Resume guide · Updated October 2026
Registered Nurse Resume Example and Writing Guide
Short answer
A registered nurse resume should open with your RN license and the state that issued it, a two-line summary naming your specialty and unit type, then clinical experience with patient ratios, procedures and outcomes. Add certifications such as BLS and ACLS, the EHR systems you have charted in, and education with your nursing degree.
| Median pay (May 2025) | $97,550 per year ($46.90 per hour) |
|---|---|
| Typical entry-level education | Bachelor's degree |
| Job outlook, 2025-35 | 6% (Faster than average) |
| Number of jobs | 3,465,400 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Registered Nurses, checked 27 October 2026.
Registered Nurse resume example
Below is a full registered nurse resume for Jordan Ellis, a fictional registered Nurse, Medical-Surgical and Telemetry in Columbus, OH. Keep the section order, then replace each line with your own work and results.
Jordan Ellis, RN, BSN
Registered Nurse, Medical-Surgical and Telemetry
Columbus, OH · jordan.ellis@example.com · (555) 014-2290 · linkedin.com/in/jordanellisrn
Summary
Registered nurse with 5 years on a 32-bed medical-surgical and telemetry unit. Manages assignments of 5 to 6 patients, titrates cardiac drips under protocol and precepts new graduate nurses. BLS, ACLS and PCCN certified; charts in Epic.
Experience
Registered Nurse, Med-Surg/Telemetry, Riverside Community Hospital
Jun 2022 to present
Columbus, OH
- Care for 5 to 6 adult patients per 12-hour shift on a 32-bed unit, including post-operative, cardiac and diabetic patients.
- Monitor telemetry for up to 12 patients during charge shifts and escalated 9 rapid responses in 2025 with documented early-warning scores.
- Precepted 6 new graduate RNs through a 12-week orientation; all completed orientation on schedule.
- Led the unit fall-prevention huddle that cut reported falls from 7 to 3 between two consecutive quarters.
Registered Nurse, Maple Grove Skilled Nursing Center
Jul 2020 to May 2022
Dublin, OH
- Supervised 4 LPNs and 8 STNAs on 40-resident rehabilitation and long-term care halls.
- Completed admission assessments, care plans and MDS documentation for short-term rehab residents.
- Coordinated wound care with the wound nurse, documenting stage and measurements weekly in PointClickCare.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Ohio Valley University · Clinical rotations: med-surg, ICU, pediatrics, L&D
2020
Certifications
Registered Nurse, Ohio (active) · BLS and ACLS (American Heart Association) · PCCN (AACN Certification Corporation)
Skills
Patient assessment · Telemetry monitoring · IV therapy and titration · Wound care · Medication administration · Care planning · Patient education · Epic · PointClickCare
Registered Nurse resume summary examples
3 registered nurse summaries, one each for new graduate RN, experienced RN and specialty RN (ICU). Pick the closest and rewrite it with your own title, years and one real result.
Newly licensed registered nurse with a BSN and 600 clinical hours across med-surg, ICU and pediatrics. Capstone on a 28-bed telemetry unit managing 3 to 4 patients under a preceptor. BLS and ACLS certified; charted in Epic.
Registered nurse with 6 years in medical-surgical and step-down care. Takes 5-patient assignments, serves as relief charge nurse and precepts students. Skilled in telemetry, insulin drips and post-op recovery. BLS, ACLS and PCCN certified.
Critical care RN with 8 years in a 20-bed mixed ICU. Manages ventilated patients, CRRT and vasoactive drips; member of the rapid response team. CCRN certified; superuser for the unit move to Epic.
Registered Nurse resume objective examples
Use an objective instead of a summary for new graduate and LPN to RN situations: one or two sentences on what you bring and the registered nurse job you want.
New BSN graduate and licensed RN seeking a residency position on a medical-surgical unit, bringing a 120-hour telemetry capstone and strong patient education skills.
Newly licensed RN with 4 years of LPN experience in long-term care, looking to move into acute care where medication management and resident assessment translate directly.
Registered Nurse resume bullet points
Bullets grouped by patient care and assessment, leadership and teamwork and quality, safety and outcomes. The numbers are illustrations; put in your own.
Patient care and assessment
- Assessed and cared for 5 to 6 medical-surgical patients per shift, prioritizing changes in condition with SBAR handoffs.
- Administered IV antibiotics, blood products and insulin per protocol with zero medication errors reported in 2025.
- Identified early sepsis criteria and initiated the sepsis bundle within the hospital time target in 11 documented cases.
Leadership and teamwork
- Served as relief charge nurse 2 shifts per week, making assignments for 7 RNs and 3 patient care techs.
- Precepted 6 nursing students and 4 new graduate RNs through unit orientation.
- Chaired the unit practice council that rewrote the telemetry admission checklist.
Quality, safety and outcomes
- Led hourly rounding on a 30-bed unit; reported falls dropped from 7 to 3 between quarters.
- Audited 40 central lines a month for CLABSI bundle compliance and coached staff on gaps.
- Taught discharge education with teach-back, helping lift unit HCAHPS communication scores for two quarters.
