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After getting your fair share of experience during a nursing program, you’ve decided it’s time to find work. But it’s not easy writing a nursing student resume.
Stop needling yourself. Make sure your new grad nursing resume gets you noticed by hiring managers by following our advice. This guide is a prescription to your future success, and it all starts with the perfect nursing student resume.
This guide will show you:
A nursing student resume example better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.
How to write a nursing student resume that will land you more interviews.
Tips and examples of how to put skills and achievements on a nursing student resume.
How to describe your experience on a resume for a nursing student to get any job you want.
Here's a sample resume for a nursing student made using our resume builder.
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.
That's because it shows your best stuff, stat. Then Tracie can dig into the details once she's got the gems.
Use neat, distinct headings and clear, legible fonts. No comic sans.
Use white space to avoid that "epidemic of words" feeling.
Finally, save your new grad nursing resume in the PDF format. That'll keep the layout from going into critical condition later (unlike Word files.)
Pro Tip: PDFs are generally best, but check the job description to make sure they're OK. Some Applicant Tracking Systems don't play well with new grad RN resumes saved as PDFs.
You want the HR manager to say the words above when she sees your new grad RN resume.
You can make that happen with a solid resume objective or resume summary.
A resume summary is for nursing students with truckloads of experience.
A resume objective is for those with fresh diploma ink.
Either one needs measurable achievements.
These two nursing student resume examples show what I mean.
Nursing Student Resume Examples: Two Summaries
Check out the very different new grad nursing resume examples below:
wrong
Nursing school graduate looking for a job at a major hospital. Compassionate and skilled in patient care. I'm good with people and have problem solving skills.
Not bad, but neither are the other 299 beginner nursing resumes on Tracie's laptop.
To get the interview, you'll need something more like this:
right
Licensed RN with two years clinical experience seeking to strengthen patient care at Newark Central Hospital through proven skills in triage, daily care, and problem solving. Achieved 25% increase in patient satisfaction at Clifton Urgent Care, and 95% positive preceptor evaluations.
Bam. That's an adrenaline shot right to the hiring manager's heart.
When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.
When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.
Don't have that kind of experience? In that case, look at the two new graduate nurse resume examples below.
Two Entry Level Nursing Resume Objectives
If you're still a student nurse and you haven't completed your degree, don't fret. You can still prove that you're perfect for the job.
A student nurse resume objective works for entry level nursing job applicants, interns, or anybody seeking a new niche.
Check out these two student nurse resume examples:
wrong
New nursing student looking for an internship. Not much experience yet but I'm eager to learn!
That misses the mark like a dull needle on a rolling vein.
But add a few details, and even a new nursing student can have a resume objective like this:
right
Hard-working student nurse with one semester of clinical experience. Proven skills in triaging patients, taking vital signs, and assisting with patient mobility. Received 96% positive marks from preceptor and 95% positive patient feedback.
Remember Tracie? Our hospital HR person?
She's looking for proof you can do the job well.
The nursing student resume example above gives her that proof.
Pro Tip: Your new grad RN resume objective or resume summary is the finishing touch on your nursing student resume. Write it last, once everything else is done.
Put your certification in the resume title, like this:
Example
Sarah Rodonovick, RN
Then add it at the start of your nursing student resume summary. Finally, put it in a separate section for licenses and certifications, right under your experience section.
Why put your certification above your education? It's recommended for doctors, and what makes sense for doctors makes sense for nursing students.
Example
Certifications & Licensure
Registered Nurse, New Jersey Board of Nursing, License # 0000000
Phlebotomy Certification
Basic Life Support Certification
Patient Care Technician Certification
Is putting your RN license on your nursing student resume three times an overdose?
No. It respects the HR manager's time by helping her find what she's looking for, fast.
Pro Tip: Many nursing students fear putting license numbers on a new grad nursing resume. They think it aids identity theft. However, most states publish nursing licenses publicly online.
Here are two entry level nursing resume examples. They both target a job opening that values wellness promotion, patient education, wound dressing, and leadership.
right
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bloomfield College, 2014-2017
Excelled at wellness-promotion coursework.
Teacher's assistant, patient education and wound dressing.
Vice President, Student Nursing Association.
Two semesters of clinical experience and nursing internship positions.
That's not a nursing student job applicant. It's Katy Perry in scrubs. It fits the job description like a pair of custom Dansko Mules.
Now look at the second of our new graduate nurse resume examples. It shows what happens when we lose the details.
wrong
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bloomfield College, 2017-2020
Took anatomy, microbiology, chemistry, and nutrition classes.
Passed the NCLEX.
That's as bland as coffee with no coffee in it. Every nurse takes those classes, and every licensed RN has to pass the NCLEX exam.
But add the details, and you're back off life support.
Pro Tip: You don't have to make up anything. Just look at the job offer, then think about the things you've done in school that prove you've got the chops.
All of these look great on a nursing student resume. Most nursing students graduate with plenty.
List your most recent experience first.
Then, add measurable achievements in 3-5 bullet points. Use the new grad nursing resume examples below for inspiration:
Nursing Student Resume Examples (Experience)
Check out these two new grad RN resume samples:
right
Newark General Hospital
Precept Nurse
2016-2017
Responsible for care activities, goal and safety achievements of 6 patients. Received frequent commendations from the preceptor for efficiency.
