How To Write a Nursing Student Resume

As a nursing student at the start of your career, crafting a strong, accomplishment-driven resume as you pursue entry-level nursing positions is important. Because your hands-on experience will be limited, you must keep documentation during your nurse externship. Think about the size and volume of the hospital and any relevant quality metrics. This exercise will also save you time in the future as you advance your career.

In addition to providing job responsibilities and achievements from your externship, you should also feature relevant coursework and medical skills for specific areas of healthcare you plan on targeting. For example, if you plan on working in an oncology unit, you’d want to highlight your knowledge of disease prevention protocols and administering oncology treatments. Throughout this guide, we’ll provide valuable insights to help you build a professional nursing student resume.

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1. Write a brief summary of your nursing student qualifications

Because your industry experience will be fairly limited, you’ll want to craft a strong summary to make a positive first impression on the hiring manager. In addition to drawing attention to key skill sets, you should create a snapshot of who you are as a healthcare professional. For instance, if the organization you’re applying to has a strong reputation for patient advocacy, it might be beneficial to mention your commitment to the delivery of patient-centered care.

Nursing Student CNA Profile Example


Profile

A Nursing Student with three years of experience as a certified nursing assistant, specializing in the activities of daily living (ADLs) and patient-centered care standards. A proven track record of monitoring patients, providing direct care in hospitals and nursing homes, and educating patients on health and wellness.

Nursing Student Entry-Level Profile Example


Profile

A Nursing Student with entry-level experience providing direct patient care as a certified nursing assistant and nurse extern. Achieved recognition from physicians and RNs during clinical evaluations for delivering patient-centered care and communicating with empathy and compassion.

2. Showcase your nursing student experience

Crafting the professional experience section can be challenging if you haven’t held a nursing job. In this situation, it’s best to leverage any clinical experience you’ve garnered during your nurse externship or in a previous role within the health care industry. Be sure to highlight important trends such as evidence-based care, health equity, and patient advocacy. Even without a robust work history, you can still craft a winning resume that highlights the most compelling aspects of your medical knowledge.

Nursing Student CNA Professional Experience Example


Professional Experience

Nursing Student, Campbell Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA
May 2023 – July 2023

  • Collaborated with registered nurses and medical staff to deliver high-quality care to pediatric patients in a community hospital with 250 beds
  • Developed skills in placing intravenous lines and catheters in pediatric patients
  • Maintained patient satisfaction scores of 91%-93%

Nursing Student Entry-Level Professional Experience Example


Professional Experience

Certified Nursing Assistant, St. Mark’s Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
October 2021 – May 2023

  • Deliver patient care under the supervision of RNs and LPNs, assist patients with ADLs, and collaborate with nursing teams to enhance the patient experience, resulting in a 15% increase in patient satisfaction scores
  • Measure and record patient vital signs in electronic medical record system and provide updates to resident nurses on changes in patient medical status and symptoms

3. Include education and certifications relevant to nursing students

In addition to your education, you should include any relevant coursework and training that bolster your chances of landing the interview. If possible, you should also pursue certifications that align with the healthcare unit you wish to work in. For instance, if you plan on pursuing an RN position in a pediatric unit, you’d want to obtain a Pediatric Advanced Life Support Certification.

Certifications

Template

  • [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]

Example

  • Registered Nurse, State of Pennsylvania, License #123456
  • Certified Nursing Assistant, State of Pennsylvania, License #123456
  • Pediatric Advanced Life Support, American Heart Association, 2019

Education

Template

  • [Degree Name]
  • [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] [Dates Enrolled]

Example

  • Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Nursing
  • TEMPLE UNIVERSITY, Philadelphia, PA September 2012 – June 2016

Most organizations rely on applicant tracking systems to speed up the hiring process. The ATS scans resumes during the initial screening process to determine if they contain target keywords that match the job description. If your resume doesn’t contain any of these target keywords, there’s a good chance your application will be rejected before it reaches the hiring manager.

As you review the job posting, you should make a point to incorporate key terms that align with the organization’s needs. This will give you the best chance of securing the interview. Below, you’ll find a list of skills and keywords that you may encounter during the job search:

Key Skills and Proficiencies
Activities of Daily Living (ADLS) Case Management
Clinical Operations HIPAA
Oncology Patient Centered-Care
Patient Education Patient Management
Telemetry Acute Care
Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN) Electronic Health Records (EHR)
Medication Administration Patient Advocacy
Patient Discharge Patient Intake
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Triage

How to Pick the Best Nursing Student Resume Template

Although modern templates with flashy colors and graphics may seem appealing, it’s better to select a simple, well-organized template in most instances. Hiring managers are more interested in your qualifications than your graphic design skills, and you don’t want to choose a template that may distract the reader from your content. If you select a modern template, use a top-down approach rather than splitting the center of the page with multiple resume sections.

