Crafting a CV that effectively showcases clinical expertise alongside soft skills is a significant challenge for registered nurses. Our guide offers tailored advice to help you strike the perfect balance, ensuring your CV stands out to potential employers.
What information should you include in your registered nurse CV? Learn how to create your interview-landing and job-winning profile with our bespoke guide on:
- Applying best practices from real-world examples to ensure your profile always meets recruiters' expectations;
- What to include in your work experience section, apart from your past roles and responsibilities?
- Why are both hard and soft skills important for your application?
- How do you need to format your CV to pass the Applicant Tracker Software (ATS) assessment?
If you're writing your CV for a niche registered nurse role, make sure to get some inspiration from professionals:
How to ensure your profile stands out with your registered nurse CV format
It's sort of a Catch 22. You want your registered nurse CV to stand out amongst a pile of candidate profiles, yet you don't want it to be too over the top that it's unreadable. Where is the perfect balance between your CV format simple, while using it to shift the focus to what matters most. That is - your expertise. When creating your registered nurse CV:- list your experience in the reverse chronological order - starting with your latest roles;
- include a header with your professional contact information and - optionally - your photograph;
- organise vital and relevant CV sections - e.g. your experience, skills, summary/ objective, education - closer to the top;
- use no more than two pages to illustrate your professional expertise;
- format your information using plenty of white space and standard (2.54 cm) margins, with colours to accent key information.
Once you've completed your information, export your registered nurse CV in PDF, as this format is more likely to stay intact when read by the Applicant Tracker System or the ATS. A few words of advice about the ATS - or the software used to assess your profile:
- Generic fonts, e.g. Arial and Times New Roman, are ATS-compliant, yet many candidates stick with these safe choices. Ensure your CV stands out by using a more modern, and simple, fonts like Lato, Exo 2, Volkhov;
- All serif and sans-serif fonts are ATS-friendly. Avoid the likes of fancy decorative or script typography, as this may render your information to be illegible;
- Both single- and double-column formatted CVs could be assessed by the ATS;
- Integrating simple infographics, icons, and charts across your CV won't hurt your chances during the ATS assessment.
PRO TIP
Incorporate a touch of colour in headers or section breaks, but keep it professional and ensure it doesn’t detract from readability, especially in more conservative industries.
The top sections on a registered nurse CV
- Professional Registration states the nurse's current licensing status, essential for ensuring legal qualification for the role.
- Work Experience details the nurse's clinical background and specialties, highlighting practical skills and expertise.
- Clinical Skills and Procedures lists specific medical competencies, showcasing the nurse's hands-on experience.
- Education and Training showcases academic background and continued professional development critical in nursing.
- Awards and Honours reflect acknowledgment of the nurse's exceptional work and contributions to healthcare.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Highlight your clinical experience by detailing the types of wards or units you've worked on, emphasizing any speciality areas such as A&E, ICU, or paediatrics, to demonstrate the breadth and depth of your nursing skills.
- Include any additional qualifications or professional development courses that are relevant to nursing, such as Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) or paediatric nursing certifications, to showcase your commitment to ongoing learning.
- Emphasise your proficiency with electronic health record (EHR) systems and any nursing-specific technology, as digital competence is increasingly important for modern healthcare environments.
- Mention your capability in handling complex patient care and your experience with care plans, multidisciplinary team coordination, and patient advocacy, to show your comprehensive approach to patient health.
- Document your soft skills, such as communication, empathy, and teamwork, by using examples of patient interactions, collaboration with healthcare professionals, or situations where these skills have been critical, as these are invaluable in nursing roles.
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Our checklist for the must-have information in your registered nurse CV header
Right at the very top of your registered nurse CV is where you'd find the header section or the space for your contact details, headline, and professional photo. Wondering how to present your the name of the city you live in and the country abbreviation as your address;
- are tailored to the role you're applying for by integrating key job skills and requirements;
- showcase what your unique value is, most often in the form of your most noteworthy accomplishment;
- select your relevant qualifications, skills, or current role to pass the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment. Still not sure how to write your CV headline? Our examples below showcase best practices on creating effective headlines:
Examples of good CV headlines for registered nurse:
- Registered Nurse | Critical Care Specialist | BSc Nursing | 5+ Years of ICU Expertise
- Paediatric Nurse | Child Health Advocate | RSCN | Passion for Early Years Development | 3 Years' Experience
- Theatre Nurse | Operating Room Proficiency | Mentor in Surgical Procedures | 8 Years of Dedicated Service
- Community Health Nurse | Public Health Promotion | NMC Certified | 10 Years in Community Outreach
- Oncology Nursing Practitioner | Cancer Care Expert | Chemotherapy Certification | Compassionate Care | 7+ Years Experience
- Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse | Premature & Newborn Specialist | Advanced Resuscitation | 12 Years of Nurturing Lives
Your registered nurse CV introduction: selecting between a summary and an objective
registered nurse candidates often wonder how to start writing their resumes. More specifically, how exactly can they use their opening statements to build a connection with recruiters, showcase their relevant skills, and spotlight job alignment. A tricky situation, we know. When crafting you registered nurse CV select between:
- A summary - to show an overview of your career so far, including your most significant achievements.
