If you have compassion, concern, and sympathy for individuals around you, then a job in the nursing field can be the brightest option for you. Your excellent judgment and strong thinking ability to address and anticipate the problem in the most vulnerable and scary times can provide patients optimal care in times of need.
The nursing field is set to grow at an above-average pace from 2019-2029, says The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The following comprehensive guide will entail you with quick tips for writing your best resume and practical skills to be practiced, which will help you outrank your competition and get your desired job.
Looking for Cover Letter ideas? See our sample for Nursing Cover Letter Templates
Let’s start by getting familiar with the three standard resume formats.
More Nursing Job Titles
- Cardiovascular Operating Room Nurse (Cvor)
- Clinical Nurse Manager
- Emergency Room Nurse
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Geriatric Nurse
- Hospice Nurse
- House Supervisor Nurse
- Interventional Radiology Nurse
- Labor And Delivery Nurse
- Legal Nurse Consultant
- Licensed Practical Nurse
- Medical Surgery Nurse
- Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse
- Nurse Midwife
- Nurse Practitioner
- Occupational Health Nurse
- Oncology Nurse
- Pediatric Nurse
- Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Perioperative Nurse
- Post Anesthesia Nurse
- Progressive Care Nurse
- RN Unit Manager
- Registered Nurse
- School Nurse
- Utilization Review Manager
Nursing Cover Letter Examples
- Certified Nursing Assistant Sample & Guideline Cover Letter
- LVN Cover Letter
- Professional C.N.A. Cover Letter
- Professional Caregiver Cover Letter
- Professional Charge Nurse Cover Letter
- Professional Licensed Vocational Nurse Sample & Guideline Cover Letter
- Professional Nursing Assistant Cover Letter
- Professional RN Case Manager Cover Letter
- Professional STNA Cover Letter
- Registered Nurse Manager Cover Letter
Current Trends Impacting Nursing Jobs
With the pandemic and an increase in the aging population retiring every year, nurses’ demand is rising. As a result, Registered Nurses, Nursing anesthetists, Nursing midwives, and Nurse practitioners who help with primary and technical healthcare services are in greater need than ever due to the shortage of nurses worldwide.
The rapid increase in connectivity across the world leads to the opportunity for licensed nurses with additional skills like multilingual capabilities, holistic health services, and many others., which is enormous in the coming years. According to the World Economic Forum, there is a massive demand for nurses globally, currently standing at 6 million. They call for creating 6 million nurses’ jobs by 2030, majorly in low and middle-income countries. Further, it states that the total number of nurse graduates needs to be amplified by 8% per year to address the shortage. Considering the high demand for nurses across the world, the employment opportunities seem to widen as the retiring population of the nursing field increase every year.
The rise in Telehealth technology seems to offer patient care through virtual networks. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 22.4% from 2021 to 2018. The worldwide adoption of telemedicine facilitates more straightforward access to patient care, new telehealth, and chatbot technologies. This expected increase in telemedicine demands nurses trained to educate the patients and provide patient care through virtual networks. Owing to this, the demand for nurses specialized with such traits will be high as compared ever to previous years.
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Average Salaries and Employment Outlook for Nursing Workers
Nursing assistants’ median salary varies from Nursing assistants on the lower side to Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) on the higher side. The U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics projects the growth outlook for nursing jobs to be higher than the industrial average. Nursing jobs vary according to the work setting, but most nursing jobs fall into the following categories.
Bedside Personal Care
Nursing care attendants, nursing aides, nursing attendants, home health aides, and personal care aides constitute most roles under personal bedside care. They assist the patients in their daily life activities, help with their transportation, and clean the treatment rooms. In addition, they provide primary care to disabled and chronically ill patients by performing duties including cleaning, grooming, and looking after their hygiene.
Job Outlook 2020–2028
Care Giver
Employment for caregivers is expected to grow by 34 percent, increasing to 1,159,500 jobs through 2029.
Nursing Assistant (non-certified)
Employment for non-certified nursing assistants is expected to grow by 0.5%. That amounts to an increase of 7,268 jobs.
Nursing Assistant (certified)
Employment for certified nursing assistants is expected to grow by 8 percent, increasing 119,500 jobs through 2029.
Source: Nursing assistants: Occupational Employment Statistics (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Source: Nursing assistants: Occupational Outlook Handbook (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Patient Treatment and Medical Interpretation
Registered nurses and nurse practitioners who fall under this category help observe the patient's condition and symptoms and record the observations to provide them with the necessary treatment. They are well skilled with operating medical equipment to perform diagnostic tests and analyzing the results to report to doctors and other healthcare professionals. They also educate the patient and their families regarding their health conditions and the necessary steps.
Job Outlook 2020–2029
Registered Nurse
Employment for registered nurses is expected to grow by 7 percent through 2029, amounting to an increase of 221,900 jobs.
