Registered Nurse Resume Example, Writing Tips & Questions

Kellie Hanna by Kellie Hanna, Content Strategist, Career Advice Expert
Updated on March 20, 2023
 • Rated 4.3/5 Stars

Registered nurses evaluate and record patient symptoms, treat wounds and incisions, educate patients, supervise other nurses and assist doctors during surgeries and examinations. Usually this position requires a state license, as well as training at a nursing program. Get the expert advice you need to create a professional nurse resume using our expert tips and resume examples.

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Registered Nurse Resume Example 1

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Registered nurse resume example (text version)

James Scott

San Antonio, FL 33576
555 555 555
(555) 555-5555
example@example.com

Professional Summary

Dedicated and compassionate registered nurse with 12 years of experience working with HIV/AIDS patients. Proven ability to provide direct patient care in a fast-paced environment. Calm and level-headed with the ability to handle difficult patients and high-stress situations. Use strong verbal communication skills and humor to develop strong relationships with patients and their families.

Work History

May 2012 – Current
UT Health San Antonio – San Antonio, TX
Registered Nurse

  • Center provides reliable HIV/AIDS testing and diagnosis to up to 500 patients per year
  • Offer early intervention and regular treatment to a caseload of up to 75 patients
  • Communicate, consult and collaborate with outside medical specialists to develop individualized treatment plans and coordinate care
  • Educate patients about the disease and safe sex practices
  • Administer medications, injections and IV treatments
  • Advise patients about available community resources and support groups

March 2010 – May 2012
San Antonio AIDS Foundation – San Antonio, TX
Registered Nurse

  • Provided a full range of services to a caseload of up to 50 patients
  • Coordinated HIV education programs designed to prevent the spread of HIV
  • Trained nurses to provide pre-and post-test counseling for those seeking HIV testing
  • Administered medications and treatment to patients and monitored responses while working with healthcare teams to adjust care plans

May 2008 – March 2010
Alamo Area Resource Center – San Antonio, TX
Registered Nurse

  • Care for at-risks individuals including the homeless and disable
  • Specialized in providing care for patients with life-threatening and chronic illnesses, including, but not limited to HIV/AIDS
  • Provided free HIV/AIDS testing and diagnosis to hundreds of patients each year
  • Compassionately cared for a vulnerable patient population, reducing the treatment “drop-out” rate by 25 percent

Skills

  • Preventive health
  • Patient evaluation
  • Intravenous therapy
  • Medical laboratory procedures
  • Strong clinical judgment
  • Charting and clinical documentation
  • Strong communication
  • Staff supervision

Education

University of Texas Health Science San Antonio San Antonio, TX
Bachelor of Science Nursing

Minor in Health Administration

Top 4 characteristics of a best-in-class registered nurse resume

  1. Professional summary

    Like the sample registered nurse resume on this page, your professional summary should highlight your top skills and work experience in one to three sentences. It’s a short introduction that works as an “elevator pitch” where you present yourself to the recruiter and encourage them to continue reading your resume.

  2. Skills

    A good registered nurse resume will feature a mixture of hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are job-related abilities learned through training or at work, while soft skills are characteristics or personality traits that speak more about how you approach your responsibilities. Not sure what skills to include? Read our Top Skills article.

  3. Work history

    The best registered nurse resume work history sections focus on work accomplishments instead of daily tasks and responsibilities. Keep this section relevant to the job you’re applying for and only include up to 10 years of work experience. If you’re just starting out in this career, use a functional format for your registered nurse resume and focus on your skills. 

    For more on capturing your work experience, read our How to Write the Perfect Work Experience article.

  4. Education

    Registered nurses must have one of the following: a bachelor’s degree or an associate degree in nursing, or a diploma from an approved nursing program. Additionally, all registered nurses must be licensed. Be sure to list your credentials in your resume for a registered nurse using bullet points.

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Action verbs for your registered nurse resume

If you take a look at our registered nurse resume sample, you’ll notice that it has a lot of action verbs at the beginning of each statement. Pack your resume with the right words using some from our list below:

  • Addressed
  • Delivered
  • Developed
  • Performed
  • Cataloged
  • Arranged
  • Guided
  • Supported
  • Administered
  • Scheduled

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Skills for your registered nurse resume

Make sure that the skills you include on your resume are relevant to the job description and what the employer is looking for in a candidate. Here are some registered nurse resume skills examples you can consider:

  • Critical thinking
  • Great communication skills
  • Compassion
  • Detail oriented
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Excellent organizational skills
  • Top physical stamina
  • Basic life support
  • Advanced cardiovascular life support
  • Patient care
  • Computer skills
  • EHR proficiency
  • Intravenous therapy
  • Checking and monitoring vital signs
  • Patient safety
  • Urgent care

For more skills to include in your resume, take a look at the resume examples for a registered nurse on our website.

Certifications to include in your registered nurse resume

All registered nurses must have a license issued by their state to practice. To become a licensed nurse, you must graduate from an approved nursing program and pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). 

