Nurse Practitioner Resume Examples & Templates for 2025

As a healthcare sector worker, you’re always busy, and you have no time to waste when trying to find a new job. You’re ready to inject some life into your nurse practitioner resume, and you need the best advice there is. I’ll help your NP resume get the treatment it deserves—follow the expert tips and examples to turn your application into the perfect prescription for success!

This guide will show you:

• A sample nurse practitioner resume example better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.
• How to write a nurse practitioner resume that will land you more interviews.
• How to put skills and achievements on a resume for nurse practitioner jobs.
• How to make the best nurse practitioner job description for a resume to get any job you want.

Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here.

Use this resume template

Sample resume made with our builder—See more resume examples here.

You can also check out our other resume-writing guides for jobs in the healthcare sector:

• Nursing Resume
• Registered Nurse (RN) Resume
• Caregiver Resume
• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Resume
• Medical Assistant Resume
• Nursing Student Resume
• Med-Surg Nurse Resume
• Telemetry Nurse Resume
• Charge Nurse Resume
• Professional Resume Examples for All Professions

Nurse Practitioner Resume Template

Now, let’s analyze how to write a nurse practitioner resume as good as the NP resume template above:

1. Choose the Best Format for Your Nurse Practitioner Resume

Think of your NP resume as a well-organized medical chart—everything must be clear, accessible, and easy to follow. You can easily achieve such an effect thanks to proper resume formatting. 

Here are some essential resume tips to help you format your nurse practitioner resume:

• Choose the chronological format for your resume. Recruiters are most used to it, and it’s also the best choice for most job seekers.
• Include a visible resume header with your valid contact information.
• Make your resume easy to skim with a strategic use of white space, legible resume fonts, and clear resume headings.
• Pay attention to the details like even resume margins on all sides, a 1.15 line spacing, and dividing your resume into clear sections.
• Remember that less is more: don’t choose more than two fonts for your resume—one for the headings and the second for the rest of your resume.
• To save time on formatting your resume, pick a ready-to-use ATS-friendly resume template.
• Save your nurse practitioner resume as a PDF file unless the job ad instructs you to pick a different file format.
• Make sure your NP resume contains all the necessary sections: header, resume introduction, work experience, education, skills, and additional sections such as certifications, conferences, extra training, or volunteer work.

One last thing: don’t fall for one of the biggest resume myths that says your resume should fit on one page. Making a two-page resume is currently the best practice. But make sure you fill it only with relevant information—if everything fits nicely just on one page, don’t force yourself to make your resume longer.

Not sure which resume format you should choose? Check in our dedicated guide: Choosing the Best Resume Format: Samples & Templates

2. Highlight Work Experience on Your Nurse Practitioner Resume

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that between 2023 and 2033, the number of jobs for nursing professionals will increase by 40%. That’s 10 times more than the forecasted average growth for all occupations.

Yes, there will be plenty of job opportunities for NPs. But to get one of the best ones, you need a strong work experience section in your NP resume. Show not only qualifications but also the exceptional ability to provide care, improve patient outcomes, and work in a team.

Here’s how to make a perfect work experience section for your nurse practitioner resume:

• Present your most recent job first, followed by your previous relevant work experience.
• Make sure each job entry includes your job title, healthcare facility name, and dates worked.
• Highlight not only your duties but also professional accomplishments using up to six resume bullet points per entry.
• Open each bullet point with a dynamic action verb to effectively grab the recruiter’s attention.
• Aim to highlight your achievements using numbers and percentages to make your resume more impactful.

Now, let’s see some examples of nurse practitioner resume work experience sections:

Nurse Practitioner Resume—Job Description Sample

The first one of the family nurse practitioner resume examples above accentuates relevant accomplishments and responsibilities. The wrong example of a nurse practitioner's resume job description fails to do so and is extremely vague, and that’s not how you get the recruiter’s attention.

You may be afraid of writing the work experience section of your resume when you’ve little professional experience. But, by formulating a well-written nurse practitioner job description for your resume, you can prove that you’ve got the necessary skills to excel at your new job.

Internships? Voluntary work? Student practice? All of these activities count as relevant NP experience, which you can highlight in this section of your resume. Take a look at the examples below for inspiration:

Entry-Level Nurse Practitioner Resume Examples

The first one of these new grad NP resume examples above demonstrates the candidate's potential despite the lack of extensive experience. The second example doesn’t do the candidate any justice and lacks substance.

In the next section, I’ll show you how to talk about your academic background on a resume.

