Lead with credentials, specialty and recent clinical work
Place your professional title, license or registration status, and specialty near the top—for example registered nurse, ICU, emergency, med-surg, community or pediatric care. Include license jurisdiction and expiry only when the employer or local practice expects it, and list BLS, ACLS or other required certifications with dates.
Order experience by relevance. Recent acute-care roles usually belong above older or less related work. Student clinical rotations can support early-career applications when paid nursing experience is limited; label them clearly so they are not confused with employment.
Write patient-care bullets that show judgment and outcomes
Describe the unit, typical patient acuity and your responsibilities: assessments, medication administration, care planning, documentation, family communication and interdisciplinary handovers. Where you can share non-confidential measures, note improvements such as fewer delayed observations, smoother discharge preparation or mentoring of new staff.
Never invent numbers or disclose protected patient details. Prefer accurate scope language—what you owned versus what the team delivered. Soft skills matter in nursing, but they land better when tied to actions: de-escalating a distressed relative, coordinating a rapid response or educating patients on discharge instructions.
Match the vacancy and export a readable PDF
Mirror the posting’s specialty, electronic health record systems and shift requirements with evidence from your history. Group skills into clinical skills, systems and certifications so scanners and humans can parse them quickly. Avoid decorative layouts that bury license information.
Open Make.CV to draft your nurse CV with real-time preview, then download a free PDF without a watermark. Proofread drug names, unit abbreviations and dates, and confirm the exported text stays selectable for common ATS workflows.
Frequently asked questions
Should I list every clinical rotation?
Highlight rotations that match the specialty you are applying for and summarize older or less relevant ones. Depth on a few placements usually beats a long undifferentiated list.
Where do licenses and certifications go?
Put current licenses and required certifications high on the page or in a dedicated Credentials section so recruiters do not have to hunt for them.
Can I quantify nursing achievements?
Yes, when the figures are accurate and non-confidential—such as patient load ranges, training sessions delivered or process improvements. Never invent metrics or share identifiable patient information.