Registered nurse resume
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Key skills for a registered nurse resume
Terms that job ads ask for and ATS filters look for. Only include the ones you master.
- Patient assessment
- Medication administration
- IV therapy
- Wound care
- Care planning
- Electronic health records (EHR)
- Patient education
- BLS and ACLS
- Infection control
- Interdisciplinary teamwork
Tips for your registered nurse resume
- Put your license type, state and license number near the top.
- List the units you have worked in: med-surg, ICU, ER, OR, pediatrics, labor and delivery or home health.
- Show your patient load and the type of patients you care for.
- Name the EHR systems you use, such as Epic or Cerner.
- Add specialty certifications and life support cards with their expiry dates.
- Include results: fewer falls, better patient satisfaction scores or protocols you helped improve.
Registered nurse resume summary examples
Adapt these examples with your real details: years of experience, industry, tools and certifications.
Registered nurse with 7 years of experience in emergency and ICU care at a level I trauma center. I triage patients, manage ventilators and titrate drips for critical patients, and precept new graduates. BLS, ACLS and PALS certified.
Registered nurse with a BSN and clinical rotations in med-surg, pediatrics and community health. Skilled in medication administration, IV starts and patient education, and trained on Epic. BLS certified and looking for my first staff nurse role.
Other job titles
Search for them too and use the one in the job ad on your resume.
- Staff nurse
- Charge nurse
- ER nurse
- ICU nurse
- Travel nurse
- Home health nurse
How to write a registered nurse resume step by step
Write a short summary
Three or four lines with your years of experience, your specialty and the units you work in.
Detail your experience
In “Experience”, add the facility, unit, patient load and your main duties for each job.
Add your license and certifications
In “Certificates”, list your RN license with state and number, life support cards and specialty certifications.
Show projects and achievements
In “Projects” or “Achievements”, include quality improvement projects, committees or awards.
Tailor your resume to the job ad and download it
Paste the job ad into Beatjob: the AI improves the wording with the keywords your experience backs up. Then download the PDF.
More resume examples
Frequently asked questions about a registered nurse resume
Do registered nurses need a license?
Yes. Registered nurses must hold a nursing license issued by the state where they work. To get it, they graduate from an approved nursing program and pass a licensing exam.
What education do registered nurses need?
A bachelor's degree in nursing, an associate's degree in nursing or a diploma from an approved program. Some employers, especially hospitals, prefer a bachelor's degree.
What should a new grad nurse resume include?
Your degree, license, clinical rotations with their units and skills, life support certifications and any healthcare work or volunteering.
Sources
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