New Grad Nurse Resume: Examples & Templates for 2024

New grad nurse resume text example

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Lisa Nelson

Joliet, IL 60435 | 555-555-5555 | example@example.com

Career Objective

Driven and dedicated nursing master’s graduate seeking a registered nurse position to apply advanced knowledge and skills in delivering exceptional patient care. Committed to utilizing evidence-based practices, critical thinking abilities and leadership qualities to contribute to a dynamic health care team. Will provide comprehensive and compassionate care that promotes positive patient outcomes by applying a solid foundation in nursing theory and research and leveraging hands-on experience.

Work Experience

Medical-surgical Nurse
Ascension Saint Joseph
Joliet, IL | August 2018 – Current

• Care for a diverse caseload of medical-surgical patients, demonstrating competence in providing comprehensive assessments, developing care plans and implementing evidence-based nursing interventions.
• Administer medications, manage IV therapy and monitor patients’ vital signs, ensuring accurate and timely documentation.
• Collaborate with the health care team to ensure adequate care coordination, resulting in a 15% reduction in patient readmissions.

Staff Nurse
Ascension Saint Joseph
Joliet, IL | February 2015 – August 2018

• Monitored patient’s vitals post-surgery, managed medical equipment and administered medications and IVs.
• Coordinated care with physicians and other clinical staff to prepare for treatment, carry out interventions and enhance continuum of care.
• Recorded over 20 weekly patients’ medical history, vital statistics and test results in electronic medical records.

Nursing Student
St. Francis Campus Health Center
Joliet, IL | February 2013 – February 2015

• Participated in clinical rotations at health care facilities, such as hospitals, clinics and long-term care facilities.
• Observed and assisted registered nurses and health care professionals in providing direct patient care.
• Learned and demonstrated proper techniques for procedures such as injections, wound care, IV therapy and catheterization.

Skills

• Creative problem-solving
• Medical supply management
• Medication administration
• Medical procedure preparation
• Proficient in electronic medical records (EMR) systems and documentation
• Patient monitoring
• Medical screening
• Treatment preparation

Education

Master of Science Nursing
University of St. Francis
Joliet, IL
Graduated: June 2024

Bachelor’s in Nursing (BSN) Nursing
University of St. Francis
Joliet, IL

Choose an appropriate format for your new grad nurse resume

As a newly minted nursing graduate ready to embark on your professional journey, it’s crucial to present yourself to potential employers effectively. The first step? Picking the right resume format.

The widely used chronological resume, which focuses on work history and career growth, might not be the best fit for you right now.

But don’t worry! For fresh graduates like yourself with limited professional experience, other formats work in your favor.

Pick a template

Create your resume

As a new nursing graduate, crafting a competitive resume is a significant step toward launching your professional career.

While all resume templates may seem similar initially, each offering standard sections like your professional summary, skills, educational background and work experience, they vary substantially in style. Picking one that complements your new nursing career is essential.

Given that nursing falls under the health care domain, a safe bet would be to opt for a straightforward, clean resume template. These simple resume templates focus on conveying information in a clear and efficient manner, which is particularly valuable in the medical field.

However, remember that while you’re a fresh graduate, your resume design should be professional and practical rather than an overly modern template.

You can conveniently download our resume templates for Word, or if you’re a Google Doc user, our Google Doc resume templates.

Remember, we’re here to support you in creating the perfect resume that sets you on the path to success in your nursing career.

How to write a new grad nurse resume in 5 simple steps

Even when demand for nurses is high, new nursing graduates like yourself may still find themselves in a competitive landscape, vying for sought-after entry-level roles or internships.

So how can you distinguish yourself from other candidates? The answer lies in creating a personalized resume for each application. Here’s how you can do just that.

Crafting an effective resume for new nursing graduates involves tailoring it specifically for each position.

This requires you to carefully examine job postings — the goal is to understand what potential employers want. Which particular skills or attributes are they emphasizing in the job description? What are the explicit requirements? Each one of their criteria is a keyword to integrate into your resume if you have what they’re asking for.

As a new nursing graduate, you will likely gain a competitive advantage if you thoughtfully integrate these keywords into your resume by underlining the relevant courses, clinical experiences or specific patient-care abilities that illustrate you have what they’re after.

The closer your nursing education aligns with the employer’s requirements, the higher your chances of getting invited to an interview.

The introduction of your resume carries significant weight. After all, it’s your first opportunity to make a good impression. There are two forms of introductions, each catering to different stages of your career.

