Nursing Cover Letter Example & Template (For New Grads Too)

Nursing is hard enough.

But before you even get to doing the hard stuff, you need to get that nursing job—and that's a whole complicated procedure of its own.

Unless you know a lot of right people in the right places.

But most of us don’t.

So… how do you stand out among hundreds of similarly qualified nurses all fighting for the same nursing job?

By crafting a memorable nursing cover letter.

This guide will show you a nurse cover letter example, plus the best tips on how to write a nursing cover letter step-by-step.

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Nursing Cover Letter Example

Looks good? Well, you can have a nurse cover letter that’s as good as Ms. Freeman’s—or even better!

Just follow our step-by-step process for writing nursing cover letters.

Nursing Cover Letter Template

We’ve broken the process of writing a nurse cover letter into 7 easy-to-follow steps. Just go along and you’ll have a top-notch cover letter in no time!

1. Use the Best Cover Letter Format for Nursing Jobs

You know that medical professionals don’t have tons of spare time on their hands.

So make sure your cover letter is quick and easy to read. After all, you don’t want to give your future boss a headache caused by easily preventable eye strain!

Here are some quick cover letter formatting tips for your nurse cover letter:

• Set the page margin to 1” on all sides
• Set the line spacing to 1 or 1.15
• Pick a straightforward resume font that’s easy on the eyes
• Add an extra space between paragraphs

Following these tips will instantly make your cover letter look super-professional and easy to read.

2. Create a Header for Your Nursing Cover Letter

Before you get to the cover letter itself, you need to create a header. Fortunately, this is as straightforward as a paracetamol drip:

• In the top left corner, add your name and contact info: your address, phone number, email, and LinkedIn profile
• If you choose to add links to your social media profiles, make sure they look professional and don’t contain any compromising posts or pics
• Add the city and the date below the contact info
• Now, write the addressee’s name, job title, and business address

If you’re not sure who will be reading your cover letter, you can check the hospital’s website or just call them and ask who’s responsible for the hiring process. It’s always better to address your cover letter to a specific person.

3. Open with a Personal Greeting and a Compelling First Paragraph

After you've written your cover letter header, it's time to start the letter itself. Here's how:

• Start with a classic salutation like "Dear Mr./Ms. X"
• Avoid clichés like "I'm writing to apply" - they don't add any genuine value and are about as necessary as antibiotics for a viral cold
• Start the first paragraph in a way that captures the reader's attention: drop a name or dive straight into your key achievements

The purpose of your first paragraph is to keep your future boss reading. Don't waste their attention on useless clichés.

4. Prove You're The Nurse They Need Right Now

Now that you've caught the reader's attention, start a new paragraph and prove why your unique personality and skillset make you the right person for this nursing position. Here's how:

• Refer to the job ad and show that you understand what they're looking for in a candidate
• Add a few bullet points with your key achievements
• If you're a new grad, focus on your academic achievements and your practical placements
• Focus on measurable achievements and don't hesitate to mention the numbers that show exactly how awesome you are

You might be tempted to copy and paste the bullet points straight from your resume, but don't do it. No one wants to read the exact same thing twice!

5. Show Your Passion for This Particular Nursing Job

There's a reason why you're applying for this particular job, right? And the reason is (hopefully) bigger than "I need money and these people just happened to have a job opening".

Here's how to explain why you want to work at this particular place:

• Compliment the hospital on an award or another achievement
• Show that you know about the team's current challenges and that you'll be able to help solve them
• Make it clear that you want this particular job, not just any nursing job

Why spend so much time confessing your passion for a hospital? Well, no one wants to hire an employee who doesn't care about their job and who's just looking for a way to pay the bills while waiting for a better job opportunity.

6. End Your Nursing Cover Letter With an Offer They Can’t Refuse

Straightforward communication is crucial for success in the medical field. So show you can get your point across clearly and end your nurse cover letter with a powerful call to action:

• Ask the reader to schedule a call or a meeting with you
• Remind them how valuable you are

Adding a call to action makes you sound confident and professional: you know what you’re worth and you’re eager to talk about the value you’ll bring to the team.

7. Sign Off And Add a P. S.

Now’s the time for a few final steps. But don’t worry, they’re as easy as applying a band-aid to a finger:

• Use a closing formula that’s commonly used in business letters, like “Sincerely”
• Sign off with your full name
• If you have a scanned version of your handwritten signature, paste it under your name
• Add any enclosures if necessary
• Give your nursing cover letter a footer with your contact information
• Save your cover letter and give the file a nice, easy-to-read filename

If you’ve been following our template, you’ve most probably come up with somewhere between 200–400 words. This is the optimal cover letter word count to aim for: short, concise, and to the point.

Now just pair your brand new cover letter with a matching resume, submit your job application and lean back.

If you’d like a more in-depth approach to cover letter writing, check out the full guide: How to Write a Cover Letter: Complete Guide with Examples

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Thanks for reading! What do you think of this sample nursing cover letter? Are there any tips you think are missing? Let us know in the comments below!