Nursing/Nurse Cover Letter Examples (Any Experience Level)

In a few minutes, you’ll have a nursing cover letter with a GCS score of 15. But first—

You already worked hard on your CV. Isn’t a cover letter for nursing a formality?

Only if you don’t want the job.

See, people say, ‘Nobody reads cover letters.’ That’s because most of them are garbage.

Yet hiring managers say time and again. ‘We’re interviewing this candidate because of her great cover letter.’

The good news? It’s not hard to write a nurse cover letter that stands out.

This guide will show you:

• Nursing cover letter examples better than 9 out of 10 others.
• A nurse cover letter template that’ll get you in the job.
• How to write a nursing CV cover letter hiring managers love.
• How to add achievements to a cover letter for nursing to get any job you want.

Want to write your cover letter fast? Use our cover letter builder. Choose from 20+ professional cover letter templates that match your CV. See actionable examples and get expert tips along the way.

Sample Cover Letter for a CV—See more cover letter templates and create your cover letter here.

And if you’re looking to apply for jobs in other fields we’ve got you covered too:

• Data Analyst Cover Letter Example
• Data Analyst Cover Letter Example
• Digital Marketing Cover Letter Example
• Investment Banking Cover Letter Example
• IT Cover Letter Example
• Legal Cover Letter Example
• Marketing Cover Letter Example
• Project Manager Cover Letter Sample
• Sales Cover Letter Example
• Short Cover Letter Examples

Sample Nursing Cover Letter

Look out, Mary Seacole. That nursing cover letter sample just made the hiring manager feel tingly.

With a cover letter for nursing like that, your CV will get treated like it’s from the administrator’s younger brother.

Writing a cover letter for a nursing job application is easy if you have a great nursing CV to work with. See:

• Nursing CV Examples: Template, Skills & Guide

• Care Assistant CV Example & Writing Guide

Now here’s how to write a nurse cover letter:

1. Use The Best Nursing Cover Letter Template

I’ve given you a job-getting sample nursing cover letter.

But how can you make one just as good?

Start with a crisp cover letter format.

Adapt the cover letter template below and you’ll be well on your way to landing that dream nursing job.

The Best Nursing Cover Letter Template [Checklist]

1. Heading

• Your name, title, and contact info
• The date
• The addressee's details

2. Salutation

• Dear [hiring manager’s name] or—
• Dear Hiring Manager (if you can’t find the name)

3. Main Body: Three-Paragraph Nurse Cover Letter Format

• 1) A ‘hook.’ The most pulse-quickening fact about you. (In a nursing internship cover letter, that might be a commendation from a teacher.)
• 2) Say why you want the job.
• 3) Add bullet points with more achievements to show how you can help.

4. Call To Action

• Don’t just ask for an interview—make an offer.
• Don’t use the boring ‘Thank you for your time.’ Always thank the reader but word it in an interesting way.

5. Cover Letter Ending

• Use a ‘sincerely’ synonym.
• Add ‘PS’ with another achievement. (It draws the eye like a surgeon’s signature on a pre-op body part.)

See the next section for a great opening to your RN cover letter.

Pro Tip: Put your Nursing and Midwifery Council Pin number on your new graduate nurse cover letter or cover letter for RNs with experience. It saves the hiring manager from wondering if you’re qualified.

Want a plan to write the best of the nursing cover letters on the ward? See our guide: Cover Letter Format: A Complete How-To Guide

When making a CV in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your CV here.

Create my CV now

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

2. Add a Nursing Cover Letter Opener Hiring Managers Love

Starting a nurse cover letter is terrifying.

But, like an IV—once you’re in, you’re golden.

Why is starting scary?

Because you’re afraid the first sentence will bore the hiring manager and she’ll toss your CV.

You’re actually right.

A Glassdoor study shows 98% of CVs land in the recycle bin.

So let’s make the manager’s mouth drop open instead.

These two registered nurse cover letter examples show your plan of care.

