Crafting a CV that effectively highlights your clinical skills and compassionate care approach is a common challenge for staff nurses seeking new opportunities. Our guide offers clear, step-by-step advice and examples tailored to nursing professionals, ensuring your CV captures your unique qualifications and experiences to stand out to potential employers.
- Applying the simplest CV design, so that recruiters can easily understand your expertise, skills, and professional background;
- Ensuring you stand out with your header, summary or objective statement, and a designated skills section;
- Creating your CV experience section - no matter how much expertise you have;
- Using real life professional CV examples to enhance the structure and outline of your profile.
If you still have no muse to write your professional CV, find some more industry-leading examples.
Structuring and formatting your staff nurse CV for an excellent first impression
The experts' best advice regarding your CV format is to keep it simple and concise. Recruiters assessing your CV are foremost looking out for candidates who match their ideal job profile. Your white space, borders, and margins. You may still be wondering which format you need to export your CV in. We recommend using the PDF one, as, upon being uploaded, it never alters your information or CV design. Before we move on to the actual content of your staff nurse CV, we'd like to remind you about the Applicant Tracker System (or the ATS). The ATS is a software that is sometimes used to initially assess your profile. Here's what you need to keep in mind about the ATS:- All serif and sans-serif fonts (e.g. Rubik, Volkhov, Exo 2 etc.) are ATS-friendly;
- Many candidates invest in Arial and Times New Roman, so avoid these fonts if you want your application to stand out;
- Both single and double column CVs can be read by the ATS, so it's entirely up to you to select your CV design.
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For certain fields, consider including infographics or visual elements to represent skills or achievements, but ensure they are simple, professional, and enhance rather than clutter the information.
The top sections on a staff nurse CV
- Professional Nursing Registration details why it confirms the nurse's legal ability to practice.
- Work Experience in Nursing highlights the practical experience and specialities.
- Nursing Qualifications show the educational background and specific training.
- Key Nursing Skills demonstrate the nurse's competencies and areas of expertise.
- Clinical Placements outline hands-on experience gained during training.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Highlight your clinical skills and specific areas of expertise such as paediatric care or operating theatre experience to show where your strengths lie within nursing.
- Focus on any specialised training or certifications you have, such as Advanced Life Support or wound care courses, to demonstrate your commitment to professional development.
- Detail your experiences with electronic health records and any specific healthcare software you are proficient in, as technological competence is essential for modern nursing roles.
- Under your employment history, include examples of high-pressure situations you’ve navigated successfully, showcasing your ability to provide quality care under stress.
- Emphasise any leadership roles or mentorship experiences to illustrate your potential for supervisory positions and your contribution to team and staff development.
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How to present your contact details and job keywords in your staff nurse CV header
Located at the top of your staff nurse CV, the header presents recruiters with your key personal information, headline, and professional photo. When creating your CV header, include your:
- Contact details - avoid listing your work email or telephone number and, also, email addresses that sound unprofessional (e.g. koolKittyCat$3@gmail.com is definitely a big no);
- Headline - it should be relevant, concise, and specific to the role you're applying for, integrating keywords and action verbs;
- Photo - instead of including a photograph from your family reunion, select one that shows you in a more professional light. It's also good to note that in some countries (e.g. the UK and US), it's best to avoid photos on your CV as they may serve as bias.
What do other industry professionals include in their CV header? Make sure to check out the next bit of your guide to see real-life examples:
Examples of good CV headlines for staff nurse:
- Senior Staff Nurse | Critical Care Specialist | BSc Nursing | 8+ Years Experience | Mentorship & Leadership
- Registered Staff Nurse | Paediatric Expertise | RN, BSN | 5 Years of Compassionate Care | Infection Control Advocate
- Staff Nurse | Surgical Ward Proficiency | NMC Registered | 3 Years Dedicated Service | Post-Op Recovery Specialist
- Charge Nurse | Acute Medicine | Masters in Nursing Practice | 10+ Years | Clinical Governance Enthusiast
- Junior Staff Nurse | Mental Health Passion | BSc (Hons) Nursing | 2 Years Experience | Patient Advocacy Champion
- Experienced Staff Nurse | Oncology Care | Advanced Nursing Diploma | 7 Years Expertise | Palliative Care Advocate
Opting between a staff nurse CV summary or objective
Within the top one third of your staff nurse CV, you have the opportunity to briefly summarise your best achievements or present your professional goals and dreams. Those two functions are met by either the CV summary or the objective.
- The summary is three-to-five sentences long and should narrate your best successes, while answering key requirements for the role. Select up to three skills which you can feature in your summary. Always aim to present what the actual outcomes were of using your particular skill set. The summary is an excellent choice for more experienced professionals.
