Model Registered Nurse Resume — Full Example to Copy (2026)

Registered Nurse Resume Examples

A strong registered nurse resume leads with clinical outcomes and an active license, not a list of duties: patients per shift, unit size and acuity, and safety and satisfaction numbers. Keep it to one clean single-column page so hospital Applicant Tracking Systems parse your RN license, BLS/ACLS certifications, and EHR experience, and mirror the specialty and systems named in the posting. Below is a complete, ATS-friendly registered nurse resume example you can open in the free builder, plus the skills and keywords to include.

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Maria Callahan

Registered Nurse

maria.callahan@email.com · (614) 555-0173 · Columbus, OH · linkedin.com/in/mariacallahanrn

Experience

Charge Nurse, Medical-Surgical Unit, Riverside Regional Medical CenterJun 2021 – Present

Columbus, OH

Coordinate care and staffing as charge nurse for a 36-bed med-surg unit, managing patient flow for up to 30 patients per shift.
Cut unit fall rate 28% by launching hourly rounding and bedside safety huddles.
Raised HCAHPS nurse-communication scores from the 64th to the 89th percentile over three quarters.
Precepted 8 new-graduate nurses to independent practice, improving first-year retention on the unit.

Staff Nurse, Telemetry, St. Anne's HospitalAug 2019 – May 2021

Columbus, OH

Managed 5–6 telemetry patients per shift, interpreting 12-lead EKGs and titrating cardiac drips per protocol.
Administered 30+ medication passes per shift via BCMA with 100% scan compliance and zero errors.
Reduced 30-day cardiac readmissions 20% through structured discharge teaching and follow-up calls.

Skills

Clinical skills: Patient assessment, Medication administration, IV therapy, Telemetry, 12-lead EKG, Wound care, Care planning
Systems & certifications: Epic, Cerner, BCMA, BLS, ACLS, PALS

Education

B.S.N. Nursing, The Ohio State UniversityAug 2015 – May 2019

Columbus, OH · 3.8 GPA

Why this example works

Put your license and certifications (RN, BLS, ACLS) near the top — many hospital ATS filters and recruiters screen for an active license before anything else.
Quantify patient load and outcomes: patients per shift, unit size (bed count), fall or infection reductions, and HCAHPS or Press Ganey percentiles.
Name the EHR you've used (Epic, Cerner, Meditech) — postings list specific systems and ATS keyword matching is literal.
State your specialty and setting clearly (med-surg, ICU, ER, telemetry) plus your patient ratio, so recruiters can match you to the right unit.
Keep it one clean single-column page; list your license number and state, BSN, and clinical rotations so parsers capture every credential.

Skills to include

Patient assessment
Medication administration
IV therapy & venipuncture
Wound care & dressing changes
Telemetry & EKG interpretation
Care planning & documentation
Epic (EHR)
Cerner (EHR)
Meditech
Barcode Medication Administration (BCMA)
Pyxis MedStation
Alaris IV infusion pumps

Common mistakes to avoid

Listing duties ("provided patient care") instead of outcomes with numbers — falls reduced, satisfaction percentile, readmissions cut.
Omitting or burying your active RN license and BLS/ACLS status; recruiters skip a resume they can't verify licensure on.
Using a two-column or graphic template that scrambles credentials and clinical keywords in older hospital ATS parsers.
Writing "EHR experience" instead of naming the system (Epic, Cerner) the posting actually asks for.
Vague scale claims ("busy unit") with no patient ratios, bed counts, or acuity to back them up.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a registered nurse resume be?

One page for new grads and most staff nurses; two pages is acceptable for 10+ years, charge or management roles, or many certifications and specialties. Keep it single-column so hospital ATS parses your license, certs, and clinical keywords cleanly.

Where do I list my RN license and certifications?

Near the top, in a dedicated Licenses & Certifications section: RN license (state and status), BLS, ACLS, and any specialty certs (CCRN, CEN, PALS) with the issuing body. Many hospital systems screen for an active license before a human reads the resume.

How do I write a new-grad nursing resume with no experience?

Lead with your BSN/ADN, NCLEX-RN status, and clinical rotations — name the units (med-surg, ICU, ER), patient loads, hours, and any measurable outcome. A capstone or preceptorship with a quantified result beats a generic objective.

What metrics should a nurse put on a resume?

Patients per shift and unit bed count, HCAHPS or Press Ganey satisfaction percentiles, fall and infection (CLABSI/CAUTI) reductions, medication-error and readmission rates, and door-to-triage or discharge times. Numbers turn "provided excellent care" into evidence.