Crafting a registered nurse cover letter can often seem tricky; it's an essential step you encounter when applying for your dream job. You understand it needs to be more than a repeat of your resume, focusing instead on your proudest professional moment, weaving a compelling story around it. But with the need to sound professional without falling into the trap of clichés, and the pressure to keep it concise, fitting everything onto one page can be a challenging task. Let’s dive into how you can master this delicate balance and make a memorable impression.
- Introduce your profile to catch recruiters' attention;
- Use professional templates and examples to make sure your registered nurse cover letter follows the best industry standards;
- Settle on your most story-worthy achievement to shine a light on what makes your application unique;
- Write a registered nurse cover letter, even when you lack professional experience.
Ready to start with the basics: upload your resume to Enhancv's AI, below, to see the registered nurse cover letter it would write for you.
If the registered nurse isn't exactly the one you're looking for we have a plethora of cover letter examples for jobs like this one:
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Registered Nurse cover letter example
TAYLOR FOSTER
Chicago, IL
+1-(234)-555-1234
help@enhancv.com
- Alignment with the organization’s values: Mentioning Mercy Hospital's commitment to patient-centered care and the applicant's patient-first philosophy demonstrates alignment with the hospital’s culture and values, which is enticing to employers.
- Demonstration of tangible achievements: By including specific results such as improvement in patient satisfaction scores and a decrease in postoperative infections, the cover letter provides concrete evidence of the candidate’s impact on patient outcomes.
- Experience in team leadership and mentorship: Highlighting the initiative led to revamp patient care protocols and the mentoring of nursing staff illustrates the candidate's leadership skills and ability to work collaboratively within a healthcare team.
- Result-oriented mindset: The emphasis on measurable improvements suggests a proactive and results-focused approach to healthcare, which is highly valued in clinical settings.
Five tips on formatting your registered nurse cover letter
Do you want to make a good impression on recruiters and, at the same time, follow the best industry advice on writing your registered nurse cover letter?
Make sure to include the following:
- Header and Salutation;
- Introductory paragraph;
- Body paragraph;
- Closing paragraph;
- Signature (this one is up to you).
Remember to use the same modern, simple font for your registered nurse cover letter as you did for your resume (e.g. Lato, Rubik, etc.)
Ensure your registered nurse cover letter is single-spaced and is wrapped around a one-inch margin, like in our cover letter templates.
Once completed, use our cover letter builder to export your registered nurse cover letter in the best format to keep your information intact - PDF.
At the end of the day, your registered nurse cover letter won't be assessed by the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) software, but by the recruiters. Your information should thus be legible, organized, and follow a structured logic.
The top sections on a registered nurse cover letter
- Header: This should include the nurse’s contact information, the date, and the employer's contact details to ensure professionalism and make it easy for the recruiter to reach out for an interview.
- Greeting: A personalized greeting addressing the hiring manager by name demonstrates attention to detail and establishes a more direct connection, which is essential in a patient-focused profession like nursing.
- Introduction: The intro briefly conveys the nurse's current position, their enthusiasm for the job opportunity, and a succinct statement of their qualifications, showcasing their commitment and setting the stage for the detailed experiences to follow.
- Body: This section should detail the nurse's relevant clinical experiences, special skills, and particular achievements, highlighting how their background aligns with the needs of the healthcare facility, which is crucial for showing their potential value to the team.
- Closing: The closing wraps up the letter by reaffirming the nurse’s interest in the position, inviting the recruiter to review their attached resume, and indicating their eagerness to discuss how they can contribute to the institution in an interview, ending the cover letter on a proactive note.
Key qualities recruiters search for in a candidate’s cover letter
- Clinical expertise and knowledge: Demonstrates the ability to provide high-quality patient care based on a strong foundation in nursing principles and procedures.
- Compassion and empathy: Shows genuine concern for patients' well-being and the ability to provide comfort and emotional support to them and their families.
- Adaptability and flexibility: Adapts to changing environments and patient needs, able to handle multiple tasks efficiently in a fast-paced setting.