A resume objective is ideal for new nursing graduates or those with limited experience. This approach emphasizes your career goals and transferable skills. It focuses on what you aim to accomplish in your career and how your current abilities will help you achieve that.

However, once you have a couple of jobs in your rearview mirror, a professional summary becomes more fitting. Summaries underline your skills and experiences, giving you a platform to highlight your most prominent achievements.

In either case, don’t forget to include your credentials. These can range from licenses and certifications to special training you’ve undergone. Credentials provide concrete proof of your competence and dedication to your profession.

Here are some robust examples for your new graduate nurse resume:

Whether you’re launching your professional journey as a new nursing graduate or hunting for an internship, skills are the heartbeat of your resume.

Though every resume features a dedicated skills section, skills actually permeate the entire document, echoing from your resume objective (or professional summary) to your clinical experiences and education section.

Aim for a healthy balance between hard and soft skills when showcasing your skill set. Hard skills, like the body’s anatomy, form the structural base — these are the technical, measurable abilities you’ve sharpened in the classroom or during clinical rotations.

Soft skills, however, are akin to the blood flow that keeps the body functional. They may not be as easy to quantify, but these personality traits make you a joy to work with, bringing warmth to the professional environment and comfort to your patients. Hard skills and soft skills coexist in harmony.

Hard and soft skills for a new grad nurse resume

Every recent nursing grad brings unique academic experiences to their resume, but you know what unifies them all? A robust clinical experience section.

This section displays your hands-on nursing practice, demonstrating your ability to apply theoretical knowledge from coursework, contribute to a health care team and positively influence patient outcomes.

Here’s an exemplary entry for a recent graduate’s clinical experience:

How to list your new grad nurse education:

Optional sections for your new grad nurse resume

Accolades and professional achievements

For new nursing graduates, adding honors and awards to your resume can significantly elevate your professional profile. This distinguishes you from the crowd and showcases your dedication and passion for nursing.

Whether these accolades are academic honors or certifications, they reflect your exceptional performance and competency in nursing. Mentioning these will improve your chances of landing a coveted entry-level nursing position.

Adding accolades and achievements on your new grad nurse resume:

Capstone projects and nursing internships

As a new nursing graduate, your practical experiences are crucial in demonstrating your readiness to transition from the classroom to the clinical setting. Highlighting significant capstone projects, internships or clinical rotations showcases your applied skills and nursing competence.

Detailing these projects can demonstrate your diverse capabilities, ranging from decision-making to collaboration. It also emphasizes your goal orientation — a quality highly appreciated in health care settings.

Adding projects and internships on your new grad nurse resume:

Language proficiencies

Knowing multiple languages is a strong asset for new nursing graduates. Multilingual skills reflect cognitive flexibility, determination and cultural competence, which can help you communicate with a diverse patient population.

Additionally, these skills could provide opportunities in multicultural or international health care environments. Multilingual abilities can be a huge advantage over candidates who otherwise have similar qualifications.

Adding languages on your new grad nurse resume:

Extracurricular activities

Your resume as a new nursing graduate should also reflect your persona beyond the academic realm. Including pertinent hobbies or interests makes you more appealing, particularly when they resonate with your desired nursing role.

Why include personal pursuits? They help prospective employers gauge your cultural fit within their organization. These interests depict you as well-rounded, setting you apart from other applicants.

Adding interests and hobbies on your new grad nurse resume:

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Boost your chances with a cover letter

Create your cover letter

As a newly graduated nurse entering the job market, you probably know that while opportunities abound, the competition is also fierce. Distinguishing yourself from the crowd is crucial. One effective way to do this is through a compelling cover letter.

As a new graduate, a well-crafted cover letter is especially important as it provides you the opportunity to:

• Highlight additional skills or significant projects that didn’t fit into your resume.
• Explain potential concerns on your resume, such as a lack of work experience or gaps in employment.
• Showcase your unique personality and demonstrate how your values align with the health care facility’s mission and culture.
• Express your willingness to relocate or work in specific health care settings if needed.

If writing a cover letter seems daunting — you’re not alone! It’s worth exploring cover letter examples to understand what to include in an impactful cover letter and follow cover letter formatting guidelines to ensure your document maintains a professional appearance.

Short on time or unsure where to start? Consider using a Cover Letter Builder. This tool generates tailored text based on your background and experiences, helping you overcome the intimidation of a blank page. With a powerful cover letter in hand, you’ll be better positioned to secure the nursing position you aspire to.

Key takeaways for your new grad nurse resume