The early stages of your career are often the most difficult, even in nursing, where job opportunities are abundant. Building an eye-catching cover letter is a great way to differentiate yourself from the competition as you begin applying for entry-level nursing positions. The key is to emphasize your genuine passion for patient-centered care in addition to your clinical knowledge. Our guide provides expert tips and examples to help you build a strong cover letter and jumpstart your health care career.
Entry-Level Nurse Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
How To Write an Entry-Level Nurse Cover Letter
A great entry-level nurse cover letter has five main elements:
1. Heading. Use a professional template to enhance the style and presentation of your cover letter. Be sure your heading includes:
- Your name, title, and contact info
- The current date
- The addressee’s details
2. Salutation. Greet the hiring manager by name — Mr. or Ms. [Last Name]. If you can’t find the hiring manager’s name, use a variation of “Dear Hiring Manager.”
3. Introduction. To make a lasting impression on the hiring manager, it’s important to grab their attention with a strong opener. At the entry level, make a point to emphasize key aspects of your nursing experience that align with the hospital’s needs. Build your introduction around one of your most notable achievements, especially if it can be backed by clinical data.
Example
In my first year as a registered nurse at Temple Hospital, I achieved patient satisfaction ratings of over 93%. As a nursing professional, I’m passionate and committed to providing superior care to my patients using evidence-based approaches to treatment. My exceptional clinical knowledge will allow me to achieve positive outcomes for patients at your esteemed hospital.
4. Body paragraphs. Continue to describe your nursing achievements and qualifications in your body paragraphs. Start by mentioning specific details about the hospital’s approach to patient care. Emphasize why you’re interested in the position and how your clinical skills align with the organization’s needs. Include accomplishments demonstrating your ability to interface effectively with multidisciplinary teams and diverse patient populations.
Example
UCSF’s commitment to providing cutting-edge patient care using innovative research and technology excites me as a newly qualified nurse. My ability to deliver compassionate, patient-centered care would be a strong asset to your team based on my recent achievements:
- Achieved 98% positive patient feedback scores during precept placement and received consistent scores of over 90% during theoretical and practical assessments
- Conducted patient assessments, collected medical history, and performed a variety of medical testing, including X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and blood testing
- Interfaced effectively with diverse patient populations and developed treatment plans in alignment with emotional, spiritual, and physical needs
5. Closing section. Think of your conclusion as a call to action. Ask the hiring manager to contact you so you can learn more about the position. Be sure to thank them for their time and consideration.
Example
I look forward to speaking with you further about how my dedication to patient advocacy and clinical excellence can benefit your hospital. Feel free to contact me via phone or email at your convenience. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Best regards,
Matthew Johnson
Entry-Level Nurse Cover Letter Tips
1. Quantify your nursing experience
Although you likely have limited work experience at the entry level, it’s still important to feature hard numbers and clinical data to convey your positive impact on patients and clinical operations. Citing patient satisfaction scores from your externship is one possible approach. You could also feature the size of the hospital and patient ratio, as this demonstrates you can deliver quality care in fast-paced health care environments:
- Achieved patient satisfaction ratings of over 93% in 2023, communicated empathetically with diverse patients, and drove the delivery of patient-centered care
- Collaborated with a multidisciplinary team of nurses and physicians to improve patient outcomes and enhance clinical workflows in a 400-bed hospital with a 1-to-5 patient ratio
- Performed health exams for illnesses, injuries, and life-threatening conditions, developed treatment plans, and provided emotional support to patients and families
2. Align your cover letter with the hospital’s culture
Tailoring your cover letter towards individual applications is a great way to stand out during the job search. Research the hospital before building your document, as this provides valuable insights into the types of information you should prioritize. In the example below, the candidate showcases how their commitment to patient advocacy, which positions them as an ideal fit for the hospital’s culture:
UPenn is a world-class hospital truly devoted to clinical advancement and patient-centered care. In the early stages of my nursing career, I’ve served as an advocate to ensure the alignment of treatment plans with my patients’ emotional, physical, and cultural needs. I can bring the same dedication to your medical team based on my previous successes:
3. Highlight your areas of clinical expertise
Hiring managers will be interested in learning more about your clinical knowledge, so showcasing these skill sets throughout your cover letter is essential. Emphasize nursing skills that match the job description. In the example below, the candidate highlights their knowledge of various oncology treatments to show they’re qualified to work in this specific unit:
As you can see from my attached resume, I have two years of experience providing clinical support for leukemia, bone marrow transplants, and chemotherapy treatments. While at St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital, I delivered specialized care to diverse patient populations in a pediatric oncology unit with 60 beds. I look forward to applying my expertise in patient-centered care to drive positive clinical outcomes in the pediatric nurse position.
Entry-Level Nurse Text-Only Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Example #1
- Example #2
- Example #3
Matthew Johnson
Registered Nurse | [email protected] | (123) 456-7890 | Philadelphia, PA 12345 | LinkedIn
January 1, 2024
Tyrone Jackson
Senior Hiring Manager
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
(987) 654-3210
[email protected]
Dear Mr. Jackson:
In my first year as a registered nurse at Temple Hospital, I achieved patient satisfaction ratings of over 93%. As a nursing professional, I’m passionate and committed to providing superior care to my patients using evidence-based approaches to treatment. My exceptional clinical knowledge will allow me to achieve positive outcomes for patients at your esteemed hospital.
UPenn is a world-class hospital truly devoted to clinical advancement and patient-centered care. In the early stages of my nursing career, I’ve served as an advocate to ensure the alignment of treatment plans with my patients’ emotional, physical, and cultural needs. I can bring the same dedication to your medical team based on my previous successes:
- Achieved patient satisfaction ratings of over 93% in 2023, communicated empathetically with diverse patients, and drove the delivery of patient-centered care
- Collaborated with a multidisciplinary team of nurses and physicians to improve patient outcomes and enhance clinical workflows in a 400-bed hospital with a 1-to-5 patient ratio
- Performed health exams for illnesses, injuries, and life-threatening conditions, developed treatment plans, and provided emotional support to patients and families
I look forward to speaking with you further about how my dedication to patient advocacy and clinical excellence can benefit your hospital. Feel free to contact me via phone or email at your convenience. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Best regards,
Matthew Johnson
Entry Level Nurse Cover Letter FAQs
Why should I submit an entry level nurse cover letter?-
While a cover letter may not always be required for nursing positions, it can sometimes offer unique advantages during the early stages of your career. This allows you to compensate for a lack of hands-on experience with a strong introduction that captures who you are as a nursing professional. Including a cover letter also speaks to your genuine enthusiasm for the position, which can make all the difference in today’s competitive job market.
How long should my cover letter be?-
It’s best to keep your cover letter short and compelling, especially when pursuing entry-level positions. Limit your document to 400 words or less, and avoid bulky paragraphs that simply reiterate job responsibilities from your resume. Instead, focus your content around the most impactful aspects of your nursing experience, even if you can only cite your externship.
Should I use artificial intelligence to write my cover letter?-
While artificial intelligence (AI) can be a viable support tool to help you get started, never allow it to write your entire document. Your cover letter needs to capture your passion and commitment to patient care in your own words. Relying solely on AI tools such as ChatGPT will likely yield generic content and effectively rob the cover letter of your unique voice.
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