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Registered nurse resume example, with the licenses and details hiring managers check

By the CheckMyCV team · Updated

A nurse resume is checked for two things before anything else: a valid license and the right clinical experience for the unit. Then it is read for scope, meaning your patient ratio, the type of unit and the systems you use. Below: a full example, the keywords nursing recruiters search, and the mistakes to avoid.

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Maria Thompson, RN, BSN
Columbus, OH | (614) 555-0183 | maria.thompson@example.com

Summary
Registered nurse with 5 years of experience on a 32-bed medical-surgical unit, caring for 5 to 6 patients per shift. BLS and ACLS certified, proficient in Epic. Seeking a telemetry nursing role.

Licenses and Certifications
Registered Nurse, State of Ohio, active
BLS, American Heart Association
ACLS, American Heart Association

Work Experience
Registered Nurse, Riverside Medical Center, Columbus, OH
August 2021 - Present
- Provided direct care for 5 to 6 medical-surgical patients per shift on a 32-bed unit, including medication administration, IV therapy and wound care.
- Educated patients and families on discharge plans for heart failure and diabetes, supporting the unit goal of lowering readmissions.
- Documented assessments and interventions in Epic in real time and kept chart audit scores above the unit target for 12 months.
- Precepted 4 new graduate nurses through their first 12 weeks on the unit.
- Served as charge nurse on night shift twice a month, coordinating admissions and transfers with the house supervisor.

Registered Nurse, Lakeview Community Hospital, Columbus, OH
June 2019 - July 2021
- Cared for 4 to 5 patients per shift on a 24-bed orthopedic unit, managing post-surgical pain and early mobility.
- Reduced patient falls on the unit by taking part in an hourly rounding initiative.

Skills
Patient assessment, medication administration, IV therapy, wound care, telemetry monitoring, care planning, Epic, discharge planning

Education
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, The Ohio State University, 2019
Fictional example85/100 on our check
Medical-surgical RN, 5 years. Person, employers and numbers are invented for illustration: use your own.

What recruiters check first

  1. An active license, stated clearly. Your RN license and its state, whether you hold a compact multistate license, plus BLS and any ACLS or PALS.
  2. The unit and the patient load. Medical-surgical, ICU, ER, telemetry, with your typical ratio and bed count.
  3. Systems and procedures. EHR systems such as Epic or Cerner, IV therapy, wound care, ventilator management.
  4. Quality and safety results. Falls, infections, patient satisfaction, documentation accuracy, anything you can measure honestly.

Keywords to include

Applicant tracking systems compare your resume to the words in the job posting. These come up most often for this role: keep the ones you can back up in an interview, spelled exactly as in the posting.

Hard skills

Soft skills

Summary example

Avoid

Caring and compassionate nurse looking for a position in a hospital where I can help patients.

Better

Registered nurse with 5 years of experience on a 32-bed medical-surgical unit, caring for 5 to 6 patients per shift. BLS and ACLS certified, proficient in Epic. Looking for a telemetry role.

Written for illustration: replace every detail with your own.

Work experience bullets: before and after

A task describes the job. A result describes you. For each role, keep three to five bullets that say what you did, at what scale, and what it changed.

Avoid

Took care of patients on the floor.

Better

Provided direct care for 5 to 6 medical-surgical patients per shift on a 32-bed unit, including medication administration and wound care.

Avoid

Helped with patient education.

Better

Taught discharge instructions to patients and families for heart failure and diabetes, supporting a unit goal of reducing readmissions.

Avoid

Responsible for documentation.

Better

Documented assessments and interventions in Epic in real time, keeping chart audits above the unit target for 12 months.

Fictional examples: the numbers show the expected shape. Use yours, and never invent any.

How to structure it

  1. Header: name, credentials, city and state, phone, email. No photo, no date of birth.
  2. Licenses and certifications: put them near the top for nursing: RN license (state), BLS, ACLS, specialty certifications.
  3. Summary: years of experience, unit type, patient ratio and one strength.
  4. Work Experience: each role with unit, bed count and ratio, then three to five bullets with action verbs.
  5. Skills: clinical skills and the EHR systems you use.
  6. Education: nursing degree (ADN or BSN), school and year. New graduates can place this above experience.

Mistakes that get a resume skipped

Frequently asked questions

Should I put my nursing license at the top of my resume?

Yes. A short licenses and certifications section near the top lets recruiters and screening tools confirm your eligibility immediately.

How do I write a new grad nurse resume?

Lead with education and clinical rotations, giving the unit type and hours. Add your NCLEX status or license, BLS, and any nursing-related volunteer or work experience.

Can I include nurse-to-patient ratios?

Yes, if they are accurate. A ratio and bed count show the scope of your work better than adjectives like busy or fast-paced.

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