Clinical
Certifications up top. Calm teal for healthcare roles.
Best for: Nursing, Medicine, Allied health
ATS excellentUse this template
Nurse Resume Example and Writing Guide
A nursing resume is read for registration, specialisation and clinical settings first. Make licences, certifications and the type of ward or patient group easy to find.
Paste a nurse job posting and get a tailored resume in about 30 seconds.
Tailor my resume freeResume summary example
Replace everything in [brackets] with your own details. Keep it to three or four lines and make every claim one you can back up.
Registered nurse with [X] years of experience in [specialty, e.g. acute medical, paediatrics, ICU]. Registered with [body] and certified in [BLS/ACLS/etc.]. Experienced in [patient group] and [skills].
Skills to put on a nurse resume
Hard skills
- ✓Patient assessment
- ✓Medication administration
- ✓Care planning
- ✓Electronic health records
- ✓Wound care
- ✓IV therapy
- ✓Infection control
- ✓Emergency response
Soft skills
- ✓Compassion and communication
- ✓Working under pressure
- ✓Teamwork on the ward
- ✓Attention to detail
- ✓Advocating for patients
Only list skills you genuinely have, and put the ones the job posting asks for first.
Keywords recruiters and ATS look for
Use the exact wording from the job description where it is true for you. These terms come up often in this field:
patient careclinical assessmentBLScare plansinfection controlmedication managementmultidisciplinary teamdocumentation
Bullet point formulas
Start with a strong verb, say what you did, and finish with the result. Fill in your real numbers. If you do not have a number, describe what changed instead.
- Provided care for [number] patients per shift in a [number]-bed [ward type], including [clinical tasks].
- Supported [number] student nurses as a mentor, improving [outcome].
- Introduced [practice] on the ward, reducing [incident type] by [amount].
- Documented care accurately in [system], supporting safe handovers.
Tips
- →List your registration number and body only if the application asks for it.
- →Put certifications where they are found quickly.
- →State the type of ward and patient group.
- →Include placements and mandatory training for early career.
Mistakes to avoid
- ✕Burying certifications at the bottom
- ✕No mention of the clinical setting
- ✕Vague claims about “caring”
- ✕Missing registration status
Best CV templates for a nurse
ATS Classic
Plain single column that every applicant tracking system reads cleanly.
Best for: Any role, Online portals
ATS excellentUse this template
Simple
No rules, no colour, no fuss. Just your content.
Best for: Any role, Trades, Hospitality
ATS excellentUse this template
Frequently asked questions
What should a nurse put on a resume?
Registration, certifications, clinical setting, patient groups, clinical skills and any teaching or mentoring. Add key outcomes where you can support them.
Should I list references?
Not on the resume. Employers will ask for them later, or you can say they are available on request.