How To Write a Travel Nurse Resume
To write a good travel nurse resume, you must show you can provide quality patient care in various unfamiliar work settings. The tips below will help you capture this skill in each section of your resume so it gets you interviews for your next travel nurse position.
1. Write a dynamic profile summarizing your qualifications
Since travel nurses must continually change locations and assignments, the job requires you to be versatile and adaptable. Use the resume profile to describe how you’ve gained these traits, and you’ll position yourself as a fit for the role.
For instance, maybe you recently excelled as a float pool nurse, building relationships with staff in other hospital units. Or you may have rare international experience or foreign language fluency. Also, consider describing how you’ve built your own core practice and time management system, and it lets you move quickly and effectively in many health care settings. With details like these in your profile, you can show your flexibility and make a solid first impression on hiring managers.
Profile Example
Patient-focused Registered Nurse with over 5 years of hospital experience. Skilled at balancing and prioritizing tasks in a dynamic, fast-paced health care setting. Quickly adapt to new work settings and challenges based on recent experience as a float pool nurse. Committed to continuous learning.
2. Add a detailed experience section
View the Experience section as a chance to give examples of your adapting to new health care roles and assignments. When hiring managers see examples of your flexibility as a nurse professional, they can more easily envision you as a great travel nurse for their agency.
Naturally, if you’ve already worked as a travel nurse, that should be your experience section’s primary focus. But you can also show the range and relevance of your other nursing experience by giving details on any:
- Your float pool nurse roles
- Shifts you’ve picked up at other hospital floors or units
- Your work in an ED or other fast-changing environment
You can leverage your early, non-nursing experience by showing how it helped you build a general sense of service, teamwork, or adaptability. Make sure each past job you cite shows your mindset and the world-class work ethic of an effective travel nurse.
Experience Example
Emergency Department Nurse, Jackson Hospital, Sioux Falls, SD | August 2019 to September 2021
- Assessed patients on admission to determine their physical and psychological health and gather a social history
- Worked with teams of up to 7 practitioners to generate an emergency care plan and communicate the details at handover meetings
- Picked up shifts on other floors, including GI, cardiac, and pulmonary
3. Include relevant education and certifications
Use the education and certifications sections to show you have a strong knowledge base for the role of a travel nurse. If your direct nursing experience is limited, list relevant courses or topics you explored in college. Also, if you did any study abroad or exchange programs, you can cite those to show your sense of travel and adaptability further.
Below are templates and examples to help you format your education and certification details. Note that optional template areas appear in [brackets].
Education
Template: Degree Name — [Major], School Name, City, ST | [Year]
[Select Coursework] | [Study Abroad Program]
Example:
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Semester Study Abroad Program: Institute for the International Education of Students, Barcelona, Spain
- Learned and adapted to a different city, culture, language, and currency
Certifications
Template:
Certification Name or Title, [Awarding Organization] | [Year]
[Description]
Example:
Registered Nurse, MN Board of Nursing | [2016]
4. List key skills and proficiencies
Add a key skills section to show how you can provide quality care, regardless of the facility or location. This section should cover the key treatments, medications, and patient groups you have experience with. It should also cover your broader “soft skills” like teamwork or cultural awareness. This helps show you can collaborate and adapt to the ever-changing role of a travel nurse.
Below are some common skills to consider for this section of your resume.
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Acute care | Cross-discipline coordination |
| Electronic health records (EHR) | Health care documentation |
| Health care team collaboration | Medication administration |
| Multicultural awareness and sensitivity | Patient and family relations |
| Patient advocacy and education | Patient health assessment |
| Patient safety and security | Patient-centered care |
| Process streamlining | Task prioritization |
| Time management | Vital signs monitoring |
How To Pick the Best Travel Nurse Resume Template
As with most vocations, travel nurses should use a resume template that’s clear and straightforward. Opt for a visual design that lets the hiring manager quickly review your best career details. Select a traditional resume font, and avoid any template with a colorful or elaborate design. Also, ensure the template complies with applicant tracking systems (ATS) used by employers to screen resumes.
Travel Nurse Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
Years of Experience
- #1
- #2
- #3
Raymond Ortiz
New York, NY 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected] | www.linkedin.com/example
Profile
Patient-focused Registered Nurse with over 5 years of hospital experience. Skilled at balancing and prioritizing tasks in a dynamic and fast-paced health care setting. Quickly adapt to new work settings and challenges based on recent experience as a float pool nurse. Committed to continuous learning.
Key Skills
- Cross-discipline coordination
- Health care documentation
- Hospital team collaboration
- Medication administration
- Patient and family relations
- Patient advocacy
- Patient health assessment
- Patient safety and security
- Process streamlining
- Task prioritization
- Time management
- Vital signs monitoring
Professional Experience
DWC Hospital, New York, NY | 2018 to present
Float Pool Nurse (January 2020 to present)
- Float to GI, cardiac, pulmonary, and other floors of this Level 1 academic medical center
- Accurately administer medications and provide regular updates to the attending physician
- Monitor vital signs, install IVs, and perform blood tests as needed
Registered Nurse (November 2017 to December 2019)
- Provided pre and post-operative care to pediatric and elderly patients in the oncology care unit
Education
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), University of Syracuse, NY | 2017
3.8 GPA | magna cum laude
Joseph Corbin
Philadelphia, PA 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected] | www.linkedin.com/example
Profile
Collaborative Travel Nurse with strong recent nursing home experience. Build positive, productive relationships with other health care team members. Efficient and reliable, drawing on strong prioritization skills to deliver consistent care quality to residents with varying medical needs. Bilingual: Fluent in English and Spanish.
