Nursing Student Resume Builder
Still in school? Build a professional resume that highlights your clinical hours, coursework, and certifications — even without a nursing degree yet.
Build My Student Resume — FreeWhat to Put on a Nursing Student Resume
Education & Program
Your nursing program, school name, expected graduation date, GPA (if 3.5+), and relevant coursework like Pharmacology, Pathophysiology, and Health Assessment.
Clinical Rotations
Even one or two completed rotations are valuable. Include the unit type, hospital name, hours completed, and specific skills you practiced.
Certifications
BLS is a must. If you have CNA certification, list it prominently — it shows hands-on patient care experience before your clinical rotations.
CNA / Healthcare Work
CNA, patient care tech, medical assistant, or hospital volunteer experience is gold. Format it with action verbs and specific patient care duties.
Skills Lab Experience
IV insertion practice, catheter insertion, wound care simulation — skills lab experience demonstrates competence even without clinical exposure.
Leadership & Volunteer
Student Nurses Association, hospital volunteering, community health events — these show initiative and commitment to nursing.
Nursing Student vs. New Grad: What's the Difference?
Nursing Student Resume
- •Still enrolled in nursing program
- •Lists "Expected Graduation: [Date]"
- •Includes completed coursework
- •May have fewer clinical rotations
- •For CNA jobs, externships, or internships
New Grad Resume
- •Graduated, seeking first RN position
- •Lists degree and graduation date
- •Total clinical hours prominently featured
- •All rotations completed and detailed
- •For new grad RN residency programs
Already graduated? Check out our New Grad Nurse Resume Builder instead.
How to Write Your Nursing Student Resume
Start with a Strong Summary
Write 2-3 sentences highlighting your program, year, completed clinical hours, and career goals. Be specific about your target area.
Good Example:
"Dedicated third-year BSN student at UCLA School of Nursing with 320+ clinical hours across Med-Surg and Pediatric units. BLS and CNA certified with 1 year of patient care experience in a skilled nursing facility. Seeking a nurse extern position to gain acute care experience."
Lead with Education
As a student, your education section comes before experience. Include:
- Degree type (BSN, ADN) and school name
- Expected graduation date
- GPA if 3.5 or higher
- Key coursework: Pharmacology, Pathophysiology, Health Assessment, Fundamentals of Nursing
Format Clinical Rotations as Experience
Even if you have only one rotation completed, format it like a job entry with action verb bullet points.
Med-Surg Clinical Rotation
UCLA Medical Center — Teaching Hospital | 120 hours
- • Performed head-to-toe assessments on 3-4 patients per shift under RN preceptor supervision
- • Administered oral and subcutaneous medications using Pyxis MedStation
- • Documented patient assessments and care plans in Epic EMR system
Include CNA or Healthcare Work
If you work as a CNA, patient care tech, or medical assistant while in school, this is extremely valuable. Highlight patient care duties, vital signs, and communication with healthcare teams.
Add Skills and Certifications
List your BLS certification, CNA license (if applicable), and clinical skills you've practiced. Separate into Clinical Skills (patient assessment, medication administration) and Technical Skills (Epic, Pyxis).
Top Skills for Nursing Student Resumes
Clinical Skills
Technical & Soft Skills
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a nursing student put on a resume?
Include your nursing program and expected graduation date, completed clinical rotations with hours and skills, certifications like BLS, any CNA or healthcare work experience, relevant coursework, and volunteer or leadership activities.
How do I write a resume as a nursing student with no experience?
Focus on your clinical rotations (even early ones), relevant coursework, certifications, skills lab experience, and any healthcare-adjacent work. CNA, medical assistant, and hospital volunteer roles all count.
What is the difference between a nursing student resume and a new grad resume?
A nursing student resume is for someone still enrolled in a nursing program, while a new grad resume is for someone who has graduated and is seeking their first RN position. Students list their expected graduation date and completed coursework; new grads list their degree and total clinical hours.
Build Your Nursing Student Resume
Our builder guides you step-by-step. No experience needed — just your clinical hours and certifications.
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