Registered nurses (RN) are a profession in very high demand. In addition to a hiring rush during COVID-19, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts a 12 percent growth in demand for RNs through 2028.
Nursing is a tough enough profession in its own right. So, don’t be discouraged if you’re struggling to draft your nurse cover letter or write a resume that puts your best foot forward.
We’re here to help with nine great RN resume samples that guarantee success in the challenging world in 2025. It doesn’t matter if this is your first job out of nursing school or if you’re a seasoned vet; these resumes are a great starting place when writing or updating your own.
Why this resume works
- There is a lot of debate about whether to include a resume objective on your RN resume. It’s the two sentences that sit beside or below your name. Only consider including one on your RN resume if any of the following are true:
- You’re undergoing a career change,
- You just finished nursing school and this is your first RN job, or
- You’re going to customize it to the nursing job description.
- If none of those are relevant to you, skip the objective!
- RN licenses are state-specific, so be sure you include what state(s) you’re certified in.
- Two other relatively common requirements for RN positions (though certainly not all positions) are Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and Basic Life Support (BLS). Explicitly mention those in your resume if you have them.
Why this resume works
- The success of your RN BSN resume starts with the template you choose. Be sure to settle on an eye-catching format.
- Next, delve into outstanding performances like streamlining shifts and reducing scheduling conflicts. Also, adding measurable impact further elevates your suitability.
Why this resume works
- A lot of new grads have expressed uncertainty around whether to include a hobbies and interests (or “Activities,” in this case) section on their resume.
- If the activities are related to healthcare or show you in a professional, positive light and you need some help filling out your new grad RN resume, then include one or two.
- Color is one way to show some personality on your resume while still portraying professionalism. Try a strong accent color while keeping the color basic everywhere else, as seen in many of our resume examples.
- A lot of tiny mistakes can add up to leave a poor impression. The most common silly mistake we see is inconsistent use of punctuation. Either end all of your bullet points in a period or none of them. Don’t mix and match.
- P.S. You can catch this mistake easily when you take advantage of our resume builder and its AI-powered tips.
Why this resume works
- As you gain more and more experience as an RN, try your best to show a progression in responsibility and ownership on your experienced RN resume.
- With years of experience comes the conundrum of trying to fit your resume onto one page.
- Here’s the trick: Keep a master copy of every job and a working list of job description bullet points for each. Then, pull from this master list and customize it according to the specific role for which you’re applying now.
- Two other quick things you can do to fit more content are to reduce vertical spacing and reduce page margins, which is a simple click of a button in our AI resume maker.
- RNs with experience have exactly that: experience. So if you’ve had jobs in widely different areas of healthcare (like in this resume, which went home health to hospice) then don’t be afraid to lean into this and show that you thrive in different environments.
- Hit the highlights in your resume, but you can delve further into these details when creating a cover letter.
Why this resume works
- For an attention-grabbing NICU RN resume that will prove you’ve got what it takes to ace it in the open role, you’ve got to strut your best attributes from the get-go. One effective strategy? Put your job-relevant certifications and licenses in the limelight.
- Nestled in the sidebar, credentials like your RN License and an RNC-NIC certification say you’ve armed yourself with the foundational knowledge necessary for the job and are committed to excelling beyond the basic requirements. After all, wouldn’t you be stoked to have a go-getter join your team? Sure, you would!
Why this resume works
- Let’s set the record straight—success as the new L&D RN in your dream health facility rides on prior experience. Even recruiters know that! Our point? A labor and delivery RN resume that doesn’t let your feats in a similar role slip through the cracks could be your get-out-of-jail-free card.
- Orson, for instance, doesn’t shy away from bragging about how they used GE Voluson E10 to perform 280+ advanced fetal imaging procedures with a 98% accuracy rate in detecting anomalies and provided critical insights into fetal health and development.
Why this resume works
- Being a nurse is a demanding job. If you wish to get noticed with your PACU RN resume, you’ve gotta showcase those qualifications and dedication to the HR team.
- Take inspiration from Sandra’s resume and ensure you highlight your Registered Nurse (RN) certification alongside your degree. Next, demonstrate work experiences like “cutting down postoperative complications by 26%” and “slashing readmission rates by 17%” to underscore your commitment to the role.
Why this resume works
- Using bullet points instead of paragraphs is a great way to make your achievements more visible and readable. Want to take it even further? Highlight it.
- Instead of drowning recruiters in a sea of text, cherry-pick the most impactful work experience and hit ‘em with that bold, italics, and underline. It’s going to make your ER RN resume easier to skim through and push your most impressive achievements to the center.
Why this resume works
- Minor errors in healthcare can be the difference between life and death. Therefore, your attention to details is vital, and you can use that to strengthen your travel RN resume.
- Mentioning and quantifying outcomes possible through your keen eye and observation (hint: cut documentation errors by 28%) is a great way to make this attribute count.
Why this resume works
- In your med surg RN resume, pay attention to your resume skills, which is a critical section. You don’t want to create a long and unrealistic laundry list, but you do want to pass through automated Applicant Tracking Software (ATS), which is looking for specific keywords. Try to keep it between 5-10 skills.
- Pay attention to the skills, qualifications, and responsibilities listed in the job description to gain ideas on what you should include in your skills section.
- RNs can work in a ton of different areas in medicine. If you’re applying to a specific job (like Med/Surg Nurse) and you have experience in that area, be sure to match your job title to that of the job description.
- White space is a commonly overlooked factor in resume design, and if it’s a concern for you, try simplifying the process by picking one of our free resume templates.
Why this resume works
- When discussing your past work experience, demonstrate what an impact you made. An effective way to accomplish this is by starting each bullet point with a strong action word (“Established,” “Evaluated,” “Communicated,” etc.)
- Check your resume to ensure you’re using action verbs that propel your bullet points forward and keep hiring personnel engaged.
- Another way to demonstrate impact is by quantifying it, that is, tying the outcome of your work to a number. By linking a number to your claims, proof of impact becomes clear.
- Ultimately, nursing is a profession involving people. So if you can show that you’re comfortable with the human aspects of the job (patient care, plans of care, family interactions, etc.), speak as much as possible concerning that experience in your ICU RN resume.
