Registered Nurse Resume Example
A nursing resume that makes your license, specialty, unit type and patient care strengths easy to verify at a glance.
Nurse recruiters check a few things first: your license type and state, your certifications (BLS, ACLS, PALS and specialty credentials), your specialty and unit, and how much experience you have. Put those details where they are easy to find.
This example is for a registered nurse with six years of experience in medical-surgical and telemetry units at a community hospital. New graduate nurses can use the same format and highlight clinical rotations and preceptorships.
Recommended resume format for a registered nurse
Reverse-chronological, one to two pages. Add a separate Licenses section and a Certifications section so recruiters can verify your credentials quickly. Describe each unit, bed count and patient ratio in the first bullet of your role. Read about when two pages make sense.
Registered nurse resume example
This example is fictional: the name, employers and numbers are invented to show structure and wording. It uses the ATS Classic template, one of the ATS-friendly designs. Replace every detail with your own, truthful information.
Maria Santos, RN, BSN Registered Nurse, Medical-Surgical and Telemetry maria.santos@example.com | (555) 022-1893 | San Antonio, TX PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY Registered nurse with 6 years of experience in medical-surgical and telemetry units. Provides safe, compassionate care for 4 to 6 patients per shift, with strengths in cardiac monitoring, patient education and precepting new nurses. Compact state license with BLS, ACLS and PCCN certifications. WORK EXPERIENCE Registered Nurse, Telemetry | Jul 2021 – Present Mission Valley Community Hospital | San Antonio, TX - Care for 4 to 5 telemetry patients per shift on a 32-bed cardiac step-down unit. - Monitor cardiac rhythms and respond to changes in condition, including rapid response and code situations. - Precepted 9 new graduate nurses through a 12-week orientation program. - Joined the unit falls committee that reduced patient falls by 40% over 18 months through hourly rounding and bed alarm checks. Registered Nurse, Medical-Surgical | Jan 2019 – Jun 2021 Alamo Heights Medical Center | San Antonio, TX - Provided care for 5 to 6 adult patients per shift on a 40-bed medical-surgical unit. - Administered medications, managed wound care and IV therapy, and documented care in Epic. - Educated patients and families on discharge plans, medications and follow-up care. EDUCATION Bachelor of Science in Nursing | Dec 2018 The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio | San Antonio, TX LICENSES Registered Nurse, Multistate (Compact) License | Jan 2019 Texas Board of Nursing CERTIFICATIONS Basic Life Support (BLS) | Feb 2024 American Heart Association Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) | Feb 2024 American Heart Association Progressive Care Certified Nurse (PCCN) | Sep 2022 AACN Certification Corporation SKILLS Clinical: Telemetry monitoring, Medication administration, IV therapy, Wound care, Patient assessment, Patient education Systems: Epic, Pyxis, Cerner
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Use This ExampleRegistered nurse resume summary examples
Start with your credentials and specialty, then your years of experience, the unit or setting and one or two clinical strengths. Keep it factual and specific.
- Med-surg and telemetry RNRegistered nurse with 6 years in medical-surgical and telemetry units. Strong in cardiac monitoring, patient education and precepting. BLS, ACLS and PCCN certified with a compact license.
- ICU nurseCritical care nurse with 5 years of experience in a 24-bed mixed ICU, caring for ventilated patients, titrating drips and supporting families. CCRN certified.
- New graduate nurseRecently licensed BSN graduate with 480 clinical hours, including a 160-hour preceptorship in emergency nursing. BLS and ACLS certified and eager to join a nurse residency program.
- Clinic nurseOutpatient registered nurse with 4 years in a busy family medicine clinic. Manages triage calls, immunizations, chronic disease education and care coordination for 3 providers.
More ideas: resume summary examples.
Skills for a registered nurse resume
List the clinical skills and documentation systems that match the unit you are applying to. Avoid vague terms like "hard worker" and focus on procedures, patient populations and equipment.
Clinical care
- Patient assessment
- Medication administration
- IV insertion and therapy
- Wound care
- Telemetry monitoring
- Infection control
Specialty
- Post-operative care
- Chest tube management
- Ventilator care
- Triage
- Pediatric care
- Diabetes education
Systems
- Epic
- Cerner
- Meditech
- Pyxis
- Omnicell
Professional
- Patient education
- Care coordination
- Precepting
- Charge nurse duties
- Interdisciplinary teamwork
See the resume skills guide for how to choose and present skills.
Registered nurse experience bullet point examples
Nursing bullets should show your setting (unit, bed count, ratio), your clinical responsibilities and any quality or leadership contributions. Avoid patient-identifying details.
- Served as relief charge nurse for a 28-bed unit, making assignments and coordinating admissions and discharges.
- Helped lower central line infection rates on the unit to zero for 14 months through bundle compliance audits.
- Triaged 50+ patient calls per day in a primary care clinic using established protocols.
- Led monthly skills refreshers on insulin pumps and PCA pumps for 25 nurses.
- Improved patient satisfaction scores for discharge education by creating simple medication handouts.
- Responded as a member of the rapid response team for a 250-bed hospital.
Education section guidance
List your nursing degree (ADN, BSN or MSN), school and graduation date.
New graduates can add clinical rotations with the unit type and hours, and a preceptorship or capstone placement.
Certifications and licenses for a registered nurse resume
Most nursing roles require BLS, and many require ACLS, PALS or specialty certification. List each one with the issuing organization; add expiration dates if the employer asks.
- Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
- Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) or Progressive Care Certified Nurse (PCCN)
- Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN)
- Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN)
Common registered nurse resume mistakes
- Hiding your license. Put your license type and state in a dedicated section near the top or bottom where recruiters expect it.
- Including patient details. Never include names or identifying information. Describe patient populations and situations in general terms.
- Listing expired certifications. Only list active certifications, or note when renewal is scheduled.
- Skipping the unit description. "Registered Nurse" alone says little. Name the specialty, unit size and patient ratio.
ATS tips for a registered nurse resume
- Write credentials in full at least once, such as "Registered Nurse (RN)" and "Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)".
- Use a Licenses heading and a Certifications heading.
- List the EHR system you use, such as Epic or Cerner.
- Use the specialty keywords from the job posting, such as "telemetry" or "med-surg".
- Keep the layout single-column; hospital systems often use strict applicant tracking software.
Check your draft with the free ATS Resume Checker, which shows your resume completeness and the plain text an applicant tracking system reads.
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Helpful resume guides
Registered nurse resume FAQ
Should I include my nursing license number?
Usually not. List the license type and issuing state or board; employers verify the number during hiring. Include it only if the application asks for it.
How should new graduate nurses list clinical rotations?
Add a Clinical Experience section listing each rotation's unit type, facility and hours, with one or two bullets on the skills you practiced.
Where do I list BLS and ACLS?
In a Certifications section with the issuing organization. You can also mention the most important ones in your summary.
How long should a nursing resume be?
One page for new graduates and early-career nurses; two pages is fine for experienced nurses with several roles or specialties.
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