Registered nurse resume example
Nurse recruiters check licensure first, then clinical setting, patient load and certifications. This example shows how to present all four on a US resume, followed by advice on each section.
By the OpusStride team · Updated · 1 min read
Example registered nurse resume
Written for US employers. The employer is fictional and the figures are illustrative — replace them with your own.
Professional summary
Registered Nurse with 6 years of acute-care experience on medical-surgical and telemetry units. Skilled in patient assessment, care coordination for 5–6 patients per shift, and precepting new graduates. BLS and ACLS certified; active RN license in Texas (compact).
Experience
Registered Nurse, Telemetry
Lakeside Regional Medical Center (fictional), Austin, TX · Jun 2021 – Present
- Provide care for 5–6 telemetry patients per 12-hour shift, including cardiac monitoring, titration of drips and post-procedure recovery.
- Precepted 8 new-graduate nurses through 12-week orientation; all completed orientation on schedule.
- Led a unit initiative on bedside shift report that improved patient-experience scores for nurse communication by 11 points.
- Charge nurse on rotation for a 32-bed unit, coordinating admissions, discharges and staffing.
Skills
Telemetry and cardiac monitoring · Patient assessment · IV therapy · Epic charting · Care coordination · Patient education · Precepting
Licences and certifications to list
- RN license (state, compact status)
- BLS
- ACLS
- PALS or specialty certifications such as PCCN, if held
What to put first
Put your license and certifications where a recruiter sees them within seconds — either in a credentials line under your name or a dedicated section near the top. Include the license type, state and whether it is a multistate (compact) license.
Describing clinical experience
- Name the unit and setting: ICU, med-surg, ED, telemetry, outpatient, home health.
- Give patient ratios and unit size — they show the intensity of the work.
- Mention the EHR you use (Epic, Cerner/Oracle Health, Meditech): many postings ask for it.
- Include charge, preceptor or committee roles; they show leadership.
Frequently asked questions
- Should I include my nursing license number on my resume?
- Listing the license type, state and compact status is standard. Many nurses leave out the number itself and provide it on the application, since it is publicly verifiable.
- How long should a nursing resume be?
- One page for newer nurses; two pages is fine for experienced nurses with several roles or specialties.
Templates for this
Related reading
Put it into practice
Build it from a region-matched template, then check what an ATS reads.