Nurse Practioner
Employment for certified nurse practitioners is expected to grow by 28 percent through 2029 — an increase of 53,300 jobs through 2029
6 of the Top Soft Skills Needed for Nursing Jobs
It is essential to have technical skills and soft skills for a nurse to regularly interact with patients, their family members, and other healthcare workers. Whereas technical skills help with the treatment and medication, soft skills help with proper communication and maintaining professional etiquette. No matter the profession, soft skills are essential for workplace success, and nurses must apply them regularly during their work. Though most people have them, these skills can be practiced and mastered over time through repeated application.
We have highlighted the six most essential soft skills that are imperative for people with a nursing career. Incorporating at least three of the following skills in your resume will ensure grabbing your employer’s attention.
Proficiency in patient monitoring and health screening
Since there are many patients in the hospitals and other settings with severe illness which require regular monitoring by a nurse to keep the check on their health, monitoring patients facilitates early detection of the signs that seem to worsen and allows them to provide the proper care at the right time. Not just this, the patient monitoring also provides physiologic input data used to control directly connected life support devices. With the rapid increase in technologies, the trend of remote patient monitoring systems seems to increase as it reduces the number of hospitalizations, readmissions, and lengths of stay in hospitals.
Along with this, the nurses should conduct health screening of patients through tests, physical examination, and other procedures to identify individuals at sufficient risk of a specific disorder. Thus, you gain proficiency by pursuing a certification in Biometric Health Screening.Expertise in First Aid and CPR
Nurses are usually the first responders when an emergency takes place. The nature of the work of nurses makes it necessary for them to be conversant with the basic requirements of the nursing field, which are first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). First aid’s expertise helps the nurses preserve a person’s life, prevent further harm, and promote recovery. Along with this, they need to be aware of a life-saving technique called cardiopulmonary resuscitation during cardiac arrest. With their efficiency in providing rescue breaths, the nurses hold the ability to save lives in emergencies. To develop both abilities, you can undergo training in specific areas through online courses such as CPR training and First Aid training and work under expert health care personnel.Ability to organize medical records
Serving multiple patients with different health conditions and working under various doctors requires nurses to have excellent organizational skills. For example, a nurse must ensure that all the treatments are done according to the doctor’s schedule and prescribed to the corresponding patient without any error. Having good organizational skills helps the nurses in doing it through proper record keeping and focussed multitasking. To maintain the correct record with utmost security, the nurse can gain proficiency in any software such as OpenMRS, One Touch EMR, and Solismed. These electronic medical record software will allow easy storage of data of patients.Compassion and empathy for patients
Having compassion and empathy for the patients while working is one of the most important virtues a nurse should possess. It is vital to understand the patient's problems and provide them with proper aid and care, especially for the sick, injured, or disabled patients in one way or the other. It will also help in communicating with the family members of the patient during intense and stressful situations.Establishment of good communication with patients
Understanding a patient's concerns and communicating a patient's needs to the health professionals mandates a nurse to have good communication skills. A nurse with excellent communication skills can evaluate a patient's health conditions and share the information correctly with other healthcare workers promoting individualized care. This will help them in taking the appropriate course of action and explaining the instructions to the patients. Learning to communicate at the level of the listener by refraining from using complex terms is crucial for nurses. Also, you should be comfortable voicing your opinion even if you disagree with other healthcare workers, especially when it’s about patient care.Updated knowledge of medical equipment
As a nurse, you are responsible for conducting every related task of patients and conveying the pertaining information to professional doctors for the proper treatment. This requires you to have updated equipment such as intravenous lines, central lines, heart pumps, chest tubes, pulse oximeter monitors, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation equipment, blood pressure cuff, and many others. In addition to the knowledge of how to use these tools, you should be able to interpret their effectiveness and determine whether it’s delivering the correct result or not. Nurses can gain knowledge by referring to multiple manuals available on the internet for Medical Equipment Maintenance Manual.
Educational Requirements for Nursing Jobs
While most employees prefer having an associate degree for getting a nursing job, a nursing diploma that offers more practical experience is good enough to get an early career. But, most employers prefer hiring a nurse candidate with at least a Bachelor’s degree in nursing. Having a master’s in nursing will allow one to practice the nursing profession’s indirect aspects like mental health, critical care, etc. In addition, a doctorate in nursing will present an individual as an expert in the field and qualify for top administrative nursing positions. People with other degrees interested in pursuing a nursing career can also undertake a two-year second-degree program to become a nurse.
Ensure that certification is essential in nursing as it works as an official declaration of your education, skills, and knowledge in nursing. There are many certifications available for nurses with their specific specializations as it will work as evidence of their expertise in the related task. Additionally, any employer would appreciate credentials like Emergency Nurse Certification, Infection Prevention, Control Certificate, and Wound Care Certification. These are basic certifications applicable for any individual as it primarily consists of patient care skills.
After obtaining a nursing degree, the candidate must pass the state regulatory licensing board test for getting a job. Additionally, one can opt for getting certified in specific areas through the certification programs offered by organizations like American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
Nursing Resume Examples by Experience Level
When you start writing your resume, referring to an example of a nursing resume can help. While selecting a sample resume, recollect your past work experiences and work history and evaluate yourself with the ones required for the job you seek. This process will help determine the best resume format for crafting your resume, and you can select your sample resume accordingly.