Assessed, diagnosed, and planned care for multiple patients. Received consistent evaluations of 95% positive for patient education.
Supervised patient mobilization to prevent skin breakdown and falls. My patients were in the top 98th percentile for lack of bedsores and falls.
The HR manager just used her thumb to check her pulse. Your top-notch entry-level nursing resume just blew her mind. And it didn't take 7 pages!
Here's how to do it wrong:
wrong
Newark General Hospital
Precept Nurse
2016-2017
Responsible for care activities for multiple patients.
Assessed, diagnosed, and planned patient care.
Supervised patient mobilization.
No details. Like a SOAP Notes form that hasn't been filled out yet.
You must add details to get that HR manager to notice you.
But what if you don't have details?
In that case, see the next two nursing student resume examples.
How to Write a Resume for Nursing Students with no Experience
In the nursing world, there's no such thing as no experience.
That's because nursing programs offer clinical components.
But all student nurse resumes show this clinical experience. So you need to make yours stand out like a surgeon's signature on a pre-op body part.
I'll show you how in the two nursing student resumes below.
Two Nursing Student Resume Samples (No Experience)
See if you can spot what's wrong with this first sample nursing student resume:
wrong
Student Nurse Experience: I've had one semester of clinical experience so far.
Other Experience:
Waiting tables
Barback
Dog walking
See the problem? It's as generic as a carton of atorvastatin.
But add a few details and you've got a professional entry level nurse resume like this:
right
Clifton Urgent Care
Nursing Internship
2017 Spring Semester
Triaged patients, including taking and recording vital signs and patient history. Spot checks of my results by preceptor returned 99.9% correct findings.
Assisted patients with transfer, walking, exam preparation, specimen collection. Received 95% positive feedback from patients for my compassion.
Maintained strict adherence to HIPAA at all times.
Applied problem solving skills to identify strengths and weaknesses of current solutions. Achieved 25% increase in patient satisfaction with care.
Now you're A&Ox3. But with a little effort, even someone who hasn't graduated yet can have a nursing student resume like that.
Pro Tip: Even a single semester of clinical experience can beef up your student nurse resume experience contents. Dig deep to find achievements in each position, e.g., how you instructed parents about administering medication.
If you follow the advice above, your student nurse resume will make you look like Clara Barton or Nurse Katz.
Remember to use the skills mentioned in the job posting. This way you will gain advantage over other candidates especially in the context of a large skills gap in the healthcare sector.
Pro Tip: Only list the skills you really have on your new grad nursing resume to keep from getting tripped up in the interview.
"Patient Mobility is Not Just a Good Idea" – Dear Nurses Blog
"How to Get Patients to Trust You" – Confident Voices in Healthcare
Volunteer Experience
Weekly American Heart Association Volunteer, Patient Education
Regular Red Cross Volunteer, Disaster Preparation
Additional Activities
Regular listener, Johns Hopkins Medicine Podcast.
Take weekly yoga classes to stay in shape.
That's practical magic.
The publications and volunteer experience show you're not just in it for the paycheck. They show you actually care.
The additional activities prove you are a rounded person with legit qualifications.
With a little thought, any student nurse can build a resume example like that.
Pro Tip: Consider joining the American Nurses Association. Not only does it look great on an entry level nurse resume, but it opens up dozens of great networking opportunities.
Right. And "Just the other day a student nurse fed Maalox through an IV line."
The truth is, 60% of hiring managers don't read cover letters.
The other 40% consider them essential.
You have to write a nursing student cover letter for the other 40%.
Here's how:
If you know the HR manager's name, use it.
Connect your skills directly to the job description. Do that by mentioning some details from the job offer.
Then list one or two achievements that show you're Carla Espinosa in disguise.
Basically, it's, "You need XYZ. I have XYZ. Here's proof." But a lot shorter than a nursing student resume.
Close it with a call to action. Use a simple statement like, "I'd welcome the chance to talk with you about your needs."
Pro Tip: After you send your student nurse resume and cover letter, make sure to follow up. A phone call or an email in a few days can put you top-of-mind. Now that's a good impression!
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:
Now you know how to write a new grad RN resume, and where to put certifications and licenses. Remember:
For an entry level nursing student resume or CNA resume with no experience, focus on your licensure and clinical experience.
Tie your education section and experience to the job description. Make sure every section of your new graduate nursing resume proves you have what the recruiter wants.
Whether you're making an entry level LPN resume or a new RN resume, be sure your license info figures prominently.
Never forget to include a nursing student cover letter in your job application.
Got questions or tips about how to make a professional graduate nurse resume? Give us a shout in the comments section!
Article summary
The article on Zety.com provides an example of a nursing student resume and offers tips on how to create an effective resume for a nursing student. The sample resume includes a header with the applicant's name and contact information, a professional summary, education and relevant coursework, clinical experience, skills, and certifications. The article emphasizes the importance of tailoring the resume to the specific job or organization, using strong action verbs, and highlighting achievements and measurable outcomes. Additionally, the article offers advice on how to make a nursing student resume stand out, such as including volunteer experience and extracurricular activities, and utilizing a clean and organized format.
Tom Gerencer is a career expert and Certified Professional Resume Writer who has published over 200 in-depth articles on Zety. Since 2016, he has been sharing advice on all things recruitment from writing winning resumes and cover letters to getting a promotion.
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