Read more: Is It a Good Idea to Put Irrelevant Work Experience on a Resume?

Creating a resume with our builder is incredibly simple. Follow our step-by-step guide and use content from Certified Professional Resume Writers to have a resume ready in minutes.

Create my resume now

When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and our resume checker will tell you exactly how to make it better.

3. Include an Education Section in Your NP Resume

No matter if you’ve little or a lot of professional experience, your nurse practitioner resume sample must present your educational background. But, how many details it will present depends on whether you’re a new grad nurse practitioner or an NP who’s been working for quite some time already. Take a look at this example:

New Grad Nurse Practitioner Resume Example: Education Section

Here’s how to highlight your education on an NP resume:

• Are you writing an experienced nurse practitioner resume? Your education section needs just a few basic details, such as the name of the degree you’ve obtained, the school’s name and location, and the start and graduation dates.
• If you’re writing a new grad nurse practitioner resume, add a few more relevant details that can work in your favor. Mention any academic accomplishments (such as making the Dean’s list, having a high GPA, and so on), extracurricular activities, your favorite fields of study, and relevant coursework.

Read more: What Should You Include in a Resume?

4. Put Relevant Nurse Practitioner Skills on Your Resume

You can view your skills section like a well-organized medical toolkit—you need the right tools for the right situation. You wouldn’t bring every possible tool to a routine check-up, wouldn’t you? That’s exactly why you shouldn’t list all the professional skills you have to not overwhelm the recruiter.

So—how should you make your resume skills section instead? Here’s a tried-and-tested approach:

• Begin with rereading the NP job description once again. Look for specific keywords for your resume—the exact skills needed for the particular job you’re applying for.
• Think about all the hard and soft skills you have. Make a master list of all the skills you’ve learned during your time at school and in your past jobs.
• Once you’ve created the list, compare it with the job ad and select the ones that match its requirements.
• Now it’s time to add skills to your nurse practitioner resume sample. But—don’t add more than 10 skills.

I’ve prepared a list of sample skills for your nurse practitioner resume below:

Nurse Practitioner Skills for Resumes

• Active Listening
• Adaptability Skills
• Administering Injections
• Analytical Skills
• Arranging Referrals and Medical Consults
• Attention to Detail
• Authorizing and Coordinating Admissions and Discharge
• Clinical Expertise
• Communication Skills
• Compassion and Empathy
• Critical Thinking
• Diagnosis
• Differential Diagnosis
• Emergency Procedures
• Ethical Decision-Making
• Health Assessment
• Interpersonal Skills
• Interpreting Clinical Findings
• Leadership Abilities
• Medication Administration
• Ordering and Performing Diagnostic Procedures and Tests
• Patience and Perseverance
• Patient Education and Counseling
• Patient Rights
• Performing Complete Physical Exams
• Policy and Procedure Development
• Prescribing Medications and Therapeutic Interventions
• Problem-Solving Skills
• Promoting Evidence-Based Practice
• Resilience
• Risk Management
• Teamwork Skills
• Technology and Information Literacy
• Time Management
• Treatment Planning

Now, let’s see what a skills section can look like on an NP resume. Notice how it mentions technical skills but doesn’t skip soft skills. After all, when working in the healthcare field, your people skills and other soft abilities are essential for the well-being of the patients and effective cooperation with other professionals.

Nurse Practitioner Skills: Resume Example

In the next chapter, we’ll discuss the topic of certifications and additional resume sections you can include in your nurse practitioner resume template.

Read more: Entry-Level Nurse Resume

5. Add Your Certifications and Other Extra Resume Sections

Any good nurse practitioner resume must include certain elements that are not a requirement for resumes for other professions. Your license information is the first thing that you should always include. You can place it not only in a separate resume section but also in the resume header so that the recruiter will notice this piece of information immediately.

Not only do you have to be licensed to be a nurse practitioner, but also, most NPs in the U.S. need to be certified in the area of their specialty to practice legally. Those certifications must be renewed regularly to be valid.

Here are some of the most popular certifications for nurse practitioners in the U.S.:

• Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP-C or FNP-BC)
• Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP-BC or AGACNP-BC)
• Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC)
• Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP-AC or PNP-PC)
• Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP)

You can also pursue other certifications to become even more qualified and prove your lifelong learner mindset:

• Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP-BC)
• Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNPC-AG)
• Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP-BC)

Certifications are crucial for every nurse practitioner, that’s why you should put yours in a separate resume section. Depending on your preference, you can make a joint resume section for both your license and certifications.