- The objective is more focused on showcasing your unique value as a candidate and defining your dreams and ambitions. Think about highlighting how this current opportunity would answer your career vision. Also, about how you could help your potential employers grow. The objective matches the needs of less experienced candidates, who need to prove their skill set and, in particular, their soft skills.
Still not sure about how to write your CV opening statement? Use some best industry examples as inspiration:
CV summaries for a staff nurse job:
- With over 6 years of dedicated experience in paediatric nursing at Great Ormond Street Hospital, I've developed a profound ability to provide compassionate and evidence-based care. Spearheaded a vaccination outreach program, effectively immunising 2000+ children within my community.
- As a seasoned oncology staff nurse with 7 years at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, I've honed my skills in complex chemotherapy administration, expertly managed symptom control protocols, leading to a 40% reduction in patient-reported pain levels in my care.
- Transitioning from a 10-year career in emergency services as a Paramedic into nursing, I bring a wealth of frontline medical experience. My adeptness at quick decision-making and patient care, plus recent BSc Nursing, equip me to excel in high-pressure health settings.
- Bringing forth immense managerial expertise from a 5-year tenure as an operations manager, I offer strong leadership and a fresh perspective to nursing. Newly minted with an MSc in Adult Nursing and ready to translate my operational skills into delivering superior patient care.
- Aspiring to utilise my recent BSc (Hons) in Nursing and passion for community health, I am eager to contribute to delivering high-quality patient-centred care. I'm committed to developing my practical skills and knowledge as part of a dynamic nursing team.
- Driven by a compassionate approach to healthcare, I aim to embark on my nursing career by leveraging my recent nursing diploma. I am excited to grow professionally and personally while making meaningful contributions to patient wellbeing under experienced mentorship.
How to meet job requirements with your staff nurse CV experience
We've now reached the essence of your actual CV - your experience section. This is the space where you can list your career roles and on-the-job successes. Many candidates tend to underestimate just how much time and effort they should put into writing this CV section. Your experience shouldn't be a random list of your responsibilities, but instead:
- Match the job description with your skills, values, and accomplishments;
- Start each bullet with a strong action verb, followed up with one key skill and your outcome of applying this skill;
- Spotlight parts of your career history that are relevant to the job you're applying for.
Before we move on, make sure to check out some professional CV experience sections.
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Demonstrated excellence in providing direct nursing care to patients with diverse healthcare needs in a hospital setting, ensuring each patient's comfort and well-being were prioritised.
- Administered medication and treatments as prescribed by physicians, closely monitoring patients for adverse reactions and promptly addressing any complications.
- Maintained meticulous records of patient care, condition, progress, and concerns, utilising electronic health record systems to ensure accuracy and confidentiality.
- Developed and implemented patient care plans in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, continuously assessing and updating plans according to patient response and condition.
- Conducted patient and family education on disease processes, medical procedures, and self-care skills, resulting in improved patient outcomes and increased satisfaction.
- Exercised strong decision-making skills in emergency and high-stress situations, stabilising patients and delivering crucial interventions in a timely manner.
- Played a pivotal role in infection control within the healthcare environment, strictly adhering to hygiene protocols to minimise the spread of infectious diseases.
- Engaged in professional development activities, including seminars and workshops on the latest nursing practices, to ensure the highest level of clinical expertise.
- Utilised strong communication skills to liaise with healthcare professionals across various departments, ensuring a cohesive approach to patient care.
- Managed the care of post-operative patients, overseeing a ward of 20 beds and improving post-surgical outcomes by 30% through vigilant monitoring and patient education.
- Initiated a ward-based quality improvement project focusing on infection control that led to a 25% reduction in hospital-acquired infections.
- Participated actively in multidisciplinary team meetings and contributed to the care planning that enhanced patient discharge rates by 40%.
- Led a team of junior nurses and healthcare assistants, providing mentorship and training that saw a 20% increase in team performance metrics.
- Spearheaded the implementation of a new electronic patient record system, ensuring a smooth transition and 100% staff compliance.
- Coordinated the care of patients in a high-dependency unit, reducing average patient stay by 15% through efficient care plans and resource allocation.
- Collaborated in a hospital-wide initiative to improve patient nutrition, which contributed to a 35% decrease in malnourishment-related complications.
- Implemented patient-centered care rounds that increased patient satisfaction scores by 20%.
- Delivered compassionate end-of-life care that was recognized in patient and family feedback as exceptionally supportive during difficult times.
- Oversaw the introduction of a new telemetry system for cardiac monitoring, enhancing patient safety and resulting in zero readmission due to monitoring errors.
- Organized and facilitated professional development workshops for nursing staff, which improved nursing competencies and patient outcomes.