Additionally, registered nurses may be required by their employer to possess cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), basic life support (BLS) or advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certifications. Other types of certificates are voluntary, but they demonstrate a level of expertise that some hiring managers will find highly attractive.

As a registered nurse, you can also become a certified expert in a specific area, like ambulatory care or pediatrics.

Include your certifications and licenses correctly in your registered nurse resume by creating a separate section for them and placing it under your education. List them out using bullet points.

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Registered nurse resume FAQ

  1. 1. What is a good objective for a registered nurse resume?

    If you don’t have much work experience or are changing careers, you might consider writing a resume objective instead of a professional summary. A good objective statement for a registered nurse resume should explain in a few sentences who you are, your career goals, and your top skills and abilities.

    Look at this sample of a registered nurse resume objective: “Registered nurse with a specialization in pediatrics and two years of experience working in intensive care, seeking a position in maternity ward. Knowledge of records organization, newborn care and breastfeeding practices.”

  2. 2. How to write a resume for a registered nurse position?

    Your registered nurse resume should include the following key sections: 

    • Contact information
    • Summary statement
    • Work history
    • Skills
    • Education
    • Licenses and certificates

    The order in which you write this will depend on your years of experience. 

    If you’re a registered nurse with over 10 years under your belt, we recommend using the chronological format – the registered nurse resume templates featured on this page follow the chronological format’s structure. 

    Mid-level job seekers with a few years of experience should go for the combination resume format and registered nurses who are just starting should consider using the functional format. 

    Read our How to Write a Resume article for a detailed guide on writing the best registered nurse resume. You can also review the registered nurse sample resume on this page to get more inspiration.

  3. 3. How to list a registered nurse license on a resume?

    You have a few options to list your registered nurse license on your resume. You can include it as part of your education section with a separate bullet point or create a new section below your education dedicated to licenses and certification, where you can list them using bullet points.

  4. 4. How should you craft your registered nurse resume if you’re looking to take the next step in your career?

    Take on more opportunities that allow you to develop your management and leadership skills, such as mentoring other staff members or being more involved in administrative and management processes. Also, look into joining professional nursing organizations where you can network with others in the profession. 

    Other advanced training, such as a Master’s in Nursing, or certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) or Nurse Educator (NE) gives you the credentials you need advance your career.

  5. 5. What are some examples of training and certifications to include on a registered nurse resume?

    As we mentioned before, registered nurses must be licensed by their state and may be required by their employer to have specific certifications. The following are some certifications that you may choose to look into for further expertise and education:

    • AIDS-certified Registered Nurse (ACRN)
    • Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN)
    • Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN)
    • Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
    • Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
    • Patient Care Technician certification
    • State Tested Nurse Assistant (STNA) certification
    • Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN) credential

Do’s and don’ts for your registered nurse resume

  • Use measurable achievements to describe your nursing abilities and experience. 
  • Use action words to make an impact on your nursing resume.
  • Tailor your resume  to your target nursing job.
  • Use keywords from the job description throughout your nursing resume.
  • Format your nursing resume so that it is easy to read by ATS software and human eyes.
  • Lie about your nursing experience and skills.
  • Boast that you’re the “best nurse ever.” 
  • Include irrelevant personal information such as your ethnicity and age.
  • Add skills and experience that do not pertain to nursing.  
  • Forget to proofread. A nursing resume with errors is unprofessional.

Top 4 tips for interviews for a registered nurse job

  1. Research the organization.

    A few days before your interview, do your due diligence and check the organization’s website. Read through their mission statement and vision and learn more about their culture. What do they stand for? How happy are their current employees? Can you see yourself working for them? 

    Websites like Google Reviews and Glassdoor are also excellent sources of information.

  2. Practice your answers.

    It’s impossible to know what the interviewer will ask you, but as a registered nurse, you might have an idea of what they’ll be interested in learning more about you. Put together a list of questions you think they might ask and practice your answers with someone you trust or in front of a mirror. Some questions to practice include:

  3. Go prepared with questions to ask.

    Turn your interview into a conversation by asking the hiring manager questions about the organization, culture and expectations. There’s a high chance that they’ll open the floor for you at the end of the interview, so write a list of questions to ask, such as:

    • What does a typical day look like for someone in this role?
    • How do you define success in this role?
    • Are there any hesitations you have about my skills and experience to properly succeed in this role?

  4. Create a document with your professional references.

    Gone are the days of writing “References available upon request” on your registered nurse resume. Instead, create a separate document with your top professional references and save it as a PDF. The hiring manager will ask for your list of references further down in the hiring process.

    Pro tip: Make sure your list of references has a similar design as your resume template for a registered nurse.

    If you’re unsure where to start, read our How to List References on a Resume article.

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Kellie Hanna

Kellie Hanna

Content Strategist, Career Advice Expert

Kellie is the content strategist for My Perfect Resume. She has more than 20 years of experience in digital media and is passionate about helping job seekers navigate their careers. She has a B.A. in English and writing from Temple University.

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