses11% growth
Registered Nurses12% growth
Nurse Practitioners26% growth
0%15%30%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Median Annual Pay by Job Title

Nursing Assistants$28,530
Licensed Practical Nurses$46,240
Registered Nurses$71,730
Nurse Practitioners$113,930
0K60K120K

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Highest Paying Nursing Careers

  • Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist
  • Nurse Researcher
  • Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
  • Certified Nurse Midwife
  • Pediatric Nurse
  • Orthopedic Nurse

Source: Nurse Journal

Education Statistics

Registered Nurses (RNs) and college education

RNs with no degree22%
RNs with bachelor’s degree23%
RNs with associate’s degree66%
0%50%100%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Gender Diversity Stats

Male93%
Female7%
0%50%100%

Registered Nurses

Registered Nurses (RNs) and college education

Male90.3%
Female9%
0%50%100%

Source: AMN Healthcare Education Services

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