- Team collaboration and communication skills: Works effectively as part of a healthcare team, communicating clearly with physicians, patients, and co-workers.
- Attention to detail: Ensures accurate documentation of patient care and adherence to healthcare regulations and safety standards.
- Leadership and mentorship: Capable of guiding and supervising less experienced nurses or nursing students, contributing to a learning environment.
The registered nurse cover letter salutation: how to address hiring managers
After covering the format of your registered nurse cover letter, let's look at the salutation.
Back in the day, the cordial "To whom it may concern" or "Dear Sir/Madam", might have worked out fine.
But, nowadays, your cover letter should approach hiring managers on a more personal basis.
So, what to do about your cover letter salutation?
If you've messaged the recruiters and are on a first name basis or a more formal one, use the hiring manager's name in the greeting (e.g. "Dear Sophie," "Dear Ms. Givens", or "Dear Mr. Everett,").
Always aim to make the effort to find out the name of the hiring manager, who'd be assessing your application. Search on LinkedIn, double-check the advert on the corporate website, or message the brand on social media to find out more about the role.
If you can't find the hiring manager's name (and still want to sound professional), use "Dear HR Team,", "Dear Hiring Manager,", or the likes.
List of salutations you can use
- Dear Hiring Manager,
- Dear [Employer's Name],
- Dear [Department] Team,
- Dear [Job Title] Search Committee,
- Dear Dr. [Last Name],
- Dear Ms./Mr. [Last Name],
Using your registered nurse cover letter intro to show your dedication
We know just how difficult it is to start writing your registered nurse cover letter introduction.
There are so many great qualities you have as a professional, which one should you choose?
How about writing up to two sentences about your passion and commitment to the work you do or are set to do?
Try to describe exactly what you enjoy about the potential role.
A positive attitude from the get-go will help you stand out as a motivated registered nurse professional.
Choosing your best achievement for the middle or body of your registered nurse cover letter
Now that you have the recruiters' attention, it's time to write the chunkiest bit of your registered nurse cover letter.
The body consists of three to six paragraphs that focus on one of your achievements.
Use your past success to tell a story of how you obtained your most job-crucial skills and know-how (make sure to back these up with tangible metrics).
Another excellent idea for your registered nurse cover letter's middle paragraphs is to shine a light on your unique professional value.
Write consistently and make sure to present information that is relevant to the role.
Ending your registered nurse cover letter to avoid "Sincerely yours"
Yes, this sort of closing statement may work best before your signature.
But you want to give recruiters something more with your registered nurse cover letter ending.
Some professionals choose to go down the path of promises. In a single sentence, they map out what they'd bring about to the role (whether that's a particular technical skill set or personal traits).
Others, decide to be more concrete by thanking recruiters for their time and prompting for their next interview.
Whatever path you choose, remember to always be polite and respectful of the opportunity you've had. Good manners go a long way.
What to write on your registered nurse cover letter, when you have zero experience
The best advice for candidates, writing their registered nurse cover letters with no experience, is this - be honest.
If you have no past professional roles in your portfolio, focus recruiters' attention on your strengths - like your unique, transferrable skill set (gained as a result of your whole life), backed up by one key achievement.
Or, maybe you dream big and have huge motivation to join the company. Use your registered nurse cover letter to describe your career ambition - that one that keeps you up at night, dreaming about your future.
Finally, always ensure you've answered why employers should hire precisely you and how your skills would benefit their organization.
Key takeaways
Your registered nurse cover letter is your best shot at standing out by showing your motivation and the unique skills you'd bring to the job:
- Chose no more than one achievement, which you'd be talking about in the body of your registered nurse cover letter, by focusing on skills and outcomes;
- Address recruiters with their first or last name, or "Dear Hiring Manager" in your registered nurse cover letter greeting;
- Introduce in no more than two sentences what makes your profile unique (perhaps it's your motivation, enthusiasm, or appreciation of the company you're applying for);
- Select the same font you have used in your resume (avoid Times New Roman and Arial, as most candidates tend to invest in them);
- Close your registered nurse cover letter with a promise of how you see yourself growing in the company and the benefits you'd bring about.