Nursing Student Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples

  • Nursing Student CNA Resume Example
  • Nursing Student Entry-Level Resume Example
  • Nursing Student Extern Resume Example

Yaling Zhang
 (123) 456-7890
[email protected]
LinkedIn | Portfolio
123 Bridge Street, Boston, MA 12345

Profile

A Nursing Student with entry-level experience providing direct patient care as a certified nursing assistant and nurse extern. Achieved recognition from physicians and RNs during clinical evaluations for delivering patient-centered care and communicating with empathy and compassion.

Professional Experience

Nursing Extern, Ardmore Hospital, Boston, MA
 May 2023 – July 2023

  • Provided direct care to an average of five patients per shift under the supervision of the charge nurse and clinical preceptor
  • Administered medications using the oral, topical, and subcutaneous routes
  • Performed patient assessments and coordinated with registered nurses to develop comprehensive care plans based on symptoms and individual needs
  • Monitored patients following surgical procedures, provided wound care, changed dressings, and updated the nurse manager on changes in patient condition

Certified Nursing Assistant, Kindred Medical Center, Boston, MA
 October 2021 – May 2023

  • Deliver patient care under the supervision of RNs and LPNs, assist patients with ADLs, and collaborate with nursing teams to enhance the patient experience, resulting in a 15% increase in patient satisfaction scores
  • Measure and record patient vital signs in electronic medical record system and provide updates to resident nurses on changes in patient medical status and symptoms

Certifications

  • Registered Nurse, State of Massachusetts, License #123456
  • Certified Nursing Assistant, State of Massachusetts, License #123456
  • Basic Life Support Certifications, American Heart Association, 2023

Key Skills

  • Patient-Centered Care
  • Communication
  • Wound Care
  • Clinical Operations
  • Acute Care

Education

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Nursing
Boston College, Boston, MA September 2019 – May 2023

Frequently Asked Questions: Nursing Student Resume Examples and Advice

What are common action verbs for nursing student resumes?-

Differentiating your usage of action verbs can be challenging during the resume-building process. Often there are only a small number of verbs you can use to convey your clinical experience accurately. Using the same words repeatedly may cause your bullet points to appear redundant to the hiring manager. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of action verbs you can use to showcase your nursing experience:

Action Verbs
Administered Analyzed
Communicated Conducted
Coordinated Collaborated
Delivered Diagnosed
Enhanced Identified
Interfaced Implemented
Improved Led
Managed Oversaw
Performed Provided
Resolved Supported
Treated  
How do you align your resume with a job description?-

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for registered nurses are expected to grow by 6% between 2021 and 2031. One of the key factors fueling this rapid growth is the fact that just over half of all registered nurses were over the age of 50 in 2018. As these older nurses retire, hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities will have more openings.

Although the demand for nurses is on the rise, that doesn’t mean you won’t have any competition for nursing jobs. To maximize your chances of securing the most lucrative roles, you’ll need to align your resume with the job description. If you’re not sure which skills and experiences to highlight, read the job posting carefully. The most important qualifications are usually listed near the top of the posting. You may also notice a few qualifications mentioned more than once, which usually means they’re among the most important requirements for the job. As you write your resume, make sure it explains how you meet these qualifications. This will help to differentiate you from other applicants during your job search.

What is the best nursing student resume format?-

Although using a functional resume format that focuses primarily on skills may make sense due to your limited amount of clinical experience, it’s still best to use a reverse chronological format for nursing student resumes. Hiring managers will want to learn more about the types of responsibilities you held during your nurse externship, and eliminating these details won’t help you to differentiate yourself from the applicant field during your job search.

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Expert Advice
Include a cover letter with your resume

Crafting a cover letter can help supplement your resume in many different ways. Since you likely won’t have previous work experience to showcase, this allows you to show hiring managers who you are as a healthcare professional and why you’re seeking to join their organization. Rather than focusing on your own career goals, you should mention something about the hospital’s reputation or work culture and why you have an interest in joining their team. This will show prospective employers that you’ve done your research beforehand, which will reflect positively on you as a candidate. For more insights, read our nursing student cover letter guide.

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Frank Hackett

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)

Frank Hackett is a professional resume writer and career consultant with over eight years of experience. As the lead editor at a boutique career consulting firm, Frank developed an innovative approach to resume writing that empowers job seekers to tell their professional stories. His approach involves creating accomplishment-driven documents that balance keyword optimization with personal branding. Frank is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PAWRCC).

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