Skills for a registered nurse resume
16 skills employers list in registered nurse postings. Include the ones the posting asks for and that your bullets prove.
| Type | Skills |
|---|---|
| Hard skills | Patient assessment, Medication administration, IV insertion and therapy, Telemetry and cardiac monitoring, Wound care, Care planning, Sepsis recognition, Post-operative care, Patient and family education, Infection control |
| Soft skills | Clinical judgment, Calm under pressure, Clear SBAR communication, Teamwork, Empathy, Time management |
| Tools and software | Epic, Cerner (Oracle Health), Meditech, PointClickCare, Pyxis, Alaris pumps |
Certifications for a registered nurse resume
| Credential | Issued by | When it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse license | Your state board of nursing (after passing the NCLEX-RN) | Required for every RN job. List the state and that it is active; most employers verify it online. |
| Basic Life Support (BLS) | American Heart Association or American Red Cross | Required by almost all hospitals. Add the expiration month. |
| Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) | American Heart Association | Expected for telemetry, ICU, ED and step-down units. |
| Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) | American Heart Association | Expected for pediatric and many emergency department roles. |
| CCRN or PCCN | AACN Certification Corporation | Specialty certifications for critical care and progressive care nurses. |
How should you list your nursing license on a resume?
Put the license where a recruiter sees it in the first few seconds: after your name (for example "Jordan Ellis, RN, BSN") and again in a Licenses and Certifications section. Write the license type and state, and say it is active.
You do not need to print your license number. Employers check licenses through the state board or Nursys, so the state and status are enough on the page. If you hold a multistate (compact) license, say so, because it matters for travel and telehealth roles.
What clinical details make an RN resume stronger?
Hiring managers read nursing resumes for setting and scope. Name the unit type and size, your usual patient ratio, the patient population and the procedures you handle independently.
Numbers that come from your normal shift are the most believable: beds on the unit, patients per assignment, students precepted, audits completed, rapid responses called. Use outcome numbers (falls, infections, satisfaction scores) only when your unit actually tracked them and you can talk about them in an interview.
- Unit type and size: "32-bed medical-surgical and telemetry unit"
- Ratio: "5 to 6 patients per 12-hour shift"
- Population: adult, pediatric, geriatric, post-operative, oncology
- Skills you perform: titrations, central line care, wound vacs, blood administration
How do new graduate nurses fill an RN resume?
Treat clinical rotations as experience. Add a Clinical Rotations section that lists each rotation with the facility, unit and hours, and give your capstone or preceptorship two or three bullets like a job.
Add any healthcare work you did during school (CNA, patient care tech, unit secretary, scribe). Those roles show you already know how a hospital floor runs, which is what nurse residency programs screen for.
Should an RN resume be one page or two?
One page is right for new graduates and nurses with a few years on one unit. Two pages is fine when you have several specialties, travel contracts or leadership roles, as long as the first page carries your license, certifications and current job.
Travel nurses can group short contracts under one heading ("Travel Registered Nurse, 2023 to present") and list each hospital, unit and contract length underneath.
ATS keywords for a registered nurse resume
Terms that show up in registered nurse job postings. Mirror the exact wording of the posting you apply to, but only for work you have done.
- Registered Nurse
- RN
- BSN
- patient assessment
- medication administration
- care planning
- telemetry
- IV therapy
- BLS
- ACLS
- Epic
- patient education
- infection control
- charge nurse
- preceptor
- med-surg
- discharge planning
- HIPAA
Mistakes to avoid on a registered nurse resume
- Listing duties instead of scope. "Provided patient care" says nothing; "cared for 5 post-op patients per shift on a 30-bed unit" does.
- Hiding the license. If the RN credential is only in the last section, a recruiter screening for licensure may never see it.
- Expired certifications. Remove lapsed BLS or ACLS cards, or show the renewal date if you are booked on a course.
- Patient details. Never include patient names, room numbers or anything that could identify a patient.
- Unexplained acronyms. Spell out unit-specific shorthand the first time, because the recruiter may not be a nurse.
Frequently asked questions
What should a registered nurse put on a resume?
Your RN license and state, certifications like BLS and ACLS, a short summary with your specialty, clinical experience with unit type and patient ratios, the EHR systems you know, and your nursing degree. New graduates add clinical rotations.
How do I write an RN resume with no experience?
Lead with your license or NCLEX date, then a Clinical Rotations section listing each facility, unit and hours. Give your capstone bullets like a job and include any CNA or patient care tech work from school.
Do I put my RN license number on my resume?
It is not necessary. List the license type, state and that it is active. Employers verify licenses through the state board or Nursys, and leaving the number off protects your information.
What are the best skills for a registered nurse resume?
Clinical skills the job posting names, such as patient assessment, medication administration, IV therapy, telemetry and wound care, plus EHR systems like Epic or Cerner. Add soft skills like communication and clinical judgment and show them in your bullets.
How much do registered nurses make?
The BLS reports a median pay of $97,550 per year for registered nurses in May 2025. Pay varies by state, setting and specialty, so check local postings as well.
Should I include clinical rotations on my nursing resume?
Yes, if you graduated in the last year or two or are changing specialties. List the facility, unit and hours for each rotation. Experienced nurses can drop them once they have a year or more of RN work.
Related guides
Sources, checked 27 October 2026
We opened every page below on that date. Pay, rules and requirements change, so check the source before you rely on a detail.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook: Registered Nurses (median pay, education, outlook, number of jobs, licensing)
- NCSBN: NCLEX & Other Exams (the NCLEX licensing exam)