Nursing Cover Letter Examples [Opening Paragraph]

That’s as bland as hospital food.

Instead, start it like this nursing cover letters sample:

That’s an oxygenated first sentence to a cover letter for a nurse.

The pupil-dilating achievement makes it hire-worthy.

 If you don’t have an accomplishment that good, pick your best. (It might just be a commendation from your boss.)

Nurse Cover Letters [Opening Tips]

• Include the hiring manager’s name. If you can’t find it, "Dear Nursing Team Hiring Manager" works.
• Use ‘Ms’ not ‘Miss’ or ‘Mrs.’
• For bonus points, add a LinkedIn profile.

Next, let’s see some nurse cover letter samples for that tricky middle part.

Pro Tip: Don’t know the hiring manager’s name? Look harder. Many hiring managers throw out nursing CV cover letters without manager names.

Is your nursing cover letters knowledge as blank as an unfilled prescription? See our full guide: How to Start a Cover Letter: Sample & Complete Guide

3. Write a Great Nursing Cover Letter Middle

You’ve got the hiring manager reading.

Now let’s get her hiring.

These registered nurse cover letter samples show the steps.

First, say why you’re interested in the job.

Then show how you can help.

Pretend the job is looking for a nurse who can handle scheduling and training.

This RN cover letter middle has the cure:

Nursing Cover Letter Examples [Middle]

The manager who wouldn’t hire you with that sample cover letter for a nursing job application would test pumpkin positive.

Extra Credit

Pick the right achievements for your bullet points. Highlight the requirements in the job ad, then choose accomplishments that fit. Make use of nursing CV skills you've mastered.

Pro Tip: If you’re writing a new grad entry level nursing cover letter, use academic achievements. A case manager cover letter or ER nurse CV letter may need beefier accomplishments.

Are you writing a nursing internship cover letter, or a new grad registered nurse cover letter? See our guide: How to Write a Cover Letter For an Internship [+20 Examples]

How long should a cover letter be for nursing jobs? See our guide: How Long Should A Cover Letter Be?

4. End a Nurse Cover Letter With a Bang

What’s the best way to end a cover letter?

Well, remember our hiring manager?

So far, she loves your cover letter for nursing jobs.

But then your last sentence comes off needy.

Uh-oh.

The final words of your cover letter for nurse jobs really matter.

Done right, they can lock you into the interview like an autoclave door going, ‘click.’

So—make an offer like our next nursing cover letter examples.

Nurse Cover Letter Examples [Ending]

That’s basically on life support.

So, imitate the next of our nursing cover letter samples:

That RN cover letter is SO easy to say “yes” to.

See how it offers something? Two things?

Write that kind of RN cover letter ending, and you’ll need a storeroom to hold your interview requests.

Is registered nurse capitalised in a cover letter for nurses? When it’s part of your name as in Anne Smith, Registered Nurse, yes. In a sentence like, I’ve been a registered nurse for five years, lowercase works best.

Pro Tip: A ‘PS’ is like magic. It draws the hiring manager’s attention like yelling, ‘Who wants to go for pizza?’ Load it with an accomplishment to land the interview.

Want your nursing cover letter ending to stand out like Chris Hemsworth in a white coat? See our guide: How to End a Cover Letter: Sample & Complete Guide [+20 Examples]

Key Takeaway

Here’s a recap of how to write a nursing cover letter that gets jobs:

• Start with a great template. The one up top will put you at the front of the line.
• Use a strong hook. Include an eye-catching achievement for a registered nurse cover letter that lands interviews.
• Make it personal. Add achievements to the middle of your cover letter for nursing jobs. Fit them to what the job opening needs.
• End your nurse cover letter with an offer. Offer to explain how you’ll help, or how you reached a great accomplishment. Add a PS for extra power.

Do you have questions about how to write an entry level cover letter for nursing? Want to share an example of a cover letter for a nurse that worked? Give us a shout in the comments. We’d be happy to reply!