Nursing Resume Examples for RN, LPN, CNA and New Graduates

A nursing resume should prove readiness for the role

A strong nursing resume makes your license, patient population, clinical setting and results easy to find. Tailor the document to each posting, use the same truthful terminology the employer uses and place the most relevant experience near the top.

Recommended nursing resume structure

1. Contact information: name, city and state, phone, professional email and optional LinkedIn profile.
2. Professional summary: two or three lines naming your credential, experience, setting and strongest relevant skills.
3. Licenses and certifications: active license details plus current certifications relevant to the job.
4. Clinical skills: a focused list that matches your actual training and the role.
5. Experience: reverse-chronological positions with achievement-oriented bullets.
6. Education: degree, institution and graduation date. New graduates can include selected clinical rotations.

Experienced RN resume example

Summary: Registered nurse with five years of adult medical-surgical and telemetry experience. Skilled in patient assessment, interdisciplinary care planning, discharge education and recognition of changes in condition.

Example bullets:

• Coordinated care for adult medical-surgical and telemetry patients while communicating changes in condition to the interdisciplinary team.
• Provided medication, discharge and follow-up education using teach-back to confirm patient understanding.
• Precepted newly hired nurses and reinforced unit workflows, documentation standards and escalation procedures.

New-graduate RN resume example

Summary: Newly licensed registered nurse with clinical rotations in medical-surgical, maternal-child, behavioral health and community settings. Brings organized assessment, patient education and team communication skills.

Example bullets:

• Completed a senior practicum supporting assessment, medication administration and care planning under RN supervision.
• Used structured handoff communication to report patient status, interventions and follow-up needs.
• Developed patient education materials and verified understanding with teach-back.

New graduates should label clinical experience accurately. Do not present supervised rotations as independent employment.

LPN resume example

Summary: Licensed practical nurse experienced in long-term care and ambulatory support, with strengths in medication administration, wound care, documentation and patient communication.

• Delivered care within LPN scope and facility policy while reporting changes promptly to the supervising RN or provider.
• Documented treatments, patient responses and follow-up needs in the electronic health record.
• Reinforced care instructions with patients and families using clear, respectful language.

CNA resume example

Summary: Certified nursing assistant with experience supporting activities of daily living, mobility, vital signs and comfort in a team-based care environment.

• Assisted residents with personal care, mobility and meals while promoting dignity and independence.
• Measured and recorded vital signs and promptly reported changes to the licensed nurse.
• Maintained safe, organized patient spaces and followed infection-prevention procedures.

A better formula for experience bullets

Use action + scope + result or purpose. Numbers can be helpful when accurate, but never invent patient ratios, quality improvements or performance results.

Weak: “Responsible for patient care.”

Stronger: “Coordinated assessments, medications, education and discharge needs for adult medical-surgical patients in collaboration with the care team.”

ATS-friendly nursing resume tips

• Use standard headings such as Experience, Education, Licenses and Certifications.
• Mirror relevant keywords from the posting only when they accurately describe your background.
• Avoid charts, text boxes and decorative graphics that may not parse cleanly.
• Spell out an abbreviation the first time when space permits.
• Proofread license names, dates, credentials and contact details.

Common mistakes to remove

• An objective statement that says only what you want.
• A long list of generic soft skills without examples.
• Expired certifications presented as current.
• Protected patient information or identifiable case details.
• The same untailored resume for every specialty.

For a deeper writing checklist, read how to write a nursing resume and compare responsibilities in our RN vs. LPN vs. CNA career guide. When your resume is ready, search current nursing and healthcare jobs.