Nursing Student Resume Tips

Nurses need solid, well-written resumes when searching for a job. They must prepare and present comprehensive resumes that demonstrate what they’ve learned in their nursing education, from patient care to computer skills to soft skills.

Here is a list of important sections nurses should include on their resumes.

Experience

All resumes should include a section on relevant experience. This section should include the major nursing jobs the candidate has held for the past several years. Sometimes nurses take contract jobs that last six months or less. It’s important to specify if a certain job was held under a contract or agency.

Computer Skills

Healthcare facilities are increasingly making the switch from paper to electronic health records. For this reason, a nursing resume should include all relevant computer skills, especially if a nurse is proficient in one program or another. Nurses may want to list all computer courses they have taken.

Qualifications Summary

This section of a nursing resume is an overview of the value the nurse can bring to the employer. Career goals, specialty areas, top credentials and special honors should be included here.

Expertise

It never hurts to include a section of special skills showing a nurse’s expertise. This is an opportunity to shine. Include specialty areas like pediatrics or psychiatry or specific skills such as medication administration and case management here.

Contact Information

Perhaps it goes without saying, but it’s imperative a nursing resume includes a section with contact information and references. Administrators and hiring managers will know how to reach you if they’re interested in an interview. And listing references shows that nurses have people who will vouch for their skills and expertise.

Education and Certifications

Nurses should include a section on their education. Here it’s important to list degree(s) earned and academic achievements: honors, scholarships, fellowships and internships, for example. GPA can be included if it’s especially good. Clinical rotation details and licensure credentials are great to include in this section too.

Perfecting a solid resume helps nurses get recognized and stand out among the competition. It can also help to get promoted to a higher-level job or to negotiate a better salary. Keeping an updated resume with new skills and qualifications as they are acquired allows nurses to be prepared to show an employer how they’ve progressed in their career.

Campbellsville University offers a fully online RN to BSN program, accredited by ACEN, that provides the knowledge and skills nurses need to advance in their careers.