Nursing Resume: The Complete Guide for Registered Nurses (2026)
Everything you need to write a professional nursing resume that passes ATS systems and lands interviews. Whether you're a new grad, experienced RN, or switching specialties — this guide covers it all.
What Makes a Great Nursing Resume
A great nursing resume does three things: it passes the ATS filter, it catches a hiring manager's attention in 7 seconds, and it demonstrates clinical competence specific to the target unit. Here's what separates a good nursing resume from a great one:
Strong Nursing Resume
- • Quantified bullet points with patient count, bed count, and specific outcomes
- • Named equipment: "Dräger ventilators, Epic Systems, Pyxis MedStation"
- • Tailored to the specific job posting and unit
- • Standard ATS-friendly section headers
- • Credentials after name: "Jane Doe, BSN, RN, CCRN"
Weak Nursing Resume
- • Generic bullets: "Responsible for patient care"
- • Vague skills: "proficient in electronic medical records"
- • One-size-fits-all approach sent to every job
- • Creative formatting that confuses ATS systems
- • Missing license information and certifications
Choose the Right Nursing Resume Format
The format you choose affects how your information is organized and how well your resume performs with ATS systems. Here are the three main formats and when to use each:
| Format | Best For | ATS-Friendly? | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reverse Chronological | Most nurses (recommended) | Yes | Most recent experience first |
| Functional | Career changers, large gaps | Partially | Groups by skill, not timeline |
| Combination | Specialty changers | Yes | Skills section + chronological |
Our recommendation: Use the reverse-chronological format. It's what 90% of hiring managers expect and it performs best with ATS systems. Only use functional or combination formats if you have a specific reason (career change, 2+ year employment gap).
How to Write a Nursing Resume Step-by-Step
Contact Information
Your contact section should be clean and professional. Include credentials after your name — this is the standard in healthcare.
Sarah Johnson, BSN, RN
(555) 123-4567 | sarah.johnson.rn@email.com | Austin, TX
RN License #789012 — Texas
- Include credentials after your name (BSN, RN, CCRN, etc.)
- City and state only — no full address needed
- Professional email (not cutesy123@gmail.com)
- RN license number and state of licensure
Professional Summary
Your summary is the first thing a hiring manager reads after your name. Write 2-4 sentences that highlight your experience level, specialty, key certifications, and a notable competency or achievement.
Bad Example:
"Hardworking and compassionate nurse looking for a challenging position where I can use my skills to help patients and grow professionally."
Good Example (Experienced):
"BSN-prepared registered nurse with 5 years of Medical ICU experience at a 650-bed Level I Trauma Center. CCRN certified with expertise in ventilator management, vasoactive drip titration, and CRRT. Consistently recognized for reducing catheter-associated infections through evidence-based practice protocols."
Good Example (New Grad):
"Compassionate BSN-prepared new graduate nurse with 600+ hours of clinical experience across Medical-Surgical, Telemetry, and Emergency departments. BLS and ACLS certified. Skilled in patient assessment, medication administration, and Epic EMR documentation. Seeking a Med-Surg RN position."
Nursing Experience
This is the most important section. Each bullet point should demonstrate clinical competence with specific details. The formula: Action Verb + What You Did + Context/Numbers + Result.
Staff Registered Nurse — Medical ICU
UCLA Medical Center — Level I Trauma Center, Magnet | Jan 2022 – Present
24-bed MICU | 1:2 nurse-to-patient ratio
- • Manage care for 2 critically ill patients per shift, including patients on mechanical ventilation, CRRT, and vasoactive drip titration
- • Operate and troubleshoot Dräger Evita ventilators, performing spontaneous breathing trials and assisting with ventilator weaning protocols
- • Monitor hemodynamic status using arterial lines and Swan-Ganz catheters, calculating cardiac output and interpreting waveforms
- • Precept 4 new graduate nurses during their ICU residency program, developing unit-specific orientation materials
For New Grads: Format Clinical Rotations as Experience
Medical-Surgical Clinical Rotation
Community Hospital — Teaching Hospital | 160 hours
- • Performed head-to-toe assessments on 4-6 patients per shift, identifying changes in condition and escalating concerns using SBAR
- • Administered oral, subcutaneous, and IV medications using Pyxis MedStation, maintaining zero medication errors
- • Documented assessments and care plans in Epic EMR, maintaining accurate and timely charting
Education & Certifications
List your nursing degree and all relevant certifications. For certifications, include the issuing body and expiration date when applicable.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
University of California, Los Angeles
Graduated: May 2022 | GPA: 3.8
Key Certifications
- BLS (American Heart Association)
- ACLS (American Heart Association)
- CCRN (AACN) — for ICU nurses
- NIHSS (free online)
- TNCC — for ER nurses
Skills Section
Group your skills by category. Aim for 8-12 nursing-specific skills total. Avoid generic skills like "Microsoft Office" or "teamwork."
Clinical: Patient Assessment | Medication Administration | IV Therapy | Wound Care | ECG Interpretation | Telemetry Monitoring | Ventilator Management
Technical: Epic Systems | Cerner | Pyxis MedStation | Alaris Infusion Pumps | Point-of-Care Testing
Languages: English (Native) | Spanish (Conversational)
For a comprehensive guide on choosing skills, see our Top Nursing Skills for Resume article.
Optimize for ATS
Most hospitals use Applicant Tracking Systems to filter resumes before a human sees them. This step is critical — a perfectly written resume that doesn't pass ATS will never be read.
Our resume builder includes a built-in ATS checker that scans your resume for common issues. Try it free.
Registered Nurse (RN) Resume Essentials
A registered nurse resume has specific requirements beyond a general resume. Your RN license, state of licensure, and credential formatting all matter for both ATS systems and hiring managers. Here's what every nurse resume must include.
