You’ve finally graduated after countless hours of study and training, and it’s time to put those new nursing skills to good use. Your resume must show hiring managers you’ve taken all the necessary steps to succeed in the field of patient care and medical procedures. This guide will provide strategies to help write a new grad nursing resume that proves you have the knowledge and technical skills to deliver great patient care.
To make a strong first impression with your resume, consider using a professional template. Your new grad nursing resume should include these sections:
Provide your contact information at the top of your resume to ensure hiring managers can easily reach you to inquire further or schedule an interview. List your full name, phone number, email address, location, and a link to your online professional profile.
Your Name
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
City, State Abbreviation Zip Code
LinkedIn
A resume profile, often referred to as an objective statement, is your formal introduction to hiring managers. In this short paragraph, you’ll list your most important accomplishments, skills, and experiences directly related to nursing. To engage readers, tailor this section to match the requirements mentioned in the job description.
Dynamic medical professional and recent nursing program graduate with over seven years of health care experience. Proficiency in patient assessment, medication administration, and Intravenous (IV) therapy. Skills gained through rigorous training in a nursing externship program and hands-on geriatric care. Works effectively in a team setting to optimize patient outcomes and care quality.
As a soon-to-be nurse, you’ve accumulated many technical skills. To highlight these hands-on abilities, create a key skills section that’s easy for hiring managers to scan. Remember, nursing isn’t just about medical know-how — it requires strong communication, too. Include hard and soft skills in your new grad nursing resume to show you can handle all aspects of the job.
Hard Skills | Soft Skills |
---|---|
Clinical care | Active listening |
Electronic health records (EHR) | Adaptability |
Emergency room (ER) procedures | Compassion |
IV therapy | Cultural sensitivity |
Medical equipment operation | Emotional intelligence |
Neonatal care | Leadership |
Patient assessment | Multitasking |
Phlebotomy | Resilience |
Surgical assistance | Stress management |
Telemetry monitoring | Teamwork |
Nursing is an active profession. Using dynamic words like action verbs will help you communicate that you’re engaged at work, accomplishing tasks, and achieving results. To create effective bullet points in your professional experience section, use action verbs. Start each description with a verb like those listed below to transform your daily duties into powerful achievements:
Action Verbs | |
---|---|
Administered | Assessed |
Collaborated | Delivered |
Demonstrated | Educated |
Evaluated | Executed |
Facilitated | Implemented |
Monitored | Operated |
Organized | Responded |
Supported |
This is where you’ll demonstrate the practical application of all the skills and knowledge you’ve gathered during your studies, clinicals, and externships. Think about patient care, medication administration, assisting with procedures, or any specific duties you had. Also, be sure to mention if you made any notable contributions or received recognition.
Student Nurse Extern, Mayo Clinic Summer Externship, Phoenix, AZ
June 2022 – August 2022
Certified Nursing Assistant, Arizona State Veterans Home, Phoenix, AZ
January 2016 – May 2019
When describing your past experiences, use numbers to make your descriptions more tangible and relatable. They help support your claims and add credibility to your resume. Describe how many patients you saw, the number of IVs you placed, or how many procedures you assisted with. This will help hiring managers picture what you could bring to their nursing team.
Whether you’re a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Registered Nurse (RN), employment for health care professionals is projected to increase over the next decade. Although there will be a steady stream of opportunities, the best jobs will require a new nursing grad resume custom fit for the role.
Identify specific skills, experiences, and qualities you have that the employer is looking for in a nursing professional, then incorporate them into your resume. For example, if a job ad emphasizes emergency care, prioritize your ER rotation or any other relevant experience. If it’s a pediatric position, be sure to describe any work you’ve done with children.
Remember, as a new grad, employers don’t expect you to have a long list of professional experiences — they’re interested in quality over quantity. So, highlight any practical experiences where you’ve demonstrated your nursing skills and bedside manner.
Include your clinical rotations, part-time jobs, internships, or volunteer work in health care settings. List your soft skills in communication, time management, teamwork, and empathy. Think about class projects, volunteer work, or part-time jobs where you’ve used these abilities.
You’ve likely just completed a specialized nursing program, so list your highest level of education relative to the field. Feel free to include if you’ve maintained a strong GPA (usually 3.5 or higher). Even as a new grad, you likely have some important certifications already, so include those, along with your state-required credentials.
Licenses
Certifications
Education
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Nursing, August 2019 – June 2023
Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ
Certified Nursing Assistant Program, September 2015 – December 2015
Arizona Medical Training Institute, Scottsdale, AZ
Your Name
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
City, State Abbreviation zip code
LinkedIn
Dynamic medical professional and recent nursing program graduate with over seven years of health care experience. Proficiency in patient assessment, medication administration, and IV therapy. Skills gained through rigorous training in a nursing externship program and hands-on geriatric care. Works effectively in a team setting to optimize patient outcomes and care quality.
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Nursing, August 2019 – June 2023
Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ
Certified Nursing Assistant Program, September 2015 – December 2015
Arizona Medical Training Institute, Scottsdale, AZ
Student Nurse Extern, Mayo Clinic Summer Externship, Phoenix, AZ
June 2022 – August 2022
Certified Nursing Assistant, Arizona State Veterans Home, Phoenix, AZ
January 2016 – May 2019
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