Resume Writing guidelines for nursing
CONTENT
Must Have:
 Contact information: your name, address(es), phone number, and email
 Education: name of school, city, state (no street address or zip code); entire degree written out
followed by month and year the degree was/will be earned
 Licensure information (following successful completion of NCLEX)
 Experience: can include paid and unpaid experience
 Skills: computer and language
Optional:
 Objective: do NOT include on resume for career fairs
 GPA: include if 3.0 or higher
 Clinical Rotations: include if you have no other health care experience
 Honors and Awards: if you only have one or two, you may list them under Education, rather than in
a separate section
 Activities: club & organization memberships and volunteer work; note leadership positions
 References: listing of references and contact information is never part of the resume
Should Not Have:
 Personal information: age, marital status, etc.
 Abbreviations (except standard postal for states, i.e., PA, NJ, DE, NY)
FORMATTING
 Templates: don’t use them; your resume will look like everyone else’s
 Length: one page
 Margins: even around the page; no smaller than .5” or larger than 1”
 Font: use easily readable font such as Arial or Times New Roman. Use same font type and font size
throughout (between 10 pt and12 pt; your name may be larger and in a different font)
 Highlighting: use bold, ALL CAPS, or italics to emphasize headings, job titles, degrees, or other
important facts
LISTING YOUR EXPERIENCE
 Experience: use this heading if you have general work experience but nothing that relates to the
position for which you are applying
 Relevant Experience: include this heading if you have done an externship, or volunteer or paid work
in a health care setting
 Other or Additional Experience: after a Relevant Experience section, you may include another
section that shows your unrelated work experience
DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE
 Use reverse chronological order in listing your positions
 Include the job title, organization, city and state location (detailed addresses are not necessary) and the dates
you were employed (these can be general, such as Summer 2009)
 Use proper verb tense: current positions in present tense, older jobs in past tense
 Begin descriptions with action verbs such as "supervised", "directed", "implemented"
 Do NOT use phrases such as “Duties included...", and “Responsible for…”
 Do NOT use the personal pronoun “I”
 Write descriptions that highlight transferable skills e.g. “Prepared orders in a fast-paced environment with
minimal supervision” rather than “Cooked hamburgers for customers”
PREPARING YOUR RESUME FOR EMAIL AND ONLINE POSTING
http://www.rileyguide.com/eresume.html
http://susanireland.com/resume/online/#4
Sample junior resume
MELISSA SHARPE
250 Stark Lane | Drexel Hill, PA 19026 | 610-952-8455 | mssharpe@gmail.com
OBJECTIVE
To obtain a summer externship in nursing in order to further develop clinical skills.
EDUCATION
Widener University
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
GPA: 3.6
Certificate in CPR: May 2010
HONORS/AWARDS
Recipient of James E. Bowen Scholarship
Recipient of President’s Scholarship
Chester, PA
expected May 2013
Dean’s List every semester
School of Nursing Honors Program
CLINICAL ROTATIONS
Pediatrics: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. Spring 2012
Psychiatric: Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital, Darby, PA. Spring 2012
Junior Medical/Surgical: Crozer-Chester Medical Center, Upland, PA. Fall 2011
WORK EXPERIENCE
American Eagle Clothing Store, Springfield Mall
Springfield, PA
Sales Associate
August 2010-Present
 Perform opening and closing duties, ensuring store is ready for day’s customers and reconciling
cash drawers at shift end and preparing bank deposits
 Handle cash and credit transactions efficiently to ensure positive customer experience
 Assist customers with merchandise selection, returns, and problem resolution
 Maintain inventory and appearance of store
Academic Support Services, Widener University
Chester, PA
Academic Tutor
September 2011 - December 2011
 Tutored freshman nursing students in Anatomy and Physiology
Dos Gringos Mexican Restaurant
Media, PA
Server/Hostess
February 2009-March 2010
 Provided excellent customer service with rapid table turnover in fast paced environment
 Coordinated with other team members to ensure accurate, efficient food service
Target Department Store
Springfield, PA
Sales Associate
September 2008-January 2009
 Maintained knowledge of store departments and inventory in order to address inquiries
 Handled cash and credit transactions in professional, efficient manner
COMPUTER SKILLS
Advanced skill level in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook; intermediate level in Excel
ACTIVITIES
Member, Student Nurse Association
Big Sister Volunteer, Stetser Elementary School, Chester, PA
Member/ Choreographer, Widener Dance Company
2009-Present
2009-2011
2009-2010
Sample senior resume with health care experience
S H A R O N J A C K S O N , BS N , RN
550 Clamar Avenue ▪ Millville, NJ 08215 ▪ 609-111-3333 ▪ sjackson521@gmail.com
EDUCATION
Widener University, Chester, PA
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
GPA: 3.2
Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Pomona, NJ
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
GPA 3.5
LICENSURE
State of New Jersey, RN license
May 2013
May 2009
July 2013
HEALTH CARE EXPERIENCE
South Jersey Healthcare, Vineland, NJ
Nurse Extern, Acute Medical Floor
June 2012-August 2012
 Provided direct care for up to six patients per shift under supervision of R.N.
