What to Include in Your Nurse Resume: The Door to Your Next Opportunity
April 7, 2017 by Executive Leadership Team
What to Include in Your Nurse Resume
How important is your resume in your search for a new position? It may be more important than you think. In our highly competitive industry, having a resume that stands out from the crowd is critical.
By including these key components in your resume, you will ensure a positive first impression from the onset of the interview process.
Include your early clinical experience – Even if you are pursuing a CNO position, it is beneficial to include your early clinical experience. With the advent of shared governance, staff nurses are generally included in the decision-making process when hiring key leadership positions. It provides credibility to know that you have walked in their shoes at one time.
List a description of your organization – include whether it is a teaching hospital or an Academic Medical Center (AMC), the size of the hospital, and any specific accolades such as Magnet or Malcolm Baldridge designation, level 1 trauma, NCI-designated Cancer Center, etc.
Check for accuracy– ensure each piece of information on your resume is completely accurate – especially start and end dates.
Your nurse resume should include:
Education: degree spelled out (no abbreviations), institution and location, and year of graduation/completion.
Experience: start and end dates by month and year, title and department, institution and location, description of responsibilities, number of FTEs, direct reports, title of person to whom you report, total budget financial responsibility, and committee participation.
Accomplishments: Include specific measurable accomplishments.
Licensure and Certifications: active license status including state(s) and active certifications spelled out (no abbreviations).
Professional Memberships: organization names and leadership positions held.
Presentations: title, forum, location and date.
Publications: title, name of publication, volume and page numbers, and date.
Awards and Honors
Community Service
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