- An objective - to show a conscise overview of your career dreams and aspirations.
Find out more examples and ultimately, decide which type of opening statement will fit your profile in the next section of our guide:
CV summaries for a registered nurse job:
Narrating the details of your registered nurse CV experience section
Perhaps you've heard it time and time again, but, how you present your experience is what matters the most. Your CV experience section - that details your work history alongside your accomplishments - is the space to spotlight your unqiue expertise and talents. So, avoid solely listing your responsibilities, but instead:
- adverts' keywords and integrate those in your experience section;
- Use your CV to detail how you've been promoted in the past by including experience in the reverse chronological order.
Before you start writing your registered nurse CV experience section, dive into some industry-leading examples on how to structure your bullets.
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Provided high-quality patient care as a registered nurse in a 30-bed general medical ward, adeptly handling critical care, wound dressing, and administering medication following strict protocols.
- Efficiently managed caseloads of up to 15 patients per shift, ensuring detailed patient assessments and the development of personalised care plans.
- Demonstrated strong communication skills by effectively collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, including doctors, pharmacists, and physiotherapists, to optimise patient outcomes.
- Utilised advanced clinical skills to perform life-saving procedures such as CPR and defibrillation, with a record of quick response during emergencies.
- Maintained meticulous records in patient charts with a keen eye for detail, ensuring the accuracy of all medical information and adherence to GDPR.
- Regularly conducted patient and family education, providing clear explanations about health conditions, treatments, and home care instructions.
- Supervised and mentored junior nurses and nursing students, offering guidance on best practices while fostering a supportive learning environment.
- Successfully implemented infection control protocols, significantly reducing the incidence of hospital-acquired infections within the ward.
- Demonstrated commitment to a professional development by attending workshops on palliative care, acute pain management, and advanced cardiac life support (ACLS).
Work Experience
Senior Registered Nurse
Johns Hopkins Hospital
03/2019-Ongoing
- Coordinated care for a diverse patient population of 30-40 patients per day in a high-paced urban hospital, achieving a 95% patient satisfaction rating
- Mentored a team of 10 junior nurses, improving team efficiency by 20% through the development of a streamlined triage process
- Implemented a new electronic health record system, reducing medication errors by 40% and ensuring more accurate patient records
Work Experience
Charge Nurse
UCLA Health
05/2017-02/2019
- Supervised 5 other registered nurses and 10 nurse assistants, providing leadership and managing scheduling to maintain optimal staffing levels
- Designed an initiative to address patient falls, which resulted in a 30% reduction in falls over a six-month period
- Led a cross-functional team to develop patient education materials, increasing patients’ adherence to treatment plans by 25%
Work Experience
ICU Registered Nurse
Mayo Clinic
08/2014-04/2017
- Managed critical care for post-operative patients in a 15-bed ICU, improving recovery times by 10% through personalized care plans
- Served as a member of the hospital’s quality improvement committee, identifying and addressing areas for improvement in patient care delivery
- Pioneered a pain management protocol for post-surgical patients that decreased the use of opioids by 35%
Work Experience
Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse
Mount Sinai Hospital
02/2012-07/2014
- Conducted comprehensive patient assessments and developed care plans for an average of 20 patients daily in a medical-surgical unit
- Collaborated with a multidisciplinary team to manage patient cases, resulting in a decrease in readmission rates by 15%
- Facilitated community health workshops, reaching over 200 individuals and leading to an increase in community health awareness
Work Experience
Maternity Ward Registered Nurse
Cleveland Clinic
09/2009-01/2012
- Delivered high-quality patient care to up to 25 mothers and newborns daily on the maternity ward, with zero incidents of mother-to-child infection
- Trained 20 nursing staff on lactation best practices, enhancing the maternity unit's support for breastfeeding mothers
- Assisted in the development of a peer review program which improved the career development pathway for the nursing staff
Work Experience
Registered Nurse Team Leader
Kaiser Permanente
06/2016-03/2019
- Played a key role in achieving Magnet Recognition for nursing excellence by leading a quality initiative focused on patient-centered care
- Spearheaded a vaccination campaign during flu season that reached 4,000 patients and staff, leading to a 60% reduction in flu cases within the facility
- Coordinated with a team to integrate telehealth services, increasing remote patient consultations by 50% and enhancing access to care
Work Experience
Oncology Registered Nurse
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
11/2011-05/2014
- Acted as the primary nursing contact for oncology patients, managing care for up to 15 patients daily and improving patient comfort during treatments
- Introduced a compassionate communication program for the oncology department, resulting in improved patient-nurse rapport
- Organized monthly interdisciplinary case conferences to optimize patient care plans, reducing the length of hospital stays by an average of two days for oncology patients