But—licenses and certifications are not the only unique resume sections you can add. Here are some other extra resume sections that are perfect for a nurse practitioner resume:

• Conferences & Training
• Awards & Honors
• Memberships & Affiliations
• Volunteer Work
• Hobbies and Interests

Now, let’s see an actual nurse practitioner resume sample of how can you add extra resume information:

Nurse Practitioner Resume Sample—Additional Sections

Read more: How to Make a Perfect Resume: Samples + Tips

6. Make an Impressive Nurse Practitioner Resume Objective or Summary

There’s one part of your resume that, although it comes first on a resume, should be written as the last thing. It’s the resume profile, which is like an “initial assessment” for hiring managers. It’s where they quickly gauge your qualifications, just as you’d assess the patient’s vitals to understand their needs.

A resume profile can come in the form of a resume summary or a career objective. Which one is better for your resume? Let me explain:

• A resume summary is a compact overview of your qualifications that highlights your professional experience and accomplishments to convince the recruiter that you’re a perfect match for the role. It’s the best option for experienced NPs.
• A career objective, also known as a resume objective, shortly summarizes the skills you have instead of focusing on your accomplishments and experience. It’s recommended for nurse practitioner resumes written by new grads.

Now that we’ve completed the theoretical part, it’s time to see some samples. First, two sample nurse practitioner resume summaries:

Nurse Practitioner Summary for Resume—Examples

The first example draws attention to specific accomplishments, such as reducing readmission rates, and uses dynamic, descriptive language to highlight both the candidate’s experience and impact. The second example is vague, lacks achievements, and focuses solely on the candidate’s responsibilities and what they’re looking for, not on the employer’s needs.

Now, I’ll show you two new grad nurse practitioner resume objectives:

Nurse Practitioner Resume Examples: Career Objectives

The right sample highlights specifics such as the number of clinical hours, relevant skills, and patient care mindset, making this new-grad NP stand out as dedicated and well-trained. The wrong example is vague and lacks attention-grabbing details, which is why it won’t be compelling to recruiters.

It’s not only about what’s in your nurse practitioner resume, it’s also how it looks. Make the recruiters fall in love with your resume at first sight with our guide: What Should the Best Resume Look Like? Examples + Expert Advice

7. How About a Nurse Practitioner Resume Cover Letter?

Even though 47% of professionals have not written a cover letter for their last job, you should still write a cover letter. Sure, they landed the job, but why leave such a critical part of your application up to chance? A tailored cover letter is a priceless opportunity to showcase what makes you unique, and why you’re a perfect fit for the role.

Here’s how to make a perfect cover letter:

• Pay attention to cover letter formatting and fit it onto just one page.
• Address your cover letter with the recruiter’s name. Do your best not to use the Dear Sir or Madam cover letter opening.
• Make a strong cover letter opening statement by starting with some attention-grabbing facts.
• Present yourself well in your cover letter by touching on your relevant skills and accomplishments.
• Explain why you want to work at this particular healthcare facility, not just any other.
• Close your cover letter with a strong call to action and a professional cover letter sign-off.

With a killer cover letter written according to the tips above, your chances of landing an interview will be significantly higher! But—don’t attach a cover letter if the job ad specifically asks you not to.

Read more: Nurse Practitioner Cover Letter: Sample & Writing Guide

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

Create my cover letter now

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Key Takeaway

Here’s a quick recap of how to write a nurse practitioner resume:

• Choose a professional nurse practitioner resume template.
• Grab attention with a resume summary or objective.
• Showcase your relevant experience and skills.
• Include your educational background, certifications, and license info.
• Add extra resume sections and tailor your resume to the job ad for added impact.
• Write a cover letter.

Are you writing a new graduate nurse practitioner resume? Or maybe you’re working on an NP resume as an experienced professional? No matter if you have some tips, insights, or questions, feel free to reach out in the comments section. Thank you for reading my article, and I wish you all the best in your career journey!

About Zety’s Editorial Process

This article has been reviewed by our editorial team to make sure it follows Zety's editorial guidelines. We’re committed to sharing our expertise and giving you trustworthy career advice tailored to your needs. High-quality content is what brings over 40 million readers to our site every year. But we don't stop there. Our team conducts original research to understand the job market better, and we pride ourselves on being quoted by top universities and prime media outlets from around the world.

Sources

• Jobvite, "2017 Job Seeker Nation Survey"
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Occupational Outlook Handbook: Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners"
• International Journal of Medical Informatics, "Health sciences lifelong learning and professional development in the era of artificial intelligence"