How To Write an Emergency Room Nurse Resume
To craft a results-driven emergency room (ER) nurse resume, showcase your health care achievements and experience delivering patient-centered care in high-volume hospital environments. Emphasize your ability to drive positive patient outcomes, improve the patient experience, and enhance clinical operations. This guide will provide valuable insights to help you translate the most compelling aspects of your nursing experience into a powerful resume.
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
1. Write a dynamic profile summarizing your emergency room nurse qualifications
Create a profile section that encapsulates your strongest qualifications and experience as an ER nurse. Capture the hiring manager’s attention early in your resume by focusing on your value to the clinical teams, patients, and health care organizations. Paint a picture of yourself as a nursing professional by demonstrating your passion for patient-centered care and health care equity. Incorporate specific skill sets from the job description to show prospective employers that you’re the ideal candidate.
Senior-Level Profile Example
A senior ER nurse with over 10 years of experience specializing in delivering emergency medical treatment to patients in intensive care units (ICU) and surgical units. Adept at providing emotional support to patients and families in critical medical situations.
Entry-Level Profile Example
A patient-centered ER nurse with three years of experience treating diverse patient populations in ER departments. Adept at communicating effectively with distressed patients and coordinating with multi-disciplinary teams to deliver quality care.
2. Create a powerful list of your emergency room nurse experiences
Your professional experience section should clearly describe your abilities and experience. Quantify your achievements to establish a sense of scope for the hiring manager. For example, consider mentioning nurse-patient ratios, patient satisfaction ratings, and frequently used procedures or equipment.
Highlight your efforts to reduce wait times and enhance clinical efficiency in fast-paced hospital environments. Demonstrate an ability to improve quality of life and deliver quality care in critical medical situations. If you lack experience in an ER environment, list previous nursing accomplishments and responsibilities that will support you in your new position.
Senior-Level Professional Experience Example
Senior Emergency Department Nurse
Salem Health Hospitals & Clinics, Salem, OR | September 2016 – present
- Perform initial assessments of patients with the most serious illnesses and injuries, including those involved in road traffic collisions
- Communicate care plan information to patients’ families and help them process distressing information, receiving over 97% positive feedback throughout employment
- Assist doctors with emergency procedures and closely monitor patients’ vital signs, promptly reporting any causes for concern
Entry-Level Professional Experience Example
Emergency Room Nurse
Beebe Healthcare, Dover, DE | July 2019 – present
- Deliver patient-centered care in a 240-bed hospital with a 1-to-6 ratio, administer oral medications, monitor symptoms, and gather patient medical information
- Support patients with empathy and compassion to preserve privacy and dignity throughout treatment, resulting in a 91% satisfaction rating
- Administer wound care, collect urine and blood samples for laboratory testing, monitor vital signs, and alert physicians to changes in patient condition
3. Include emergency room nurse-related education and certifications
Nursing, like many health care occupations, requires several certifications; some may be mandatory to your role as an ER nurse and others highly desirable. Start by listing any required education and licensure as stated on the job posting. Then, include specialty training to help you stand out from the competition, such as certification in emergency nursing, basic life support (BLS), and pediatric life support. Use the examples below to help you format this space correctly.
Education
Template
- [Degree Name]
- [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] – [Graduation Month and Year]
Example
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT – June 2010
Certifications
Template
- [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Certification, State of Utah, 2012
4. List key skills and proficiencies for emergency room nurses
A clear, concise list of your abilities makes it easy for the hiring manager to determine if you can meet their needs and bring value to clinical teams. Choose words and phrases specific to ER nursing and provide a mix of both medical and interpersonal skills. As an additional strategy, use this space to match particular terms or phrases listed in the job description to ensure compliance with applicant tracking systems (ATS). Here are some suggestions for desirable ER nursing skills.