 Monitored vital signs, weight, and intake-output measurements
 Administered medications including but not limited to subcutaneous insulin, IV pain medications, and a
variety of oral cardiac medications
 Observed common procedures such as insertion of a central line, urinary catheter insertion, removal of
perma cath, hanging of blood products, and NG tube insertion
 Collected, labeled, and transported specimens to laboratory
 Made rounds, handled patient requests, reported and recorded changes in condition or behavior of patients
or unusual incidents, within scope of training
 Assisted and accompanied patients in the admission, transfer, and discharge process
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
Widener University, Chester, PA
Resident Assistant
August 2011-present
 Supervise residence hall of 50 undergraduate students ensuring their compliance with university policies
 Create, plan, and implement educational, social, and recreational programs
 Serve on Resident Assistant Selection Committee to oversee interviewing and hiring of resident assistants
 Act as liaison between residents and Department of Residence Life in order to resolve resident concerns
 Advise students on personal, academic, and career issues
 Manage various administrative duties including maintenance requests, incident reports, and room transfers
Commerce Bank/TD Bank, Absecon/Brigantine, NJ
Full-Time Teller
July 2006-August 2011
 Processed various account transactions, reconciled and deposited daily funds
 Developed substantial and profitable repeat business by delivering high quality service to banking clients
 Informed customers of bank products, provided account status data, and answered phones
 Trained new tellers on computerized banking system and operations
 Two-time “Employee of the Quarter” and J.D. Power “Teller of the Year 2007”
ACTIVITIES
Widener University Student Nurse Association
Black Student Union
American Red Cross Blood Drive Volunteer
Widener Dance Company
2009-Present
2009-Present
November 2012
2009-2010
Sample senior resume without health care experience
John Simon
Local Address: Box 53, Widener University | Chester, PA 19013
Permanent Address: 3 Hill Street | Norwalk, CT 06851
203-847-9090 | j.simon@gmail.com
Objective
A professional nursing position in a life care community, providing for the health care needs of a
geriatric population.
Education
Widener University, Chester, PA
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, May 2013
Minor: Spanish
Licensure
Registered Nurse License, State of Connecticut, expected July 2013
Clinical Rotations
Practicum: A.I. duPont Hospital for Children, Wilmington, DE. April 2013
 Provided care for full patient load under supervision of nurse preceptors
Home Health Care: Liberty Health Systems, Springfield, PA. Spring 2013
Senior Medical/Surgical: Cardiac Step-Down Unit, Taylor Hospital, Ridley Park, PA. Spring 2013
Community: PECO, Philadelphia, PA. Fall 2012
Pediatrics: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA. Fall 2012
Psychiatric: Lankenau Medical Center, Wynnewood, PA. Spring 2012
Obstetrics: Riddle Memorial Hospital, Media, PA. Spring 2012
Junior Medical/Surgical: Orthopedics, Crozer-Chester Medical Center, Upland, PA. Fall 2011
Language Skills
Spanish: advanced proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and listening
French: limited working proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and listening
Work Experience
Sales Associate, Macy’s Department Store, Springfield Mall, Springfield, PA. Summer 2012
 Courteously greeted customers and efficiently processed transactions
 Commended by supervisors for flexibility in changing work hours when asked and filling in
during scheduled off-days for absent employees
 Recognized for cash handling accuracy, with continual zero overages/shortages
 Assisted with store stocking, floor-sets, and opening/closing procedures
Inventory Clerk, Howard’s Hardware Store, Prospect Park, PA. Summers 2010- 2011
 Counted equipment and supplies in stock and utilized Excel spreadsheets to post totals to
inventory records
 Prepared list of depleted items and recommended survey of defective or unusable items
 Participated in monthly purchasing meetings
Counter Clerk, Springer’s Ice Cream, Stone Harbor, NJ. Summer 2009
Activities/Volunteer Experience
Widener University Student Nurse Association, 2009-present
Widener Reads Tutor, Drexel Neumann Elementary School, Chester, PA, 2009-present
June 2012