How to Put Your Nursing License on a Resume
Your nursing license should appear in two places on your resume: the header/contact section and the certifications section.
Header Format:
Sarah Johnson, BSN, RN
RN License #789012 — Texas (Active)
Certifications Section Format:
• Registered Nurse (RN) — Texas Board of Nursing, License #789012 (Active)
• BLS — American Heart Association (Exp. 2027)
• ACLS — American Heart Association (Exp. 2027)
How to List Nursing License on Resume: Multiple States
If you hold licenses in multiple states or have a compact license through the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), format them clearly:
Multi-State Example:
• RN — California #RN-987654 (Active)
• RN — Oregon #RN-456789 (Active)
Compact License Example:
• RN — Compact/Multi-state License #123456 (Active in 40+ NLC states)
• Primary State of Residence: Texas
For a detailed guide on license formatting, see our How to Put Your Nursing License on a Resume article.
Need a template that handles license information automatically? Our 8 free nursing resume templates all include a dedicated space for your RN license, certifications, and credentials.
Nursing Resume Examples by Specialty
Different nursing specialties require different resume approaches. Browse examples for your specialty to see what works:
See all our examples with expert analysis on the Nursing Resume Examples page.
Nursing Resume Templates
The right template makes your resume both visually appealing and ATS-compatible. We offer 8 professionally designed templates, each optimized for Applicant Tracking Systems:
See all templates with detailed comparisons on our Nursing Resume Templates page.
ATS for Nursing Resumes
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are used by over 90% of large hospitals and healthcare systems to filter resumes before a recruiter ever sees them. Understanding how ATS works is essential for getting your resume past the initial screen.
How Hospital ATS Systems Work
- Your resume is uploaded and parsed — the ATS extracts text and categorizes it into fields (name, experience, skills)
- The system scores your resume against the job posting keywords
- Resumes below the threshold are filtered out before a human reviews them
- Recruiters see only the top-scoring candidates
ATS Optimization Checklist
Not sure if your resume passes ATS? Our builder includes a 9-point ATS checker that scans your resume for common issues — section headers, keyword gaps, formatting problems, and more. Try it free.
Resume Tips by Career Stage
Nursing Student
Still in school? Focus on clinical rotations (even partial ones), coursework, CNA experience, and skills lab practice. Lead with your education section.
Nursing Student Resume BuilderNew Graduate
Just graduated? Format all clinical rotations as experience entries. Include total clinical hours in your summary. Keep it to one page. Target new grad residency programs.
New Grad Nurse Resume BuilderExperienced Nurse (3+ Years)
Focus on achievements over duties. Quantify patient outcomes. Highlight leadership roles (charge nurse, preceptor). Consider a two-page format if you have 5+ years. Emphasize specialty expertise and advanced certifications.
Build Your ResumeICU / Critical Care
ICU resumes need equipment specificity (ventilator models, monitoring devices), advanced certifications (CCRN), and evidence of managing high-acuity patients. Include unit details: bed count, trauma level, nurse-to-patient ratio.
ICU Nurse Resume BuilderCommon Nursing Resume Mistakes
Listing duties instead of achievements
Replace "Responsible for patient care" with "Managed care for 5-6 Med-Surg patients per shift, reducing fall incidents by 15% through hourly rounding protocol."
Using a generic objective statement
Use a professional summary that highlights your specific experience, specialty, and certifications. Objectives are outdated.
Including irrelevant skills like "Microsoft Office"
Use nursing-specific skills: Epic Systems, IV Therapy, Ventilator Management, SBAR Communication.
Sending the same resume to every job
Tailor your skills and summary to match each job posting's keywords and requirements.
Forgetting license and certification details
Include your RN license number, state, and all certifications with issuing body.
Going over one page as a new grad
New grads should always use one page. Only nurses with 5+ years should consider two pages.
Using creative formatting that breaks ATS
Stick to standard section headers, simple layouts, and avoid tables, graphics, and text boxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a nursing resume include?
A nursing resume should include contact information with RN credentials, a professional summary, nursing experience with quantified bullet points, education, certifications (BLS, ACLS, specialty certs), and a skills section divided into clinical, technical, and interpersonal categories.
What are the three F's of resume writing?
The three F's are Format (clean, ATS-friendly layout), Function (tailored content matching the job requirements), and Focus (relevant achievements and skills, not generic duties).
What are the 5 basic nursing skills?
The 5 basic nursing skills for a resume are Patient Assessment, Medication Administration, Clinical Documentation (EMR), Communication (SBAR), and Critical Thinking. Beyond these, include specialty-specific skills like IV Therapy, Wound Care, or Ventilator Management.
What is a good summary for a registered nurse resume?
A good registered nurse resume summary is 2-4 sentences that mention your years of experience (or degree for new grads), specialty area, key certifications, and a notable achievement. It should be specific and tailored to the position you're applying for.
How long should a nursing resume be?
New grad nurses should use a one-page resume. Experienced nurses with 5+ years may use two pages. Never exceed two pages regardless of experience level — be selective about what you include.
Should I use a resume objective or summary?
Use a professional summary. Objectives state what you want from the employer; summaries highlight what you offer. A strong summary is more impactful and is the modern standard.
What format should a nursing resume be in?
Use reverse-chronological format for most nursing resumes. It lists your most recent experience first and is the most ATS-friendly option. Save as PDF unless the posting requests DOCX.
Do I need my nursing license number on my resume?
Yes. Include your license type (RN), state of licensure, and license number. This helps ATS systems verify credentials and allows hiring managers to quickly confirm your active licensure.
Ready to Build Your Nursing Resume?
Use our AI-powered builder with 8 professional templates, built-in ATS checker, and nursing-specific content suggestions.