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Acute care | Advanced cardiac life support |
| BLS | Clinical operations |
| Communication | Compassionate care |
| Conflict resolution | Crisis prevention and intervention (CPI) |
| Electronic Health Records (EHR) | Emergency medical care |
| ER operations | ICU |
| Inpatient care | Medication administration |
| Pain management | Patient care |
| Patient-centered care | Triage |
| Treatment planning | Wound care |
How To Pick the Best Emergency Room Nurse Resume Template
When reviewing resume templates for an ER nurse, choose a layout and design that is clean and easy to read. You only have a few seconds to make an impression, so avoid distracting colors and graphics that may draw the reader’s eye from your content. Use a single-column template with an elegant font to control the flow of information and allow the hiring manager to scan your resume easily.
Emergency Room Nurse Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
- Entry-level
- Mid-career
- Senior-level
Madeleine Schuler
(246) 642-2468
[email protected]
123 Main Road, Salt Lake City, UT 86420
Profile
An Emergency Room Nurse Manager with eight years of experience developing, managing, and leading dynamic nursing teams to drive positive patient outcomes. A strong history of enhancing clinical operations and improving response times within ER units.
Professional Experience
Senior Emergency Room Nurse, University of Utah Medical Group, Salt Lake City, UT
September 2014 – Present
- Manage teams of up to 20 ER nurses, provide coaching and mentorship, and reduce understaffing incidents by 23% over three years
- Supervise student nurses and deliver training to ensure comprehensive understanding of ER procedures and protocols
- Deliver treatment during life-threatening incidents, administer crucial medications, direct staff, and coordinate with physicians and nursing teams to enhance clinical operations and improve response times by 12%
Emergency Room Nurse, Intermountain Healthcare, Salt Lake City, UT
July 2012 – September 2014
- Assessed patients on admission to determine their physical and psychological health and gather a social history
- Worked collaboratively with teams of up to 7 practitioners to generate an emergency care plan and communicated the details at handover meetings
- Provided emotional support to parents and their families in challenging circumstances, receiving a consistent 98%+ satisfaction rating
- Met with interdisciplinary teams to determine discharge and transfer plans
Education
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH, Salt Lake City, UT, September 2006 – June 2010
Master of Science in Nursing (Care Management)
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH, Salt Lake City, UT, September 2010 – June 2012
Key Skills
- Team Leadership
- Clinical Operations
- Staff Development
- Patient Care
- Emergency Room Operations
Certifications
- Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Certification, State of Utah, 2012
Frequently Asked Questions: Emergency Room Nurse Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for emergency room nurse resumes?-
Action verbs excite your writing by immediately engaging the reader and reducing the need for nonessential words. They also help your resume meet the search parameters of automatic tracking programs and human reviewers. However, developing unique action verbs as you write your resume can be challenging. Check out our list of verbs common to nursing careers, emphasizing the role of an ER nurse:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Administer | Advocate |
| Assess | Collaborate |
| Communicate | Coordinate |
| Counsel | Deliver |
| Diagnose | Educate |
| Improve | Lead |
| Manage | Monitor |
| Perform | Plan |
| Prioritize | Support |
| Train | Treat |
How do you align your resume with an ER nurse job description?-
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for registered nurses (RNs) are expected to grow by 6%, or almost 191,300 jobs, from 2022 to 2032. Although not all RNs work in an ER, the U.S. has a growing population and the CDC has found that ER visits are on the rise, so there will likely be a continued demand for nurses with trauma and critical care experience. That being said, align your resume with the job posting to maximize your chances of landing the interview.
For example, if a hospital’s mission statement mentions diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), you’d emphasize your experience delivering patient-centered care to diverse populations. If a health care organization is seeking an ER nurse with strong leadership capabilities, highlight your background training and mentoring nursing professionals. Tailor your resume to each opportunity you apply for to accelerate your job search.
What is the best emergency room nurse resume format?-
Reverse chronological is the ideal format for ER nurses. This approach ensures that your most recent nursing experience is featured towards the top of your document. Avoid functional resumes, even at the entry level, as this format lists relevant skills but fails to tell your unique story as a health care professional. If you’re a recent graduate, focus on your experiences treating patients as a nurse extern rather than only listing your health care qualifications.
Craft your perfect resume in minutes
Get 2x more interviews with Resume Builder. Access Pro Plan features for a limited time!
