How to Check the Pulse on Your Entry-Level Nurse Resume

By Monster Contributor

Stepping out into the job market after years of dedicated study is an exciting time. To be considered for nurse jobs, you need to use your clinicals, internships, and school classes to build a powerful entry-level nurse resume. Follow all our tips to succeed.

1. Include a Headline

After your name and contact information, start strong with a compelling headline that grabs employers’ attention. Highlight which specialization you’re looking to work towards or have experience. For example:

  • Newly Qualified RN Seeking Psychiatric Nursing Position
  • Passionate New RN Dedicated to Deliver Compassionate Pediatric Care

Alternatively, you can also quantify your relevant experience and eagerness to contribute to a certain healthcare team, such as:

  • RN with 600 Hours of Clinical Placement Experience in Pediatrics Eager to Excel in a Dedicated Team

This presents your professional brand and helps recruiters visualize you already in the role.

2. Write a Compelling Professional Summary

Write a compelling entry-level nurse resume summary to introduce yourself. This short paragraph, placed below your RN headline, presents to recruiters:

  • your career path to this point
  • where your expertise lies
  • which clinical skills you’ve acquired
  • what personal characteristics help you excel in nursing

3. Prepare a Well-Organized Experience Section

The way you present your experience matters. As in the rest of your resume, make sure this section is easy to read and scan through. Here is a good structure to help you present your nursing experience effectively:

  • name of the institution you worked
  • how long you worked or were placed there
  • the job title you covered
  • a couple of lines to briefly describe your responsibilities
  • bullet points to highlight your achievements there

Make sure that your bullet points contain metrics to clearly showcase the value you brought to the job or while in nursing school. Here are a few KPIs for RNs you could use:

  • clinical hours completed
  • patient interactions
  • vital sign monitoring
  • team collaboration
  • continuing education and certifications attained
  • patient satisfaction scores

4. Tailor Your Resume

To stand out in your field, take the time to adapt your resume to each job posting you apply for. This means thoroughly reviewing the job description to identify the key skills, qualifications, and certifications necessary for the job, and including them clearly in your resume.

For example, in many job openings for RNs you’ll find the following keywords:

  • patient assessment
  • medication administration
  • care planning
  • collaboration
  • critical thinking
  • ACLS
  • PALS
  • electronic health records (EHR)
  • disease management

Take a look at our example of an entry-level nurse resume great for starting out in the field.

Entry-Level Nurse Resume Sample

DOROTHEA DIX

Hampden, MN 55031 | (555) 555-5555 | name@mail.com | linkedin.com/dorothea.dix

BSN, RN: Experienced in Psychiatric Nursing

Dedicated Registered Nurse (RN) with strong psychiatric-evaluation and treatment-planning skills developed through RN role at Maine Department of Corrections. Knowledge of psychotropic medication administration, management, and training. Reliable, ethical healthcare provider with the ability to stay calm and intervene during crises, facilitate groups, and collaborate on multidisciplinary teams. Proven ability to build positive relationships with patients, family members, physicians, and other medical professionals.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Department of Corrections One, Hampden (MN), XX/20XX to Present

Nurse Intern

Completed internship at a hospital within a maximum-security correctional facility housing 3,500 inmates. Assigned to the mental health crisis unit and play a key role on interdisciplinary team of psychiatrists, RNs, social workers, and corrections officers.

  • Helped refine unit policies and procedures in the areas of suicide-watch procedures, safety methods, discharge planning and documentation.
  • Responded to volatile situations and violent outbreaks within an average of 3 minutes, exceeding departmental standards of 5 minutes, earning the respect of team members for levelheaded and quick thinking to restore the safety and security of patients, staff and inmates.
  • Completed comprehensive training in management of assaultive behaviors and psychotropic-medication administration.

Hospital One, Hampden (MN), XX/20XX to XX/20XX

Student Nurse | Clinical Rotations

Worked under the supervision of an RN providing bedside care, treatment and clinical documentation for patients on cardiac, oncology and medical-surgical floors.

  • Treated an average of 16 patients daily, double the average student caseload.
  • Achieved an average patient satisfaction score of 94%, surpassing the departmental target of 90%.
  • Acquired proficiency in specialized procedures such as cryotherapy and trigger-point injections.
  • Conducted in-service training on ethical considerations in elderly atrial fibrillation treatment, showcasing dedication to ongoing professional development.
  • Earned a reputation for nursing excellence, as evidenced by supervisor’s comments: “Marcy’s clinical skills are impressive…she would be an asset to any nursing team.”

Hospital Two, Psychiatric Unit, Hampden (MN), XX/20XX to XX/20XX

Nurse Practicum | 150 hours

Completed RN-supervised practicum providing nursing care to patients with both acute and chronic mental health issues.

  • Conducted regular assessments to monitor progress and adjust treatment plans accordingly, contributing to improved patient outcomes and overall well-being.
  • Facilitated effective and interdisciplinary collaboration, resulting in a 20$ reduction in medical errors.

EDUCATION

College One, Portland (MN)

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)

Course Highlights:

Healthcare Delivery Models, Nursing Health Assessment, Clinical and Chemical Therapeutics, Biophysical Pathology, Psychosocial Pathology, Human Anatomy and Physiology, Statistics, Nursing Research

Registered Nurse, State of Maine

Job Outlook for RNs

As an RN, you have great employment prospects ahead of you. Demographics are changing and many RNs are retiring. This means that the need for professionals like you will grow at a steady 6% over the next years. Around 193,100 roles will be available each year, giving you plenty of possibilities to secure a position.

Don’t let these opportunities pass you by and start preparing your entry-level nurse resume today. When ready, you could submit it to the workplaces with the highest levels of employment for RNs, including:

  • general medical and surgical hospitals
  • offices of physicians
  • home health care services
  • outpatient care centers
  • nursing care facilities

Other options are schools, public health clinics, camps, private home care, courts of law or places of worship.

RN Salaries

Registered nurses make between $22.78 and $47.87 per hour on average, so around $47,382 to $99,569 per year. As an entry-level professional, you might have to start from the lower end of the range, as experience on the job impacts your earning potential. However, the organization you work for, your location and the local job demand also play an important role.

For instance, RNs earn the most on average, when operating in the following industries:

  • wholesale trade agents and brokers: $112,480 per year
  • pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing: $110,270 per year
  • nonscheduled air transportation: $109,160 per year
  • employment services: $109,050 per year
  • merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods: $107,360 per year

Your salary will also be the highest nominally per year in these states:

Ready to start searching for entry-level RN jobs? Start in these cities that have a ton of job openings for new nurses:

Want to know what you’ll make in your city or specialty? You can search for your exact job title and location in Monster’s Salary Tools to find a more accurate salary range for you.

Get Your Entry-Level Nurse Resume Checked Out

Make sure your resume is showing promising vital signs in the healthy job market. For help, reach out to Monster's Resume Writing Service. We’ll review your entry-level nurse resume to make sure you it’s easy to read and has the best-targeted keywords, and strong examples of your achievements.