Registered nurse resume example
A nursing resume is checked for the basics first: licence, specialty and the kind of unit you have worked in. After that, readers look for patient load, the care you gave and any extra responsibility such as charge duty or precepting.
Example registered nurse resume
The person and employers below are made up, and the figures are only there to show how a result reads. Use your own facts and numbers.
Maria Santos
Registered nurse, medical-surgical, 7 years
Summary
Registered nurse with seven years on busy medical-surgical units. Comfortable with a full patient load, clear handovers and supporting new nurses. Current RN licence and BLS and ACLS certification.
Experience
Registered Nurse, Medical-Surgical, Riverside Regional Hospital2021 to Present
- Care for five to six patients per shift on a 32-bed unit, including post-surgical and complex medical patients.
- Act as charge nurse on rotation, coordinating admissions and assignments for the shift.
- Precept new graduate nurses through their first twelve weeks on the unit.
- Took part in the unit project to standardise bedside handovers.
Registered Nurse, Oakmont Community Hospital2018 to 2021
- Provided direct care for general medical patients and educated patients and families on discharge plans.
- Documented accurately in the electronic record and completed medication administration safely.
Skills
- Clinical
- Medication administration, IV therapy, wound care, patient assessment, telemetry
- Systems
- Epic, discharge planning, patient education
Education
BSN, State University, 2018. RN licence (state), BLS, ACLS
Skills to include
Clinical
- Skills specific to your unit
- Medication administration and IV therapy
- Assessment and documentation
Systems
- The records system you use, such as Epic or Cerner
Credentials
- RN licence with state
- BLS, ACLS and any specialty certification
What to do
- Put your licence and certifications where they are easy to find, with state and expiry year where relevant.
- State the unit, bed count and patient ratio. They show the pace you are used to.
- Show extra responsibility: charge, precepting, committees and projects.
- Never include patient names or details that could identify anyone.
What to avoid
- Leaving out the specialty or unit type, which is the first thing a nurse recruiter looks for.
- A skills list with no mention of the care you gave.
- Letting certifications lapse on the page without checking dates.
A template for this role
Compact is a good fit for a registered nurse resume. See the template.
Common questions
What should a new graduate nurse put on a resume?
Lead with education and clinical placements, with the units and hours, plus your licence status and certifications. Add any related work and volunteering.
Where do licences go on a nursing resume?
Near the top or in a clear credentials section, with the state and, where it applies, the expiry. Recruiters look for them first.
Should I include patient numbers?
Yes, as a ratio or a range, such as five to six patients per shift. Never include anything that could identify a patient.
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