New Grad RN Resume Examples & Writing Tips

New grad RN resume template

Use this template to format your resume so it highlights your recent qualifications and natural patient care skills.

How to write a new grad registered nurse resume

Landing a job as a new grad registered nurse isn’t easy. The healthcare industry has strict hiring standards because of the importance of high-quality, comprehensive care to patient wellbeing and recovery.

While the outlook for RN roles is positive (the occupation is among the fastest growing jobs in the US), competition for vacancies is often intense, so it’s important to make your resume stand out.

Also, remember to add nursing internships and resident experiences to your resume to demonstrate your competencies more clearly.

Want to learn how to write an excellent nursing resume? Watch this video to understand what the resume writing process for nurses is like:

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Our Expert:

Chloe Chioy

To build on this video’s advice, here are three tips to help you put together a strong new grad registered nurse resume:

1. Highlight your new grad RN resume skills and specializations

Hiring managers in the healthcare sector look for specific educational backgrounds, certifications, and nursing skills in their ideal candidates.

Writing a strong skills section is essential towards landing your desired job because it shows employers what you can do for them, the hospital, and your patients.

Below are some of the most coveted skills and qualifications you can list on your registered nurse resume as a new grad:

• Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
• Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (A-GNP)
• AIDS Certified Registered Nurse (ACRN)
• Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN)
• Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN)
• Diagnostic studies
• Assisting and caring for patients
• Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP)
• Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)
• Medical software (Epic Systems, Medical condition coding software, MEDITECH software, Healthcare common procedure coding system)
• Data entry software
• Chronic illness management
• Preventive care strategies
• Assisting in medical procedures
• Geriatrics
• Electronic health records
• Proficiency in foreign language(s)
• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

2. Write a thorough education section

The education section of a new grad RN’s resume will look a bit different than on a standard resume. Your specializations and related coursework need to be placed front and center to prove you’re qualified for the specific nursing role you’re applying for.

The three most important details in a new grad RN’s education section are:

1. education
2. relevant coursework
3. licenses and certifications

When describing your education, include your university’s name, the year you graduated, your cumulative GPA, and academic affiliations to give hiring managers a better idea of your relevant nursing background.

Then outline any coursework relevant to the position you’re applying for. Coursework for a maternity ward and that of the geriatrics ward will differ significantly, so make sure you make it clear where you’ve accumulated experience.

Your licenses and certifications are crucial because organizations can only employ nursing professionals with valid licenses and certifications. To list certifications on your resume, write out the following details:

• name of the certification
• name of the organization that awarded it
• certification expiry date
• license number (if applicable)

Here are some additional courses or supplementary certifications relevant to a registered nurse position you can list on your new grad RN resume: CPR/First Aid, Caring for Seniors, Disability Care Course.

Finally, here’s an example of what this all looks like on paper:

UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX, Phoenix, AZ

Bachelor of Science in Nursing, December 2020, Honors: cum laude (GPA: 3.8/4.0)

•  Registered Nurse – National Certification Corporation (NCC): California License # 1234567 – Expiry: August 20XX

•  Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (BLS) – American Heart Association – Expiry: November 20XX

•  Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) – American Heart Association – Expiry: November 20XX

•  Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) – American Heart Association – Expiry: November 20XX

3. Emphasize your soft skills

RN work requires regular communication with patients and their families, doctors, and other medical professionals.

You’re expected to remain calm under pressure and to demonstrate empathy towards people often going through emotional and physical distress.

Here is a list of soft skills that show you have the disposition for a registered nurse job:

• Time management skills
• Confidentiality
• Conflict management
• Calmness
• Strategic thinking
• Multi-tasking
• Teamwork
• Effective communication
• Empathy
• Arm-hand steadiness

Average new grad registered nurse salaries in the US

After you’ve written your resume, make sure you use it to apply for jobs within a fair salary range.

The following table includes information from the most recent US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report (May 2024). Here are the ten states with the highest salaries for new grad RNs, as well as the national average for your reference when applying for work.