Resume examples / Registered nurse resume
Registered nurse resume example
By Alexander Phillip · Career Coach and Recruitment Expert · Updated November 2026
Quick answer
A registered nurse resume puts your RN license, unit and patient load where a recruiter sees them first: a two-line summary with your specialty and years, your license and certifications (BLS, ACLS), then each nursing job with the unit, the patient ratio and three to five clinical bullet points. One page unless you have more than about seven years.
- One page, US Letter
- Fictional example to adapt
- Philadelphia template
Registered nurse resume example
Here is the full registered nurse resume example from the picture above, as text: Emily Carter is a fictional registered nurse, and the Philadelphia template lays it out on one US Letter page.
Emily Carter
Registered Nurse, Med-Surg and Telemetry
Columbus, OH · (614) 555-0123 · emily.carter@example.com · linkedin.com/in/emilycarterrn
Summary
Registered nurse with six years of acute care experience on medical-surgical and telemetry units, caring for five to six patients a shift. Strong in patient education, cardiac monitoring and safe discharges. Ohio RN license, BLS and ACLS. Looking for a telemetry or step-down role in a teaching hospital.
Experience
Registered Nurse, Telemetry Unit, Riverside Valley Hospital
Columbus, OH · March 2022 to present
- Care for five to six telemetry patients a shift on a 32-bed unit, including post-cardiac catheterization patients
- Read cardiac rhythms, escalate changes to the provider and the rapid response team, and document in Epic
- Teach patients and families about new heart medications and warning signs before discharge
- Precept new graduate nurses through their 12-week orientation
Registered Nurse, Medical-Surgical Unit, Franklin County Community Hospital
Columbus, OH · June 2020 to February 2022
- Cared for up to six adult medical and post-operative patients on day and night shifts
- Managed wound care, IV therapy and pain plans, and reassessed patients after every intervention
- Joined the unit falls committee and helped roll out hourly rounding
Education
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), The Ohio State University, May 2020
Certifications and licenses
- Registered Nurse License, Ohio Board of Nursing
- Basic Life Support (BLS), American Heart Association
- Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), American Heart Association
Skills
Telemetry monitoring · Patient education · IV therapy · Wound care · Epic EHR · Medication administration · Discharge planning · Precepting
Registered nurse resume bullet points: instead of, write
| Instead of | Write |
|---|---|
| Responsible for patient care | Care for five to six telemetry patients a shift on a 32-bed unit |
| Good communication skills | Teach patients and families about new heart medications before discharge |
| Helped new staff | Precept new graduate nurses through their 12-week orientation |
| Worked on a busy floor | Cared for up to six adult medical and post-operative patients on day and night shifts |
What a US registered nurse resume needs
- Your RN license with the state, plus "multistate (NLC)" if you hold a compact license; leave the license number off unless the posting asks
- BLS is expected everywhere; add ACLS, PALS, NIHSS or a specialty certification (CCRN, CEN, PCCN) when you hold it
- The unit and its type for every job (telemetry, ICU, ED, med-surg), the bed count and your usual patient ratio
- The EHR you used (Epic, Cerner/Oracle Health, Meditech): many postings filter on it
- One page for most nurses; two pages once you have more than about seven years or several specialties
- No photo, date of birth or references, as on every US resume
Registered nurse pay and job outlook
The median annual wage for registered nurses was $97,550 in May 2025. Employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations. Both figures are from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook. Pay varies by state, employer and shift, so check postings near you.
Build your registered nurse resume on your phone
Start from the Philadelphia template or any other, write each section with help on the wording, and see your resume on US Letter as you type. Preview it free and pay once to download the PDF and a Word copy. No subscription.
Frequently asked questions
What should a registered nurse resume include?
A registered nurse resume should include your RN license and state, BLS and any advanced certifications, a short summary with your specialty and years, and each nursing job with the unit, patient ratio and three to five clinical bullet points.
Should I put my nursing license number on my resume?
No. List the license type and state, such as "Registered Nurse, Ohio Board of Nursing". Employers verify the number themselves through the state board or Nursys, so leave it off unless the application asks for it.
How long should a nursing resume be?
One page for most nurses. Two pages are fine once you have more than about seven years of experience or several specialties to show; never pad a resume to reach a second page.
What skills should a nurse put on a resume?
Put the clinical skills the posting names and you can prove, such as telemetry monitoring, IV therapy, wound care or patient education, plus the EHR you used. Soft skills belong in your bullet points, shown through what you did.
Write your own registered nurse resume, not a copy
Use the example for the order and the kind of lines that work, then build yours with your real jobs and dates. Preview it free; pay once to download.