Suppose you are a beginner with no prior work history. In that case, it’s better to go with a functional resume format to accentuate all your skills gained through your education and any volunteering work you did. A combinational resume format could be used for a person with some work experience but not extensive enough to be showcased. This format will help in listing out your acquired skills, along with your past work history. A chronological resume format is best if you have a rich and diverse work history. This format will help in showing your potential employer your experiences and capabilities in handling the job effectively.
You can make use of the following guidelines to choose the sample resume format for crafting your resume.
Certified Nursing Assistant
Intensive Care Unit Nurse
Nursing Assistant
3 Tips to Stand Out and Get the Job You Want
Prepare a work-relevant resume.
Always prepare a resume that showcases your skills and achievements related to the job you are applying for. Making a standard resume for all the employers related to your profession is a big mistake. Instead, utilize the proper format for your resume according to your skills and past work experience. Also, pay attention to the keywords mentioned in the job description. Make sure to include them in your resume by relating them to your past work experience or your skills. This will create an impression on your employer that you paid attention to the job requirements and help your resume clear the screening through the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). In addition, aligning your skills and experiences with the job requirements will create an interest for your potential employer in you.Use a cover letter to pitch yourself to your potential employer.
Once you've created a good resume, it's time you pitch your resume to your potential employer with a cover letter that will dramatically improve the chances of your resume getting noticed by your potential employer. While writing your cover letter, it is crucial to make sure that you address the person responsible for hiring you by their name and proper salutation. Show what you can offer to your employer and how they can benefit from hiring you. You can do this by highlighting your skills and relating them with the job requirements and quantifying your past achievements, and projecting them to match the employer's goals. Exhibit a growth mindset by showing your willingness to learn and apply the employer's betterment. Finally, conclude your letter with a professional closing salutation and an excellent call to action.Be completely prepared for the interview.
After you've pitched yourself to your potential employer, now you should be well prepared for the upcoming interview, and here's what you can do about it.
Analyze. Understand the job requirements and research about the employer, interview panel, common questions, and the nursing industry's latest trends. Employers expect their employees to have good knowledge about their organization, services, and work culture to require minimal effort to train them.
Know yourself. It would help if you were well prepared to answer the questions based on your skills and past experiences. For example, questions based on technical skills will help them understand your work capabilities, and questions on your soft skills will evaluate your personality. In addition, quantifying your achievements will increase your credibility and further your chances of succeeding in the interview.
Maintain proper etiquette. It is crucial to follow the proper dress code while attending the interview. Apart from that, following appropriate interview etiquette is a must. Make sure to be polite, enthusiastic, and attentive during the interview process. Ensure that you maintain eye contact while communicating and adhere to proper body language throughout the interview process.
FAQ
How do I make a nursing resume?
To make a nursing resume:
- Start with a summary statement highlighting your soft skills like patience, the capability to work under stress, compassion, etc.
- Highlight your best ten skills like record keeping, medicine administration, use of X-rays, MRI, and others in the skill section.
- Be specific with your job details and past experiences while mentioning them in your resume.
- Quantify your past work experiences by including points like the number of beds attended to; units worked on, health facilities worked, etc.
- Include the details regarding your education, state-level licensure, and nursing certifications in your resume. If you’re a nursing association member, include the corresponding particulars after mentioning your certificate details.
How do you get into the nursing industry?
Before deciding on how to get into the nursing industry, the work environment would you prefer. For example, while registered nurses work in hospitals and under doctors' assistance, nursing assistants work in nursing homes. Depending on your choice, obtain your nursing degree. After having received your nursing degree, increase your technical skillset by acquiring various certifications. Once that's done, appear for the state-level licensing exam in the state where you would like to work. After obtaining these, you're now ready to apply for a job as a nursing professional.
What is the nursing industry?
The nursing industry comprises different nursing professionals who take care of the sick, ailing, and disabled individuals with their medical needs. Nurses also play an essential role in educating the public about various health practices. Nurses work in different work settings like hospitals, nursing homes, providing home-based and office-based nursing services, etc.
What are some nursing careers?
Some nursing careers include Registered nurses who take care of patients in the hospital by providing them with treatment, monitoring their condition, and educating them on their health. Nursing midwives provide care and assistance to women during their reproductive phase from preconception to the postpartum period. Nursing practitioners have experienced registered nurses who provide medication to patients and diagnose their conditions.
Apart from these, specialized nurses like pain management nurses, intensive care unit nurses, nursing anesthetists, etc.
What is the highest nursing degree?
Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) is among the two highest nursing degrees apart from Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) that one can obtain within the nursing profession. A nurse with a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) is an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) whose job is administrative and acts as thought leaders in the nursing industry. In addition, they are responsible for managing other nurses and play an essential role in formulating state and national health policies.
While DNP focuses more on practical learning under the work setting and helps advance the leadership position, Ph.D. is research-focused. Its main objective is to engage in research or provide education to upcoming professionals.