Work Experience
Emergency Room Registered Nurse
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
07/2009-10/2011
- Provided emergency medical care in a 50-bed ER, successfully reducing average patient wait times by 15% through process optimization
- Implemented a protocol for rapid response to critical care patients, which helped improve patient outcomes by ensuring timely interventions
- Facilitated training sessions on emergency care procedures for 30 new nursing staff, significantly enhancing the unit's service delivery capabilities
Work Experience
Pediatric Registered Nurse
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
01/2013-06/2016
- Managed care for children with various acute and chronic conditions in a 20-bed pediatric unit, achieving a 98% patient and family satisfaction score
- Collaborated on a research project studying the impact of play therapy on hospital stays, which led to a hospital-wide implementation of the program
- Developed and led a series of community outreach programs focused on preventative care for children, reaching over 500 families annually
Work Experience
Cardiovascular Registered Nurse
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
04/2014-12/2016
- Managed pre- and post-operative care for patients undergoing cardiovascular surgeries in a specialized 12-bed unit, recording a 99% rate of successful recoveries
- Participant in a landmark clinical trial for a new heart failure medication, contributing to research that resulted in FDA approval
- Established a monthly support group for patients dealing with heart diseases, enhancing their coping mechanisms and post-operative success
Writing your CV without professional experience for your first job or when switching industries
There comes a day, when applying for a job, you happen to have no relevant experience, whatsoever. Yet, you're keen on putting your name in the hat. What should you do? Candidates who part-time experience , internships, and volunteer work.
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PRO TIP
Include examples of how you adapted to new tools, environments, or work cultures, showing your flexibility.
Mix and match hard and soft skills across your registered nurse CV
Your skill set play an equally valid role as your experience to your application. That is because recruiters are looking for both:
- hard skills or your aptitude in applying particular technologies
- soft skills or your ability to work in a team using your personal skills, e.g. leadership, time management, etc.
Are you wondering how you should include both hard and soft skills across your registered nurse CV? Use the:
- skills section to list between ten and twelve technologies that are part of the job requirement (and that you're capable to use);
- strengths and achievements section to detail how you've used particular hard and soft skills that led to great results for you at work;
- summary or objective to spotlight up to three skills that are crucial for the role and how they've helped you optimise your work processes.
One final note - when writing about the skills you have, make sure to match them exactly as they are written in the job ad. Take this precautionary measure to ensure your CV passes the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment.
Top skills for your registered nurse CV:
HARD SKILLS
Patient care
Clinical knowledge
Administering medication
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
Basic Life Support (BLS)
Wound dressing
Emergency care
Patient assessment
Medical record keeping
Sterilisation techniques
SOFT SKILLS
Communication
Empathy
Teamwork
Problem-solving
Time management
Stress management
Adaptability
Attention to detail
Critical thinking
Professionalism
PRO TIP
If there's a noticeable gap in your skillset for the role you're applying for, mention any steps you're taking to acquire these skills, such as online courses or self-study.
Your university degree and certificates: an integral part of your registered nurse CV
Let's take you back to your uni days and decide what information will be relevant for your registered nurse CV. Once more, when discussing your higher education, select only information that is pertinent to the job (e.g. degrees and projects in the same industry, etc.). Ultimately, you should:
- List only your higher education degrees, alongside start and graduation dates, and the university name;
- Include that you obtained a first degree for diplomas that are relevant to the role, and you believe will impress recruiters;
- Showcase relevant coursework, projects, or publications, if you happen to have less experience or will need to fill in gaps in your professional history.
PRO TIP
Focus on describing skills in the context of the outcomes they’ve helped you achieve, linking them directly to tangible results or successes in your career.
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Key takeaways
Your successful job application depends on how you well you have aligned your registered nurse CV to the job description and portrayed your best skills and traits. Make sure to:
- Select your CV format, so that it ensures your experience is easy to read and understand;
- Include your professional contact details and a link to your portfolio, so that recruiters can easily get in touch with you and preview your work;
- Write a CV summary if you happen to have more relevant professional experience. Meanwhile, use the objective to showcase your career dreams and ambitions;
- In your CV experience section bullets, back up your individual skills and responsibilities with tangible achievements;
- Have a healthy balance between hard and soft skills to answer the job requirements and hint at your unique professional value.