Key Skills
- Cross-discipline coordination
- Health care documentation
- Health care team collaboration
- Medication administration
- Nursing home operations
- Patient and family relations
- Patient advocacy
- Patient health assessment
- Patient safety and security
- Process streamlining
- Task prioritization
- Time management
- Vital signs monitoring
Professional Experience
Travel Nurse, BRQ Med Services | March 2022 to Present
Current Assignment: ZDM Skilled Nursing Facility, Philadelphia, PA (December 2022 to Present)
- Monitor and provide care to patients with diagnoses including vascular dementia, alcohol-induced dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease
- Watch for sudden changes in mental status, helping detect ailments such as aspiration pneumonia, urinary tract infections, acute kidney injury (AKI), hypernatremia, and other electrolyte abnormalities
- Praised for quickly learning procedures and collaborating with other nurses and health care providers
- Help ensure patients’ safety and security
Previous assignments:
- OTO Nursing Home, Sioux Falls, SD (July 2022 to December 2022)
- FPV Skilled Nursing, Columbus, OH (March 2022 to July 2022)
Education
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Semester Study Abroad Program: Institute for the International Education of Students, Barcelona, Spain
- Learned and adapted to a different city, culture, language, and currency
Languages
Fluency in Spanish | Proficiency in Italian
Jasmine Brown
Minneapolis, MN 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected] | www.linkedin.com/example
Profile
Travel Nurse with strong recent experience in ICU settings. Quickly adapt to new work conditions and challenges. Highly focused and resourceful, drawing on previous experience in the ED of a major hospital.
Key Skills
- Cross-discipline coordination
- Health care documentation
- Hospital team collaboration
- Medication administration
- Neonatal ICU operations
- Patient and family relations
- Patient advocacy
- Patient health assessment
- Patient safety and security
- Process streamlining
- Task prioritization
- Time management
- Vital signs monitoring
Professional Experience
Travel Nurse, OKD Health | September 2021 to Present
Current assignment: Neonatal ICU, Rosenberg Hospital, Boston, MA (December 2022 to Present)
- Closely monitor and assess newborns’ health status and communicate key changes to the physician
- Maintain active communications with parents and other family members, putting complex health topics in clear terms
- Provide parents with detailed education on proper newborn care, breastfeeding, and monitoring for illness
Prior assignments:
- Medical ICU, Malfara Hospital, Minneapolis, MN (September 2022 to December 2022)
- Pediatric ICU, Jackson Hospital, Sioux Falls, SD (April 2022 to September 2022)
- Neonatal ICU, Bergsen Regional Hospital, Columbus, OH (January 2022 to April 2022)
Emergency Department Nurse, Jackson Hospital, Sioux Falls, SD | August 2019 to September 2021
- Assessed patients on admission to determine their physical and psychological health and gather a social history
- Worked with teams of up to 7 practitioners to generate an emergency care plan and communicate the details at handover meetings
- Picked up shifts on other floors, including GI, cardiac, and pulmonary
Education
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN | 2019
Certifications
- Registered Nurse, MN Board of Nursing
- Advanced HIV/AIDS Certified Registered Nurse
Frequently Asked Questions: Travel Nurse Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for travel nurse resumes? +
One of the best ways to enhance your resume is by starting each bullet point with a strong action verb. Dynamic verbs help you keep the hiring manager’s attention and show the varied nature of your experience. The following list can help you find a good mix of action verbs for your travel nurse resume:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Adapted | Adjusted |
| Administered | Collaborated |
| Coordinated | Created |
| Delivered | Documented |
| Evaluated | Fostered |
| Improved | Modified |
| Monitored | Prioritized |
| Provided | Reinforced |
| Relayed | Reported |
| Responded | Streamlined |
| Strengthened | Supported |
| Updated | |
How do you align your travel nurse resume with a job posting?+
The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that jobs for registered nurses will increase by about 1% between 2021 and 2031. This growth rate is roughly the same as the average for all U.S. vocations.
You can get more interviews in this growing field if you tailor your resume for each travel nurse application. Start by looking at the job post text and highlighting words or phrases that are repeated or emphasized. Compare these highlighted phrases against the language you’re using in your resume, particularly the profile and key skills sections. Then, look for ways to align your resume language with the job post while not copying phrases or misrepresenting your background.
For example, if the staffing agency seeks nurses with a strong collaborative streak, you may want to call out that aspect of your experience. Or say the job would include assignments in many non-English speaking communities. Highlight your foreign language skills in your profile and as a separate section farther down the document. With adjustments like these, you can make your resume more relevant to each job opportunity.
What is the best travel nurse resume format? +
In nearly all cases, you should use a combination (or hybrid) resume because it’s easiest for hiring managers to learn about your pertinent skills and experience. It’s also easiest for you to align with your job goals.
With the combination format, you highlight your most relevant skills and background in your experience or work history section and an intro section. (This combination of work history and intro content is where the format gets its name.) Your resume intro should usually include a profile summary and key skills section, but you may also add a career highlights or awards section. By carefully choosing the details for these intro sections, you can (a) position yourself for your target job and (b) give hiring managers a clear, quick view of what you offer.
Expert Advice: Include a cover letter with your resume
To increase your chances of an interview, write and submit a strong cover letter. The key to an effective letter is customizing it based on each job opening. Read our Nursing cover letter guide to learn how. See our Entry-Level Nurse and Health Care cover letter guides for other related examples.
