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Application Letter / Nurse
Application letter for a nursing job
By Alexander Phillip · Career Coach and Recruitment Expert · Updated October 2026
Quick answer
An application letter for a nursing job names the post and the ward or hospital, then shows your nursing qualification, your registration and practising licence, the wards you have worked on and the skills the advert asks for. Keep it to one page and attach your CV, certificates and licence. Applying for nurse training instead? See the training letter below.
- Registered nurse sample
- Nurse training letter
- Registration by country
What a hospital looks for in your letter
- Your nursing or midwifery qualification and the college
- Your registration and a valid practising licence (see the country table)
- The wards and departments you have worked in, and for how long
- Clinical skills the advert names: triage, maternity, theatre, HIV care, records
- Shift availability and any short courses, such as basic life support
Sample: registered nurse
Mercy Chileshe
P.O. Box 22015, Kitwe
+260 966 000 000 · mercy.chileshe@email.com
8 August 2026
The Nursing Officer In Charge,
Copperbelt Mission Hospital,
P.O. Box 7100, Ndola.
Dear Sir or Madam,
RE: APPLICATION FOR THE POST OF REGISTERED NURSE
I wish to apply for the post of registered nurse advertised on 1 August 2026. I hold a Diploma in Registered Nursing and I am registered with a valid practising licence.
For three years I have worked on a busy medical ward, where I admit patients, give medication, keep nursing records and lead the night shift team of three nurses. I also completed a basic life support course in 2025.
I have attached my CV, certificates and practising licence. I am available for an interview at your convenience.
Yours faithfully,
Mercy Chileshe
Sample: application letter for nurse training
For school leavers applying to a nurse training intake, a common search in Zimbabwe.
Tendai Moyo
12 Chitepo Street, Mutare
+263 772 000 000 · tendai.moyo@email.com
5 September 2026
The Principal Tutor,
School of Nursing,
Mutare Provincial Hospital, Mutare.
Dear Sir or Madam,
RE: APPLICATION FOR GENERAL NURSE TRAINING
I wish to apply for a place on your general nurse training programme in the current intake. I passed my O Level examinations, including English Language, Mathematics and Combined Science.
I have wanted to nurse since I cared for my grandmother through a long illness, and for the past year I have volunteered at our local clinic, helping with patient registration and health talks.
I have attached certified copies of my results, my birth certificate and national ID. Thank you for considering my application.
Yours faithfully,
Tendai Moyo
Registration and requirements by country
| Country | What to know (as of 2026) |
|---|---|
| Kenya | Nurses need registration and a valid practising licence from the Nursing Council of Kenya, renewed every three years. |
| Uganda | Nurses and midwives need a licence from the Uganda Nurses and Midwives Council, renewed every three years. |
| Zambia | Ministry of Health nursing posts ask for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Zambia, a practising licence and certified Grade 12 results. |
| Zimbabwe (training) | Ministry of Health and Child Care nurse training intakes have asked for five O Levels at grade C or better, including English and a science, and an age between 18 and 30. Check the current intake notice: requirements change per intake. |
Frequently asked questions
How do I write an application letter for a nursing job?
Name the post and the hospital, then give your nursing qualification, your registration and licence, the wards you have worked on and the skills the advert asks for. Keep it to one page and attach your CV, certificates and licence.
How do I write an application letter for nursing training?
Name the programme and intake, list the results that meet the entry requirements, and explain in two or three sentences why you want to nurse, with any caring or clinic experience. Attach the documents the intake notice asks for.
Should I mention my practising licence in my letter?
Yes. Employers check registration first, so say you hold a valid practising licence and attach a copy.
How do I write a CV for a nursing job?
Our nurse CV guide covers the format, the clinical skills to list and how to show ward experience. Your letter and CV should give the same registration details.
Send your letter with a nursing CV
Show your registration, wards and clinical skills in a clean CV built on your phone. Free to build and preview.