- Actively involved in the COVID-19 response team, contributing to the development of treatment protocols that improved recovery rates.
- Implemented innovative wound care techniques that accelerated healing time by 15% and reduced the need for extended hospital stays.
- Championed a patient advocacy program that empowered patients in their care decisions, leading to a 10% increase in patient satisfaction.
- Pioneered a peer-review program for clinical staff that improved the overall quality of care and staff accountability.
- Managed a successful departmental audit that identified critical areas for improvement, resulting in the strengthening of patient safety measures.
- Developed and led training sessions on sepsis awareness, which were credited for a 15% reduction in the mortality rate from sepsis within the unit.
- Established a mentorship program for newly-qualified nurses, reducing staff turnover by 22% and improving the unit’s moral and clinical competencies.
- Served as the lead nurse in a paediatric oncology ward, where I developed patient care protocols that increased treatment adherence by 30%.
- Played a key role in the cross-functional team that redesigned the paediatric unit, which led to a more child-friendly environment and a 25% improvement in patient comfort levels.
- Implemented an electronic medication administration record, reducing medication errors by 40%.
- orchestrated a critical care outreach program that reduced ICU readmissions by 20%, enhancing patient recovery and optimizing bed management.
- Drove initiatives for palliative care excellence in the hospital, which were recognized nationally and improved end-of-life care services.
- mentored over 50 nursing students during their placement, ensuring a high standard of learning and fostering the next generation of nurses.
What to add in your staff nurse CV experience section with no professional experience
If you don't have the standard nine-to-five professional experience, yet are still keen on applying for the job, here's what you can do:
- List any internships, part-time roles, volunteer experience, or basically any work you've done that meets the job requirements and is in the same industry;
- Showcase any project you've done in your free time (even if you completed them with family and friends) that will hint at your experience and skill set;
- Replace the standard, CV experience section with a strengths or achievements one. This will help you spotlight your transferrable skills that apply to the role.
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Include examples of how you adapted to new tools, environments, or work cultures, showing your flexibility.
Mix and match hard and soft skills across your staff nurse CV
Your skill set play an equally valid role as your experience to your application. That is because recruiters are looking for both:
- hard skills or your aptitude in applying particular technologies
- soft skills or your ability to work in a team using your personal skills, e.g. leadership, time management, etc.
Are you wondering how you should include both hard and soft skills across your staff nurse CV? Use the:
- skills section to list between ten and twelve technologies that are part of the job requirement (and that you're capable to use);
- strengths and achievements section to detail how you've used particular hard and soft skills that led to great results for you at work;
- summary or objective to spotlight up to three skills that are crucial for the role and how they've helped you optimise your work processes.
One final note - when writing about the skills you have, make sure to match them exactly as they are written in the job ad. Take this precautionary measure to ensure your CV passes the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment.
Top skills for your staff nurse CV:
Clinical assessment
Patient care
Medication administration
Phlebotomy
Wound dressing
IV therapy
Record keeping
Emergency response
Patient education
Infection control
Compassionate care
Communication
Teamwork
Time management
Flexibility
Problem-solving
Empathy
Stress management
Attention to detail
Leadership
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Focus on describing skills in the context of the outcomes they’ve helped you achieve, linking them directly to tangible results or successes in your career.
Further professional qualifications for your staff nurse CV: education and certificates
As you're nearing the end of your staff nurse CV, you may wonder what else will be relevant to the role. Recruiters are keen on understanding your academic background, as it teaches you an array of hard and soft skills. Create a dedicated education section that lists your:
- applicable higher education diplomas or ones that are at a postgraduate level;
- diploma, followed up with your higher education institution and start-graduation dates;
- extracurricular activities and honours, only if you deem that recruiters will find them impressive.
Follow a similar logic when presenting your certificates. Always select ones that will support your niche expertise and hint at what it's like to work with you. Balance both technical certification with soft skills courses to answer job requirements and company values. Wondering what the most sought out certificates are for the industry? Look no further:
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Use mini case studies or success stories in your CV to demonstrate how your skills have positively impacted previous roles or projects.
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Key takeaways
Impressing recruiters with your experience, skill set, and values starts with your professional staff nurse CV. Write concisely and always aim to answer job requirements with what you've achieved; furthermore:
- Select a simple design that complements your experience and ensures your profile is presentable;
- Include an opening statement that either spotlights your key achievements (summary) or showcases your career ambitions (objective);
- Curate your experience bullets, so that each one commences with a strong, action verb and is followed up by your skill and accomplishment;
- List your hard and soft skills all across different sections of your CV to ensure your application meets the requirements;
- Dedicate space to your relevant higher education diplomas and your certificates to show recruiters you have the necessary industry background.
