Healthcare

Registered Nurse Resume Keywords & Skills

These are the keywords, hard skills, and action verbs Applicant Tracking Systems look for on a registered nurse resume. Mirror the ones that appear in your target job description — matching is literal.

Core skills (ATS)

  • Patient care
  • Patient assessment
  • Medication administration
  • IV therapy
  • Care planning
  • Vital signs
  • Wound care
  • Patient education
  • EHR documentation
  • Infection control
  • Discharge planning
  • Telemetry

Clinical skills

  • Med-surg nursing
  • Telemetry
  • ICU / critical care
  • Emergency / triage
  • ACLS interventions
  • Ventilator management
  • Central-line care
  • Phlebotomy
  • 12-lead EKG interpretation
  • Pain management
  • IV push medications
  • Rapid response

Tools & systems

  • Epic
  • Cerner
  • Meditech
  • BCMA
  • Pyxis MedStation
  • Alaris infusion pumps
  • Telemetry monitors
  • Glucometer
  • Vocera
  • PACS

Licenses & certifications

  • RN License (active)
  • BLS
  • ACLS
  • PALS
  • CCRN
  • CEN
  • TNCC
  • NIHSS
  • PCCN
  • CMSRN

Action verbs

  • Administered
  • Assessed
  • Triaged
  • Monitored
  • Educated
  • Coordinated
  • Documented
  • Advocated
  • Stabilized
  • Precepted
  • Collaborated
  • Managed

Skills to list, by type

Hard skills

  • Patient assessment
  • Medication administration
  • IV therapy & venipuncture
  • Wound care & dressing changes
  • Telemetry & EKG interpretation
  • Care planning & documentation
  • Patient & family education
  • Phlebotomy & specimen collection
  • Catheter & central-line care
  • Code / rapid response

Tools & platforms

  • Epic (EHR)
  • Cerner (EHR)
  • Meditech
  • Barcode Medication Administration (BCMA)
  • Pyxis MedStation
  • Alaris IV infusion pumps
  • 12-lead EKG / telemetry monitors
  • Glucometer
  • Vocera
  • PACS imaging

Soft skills

  • Patient advocacy
  • Interdisciplinary collaboration
  • Compassionate communication
  • Critical thinking
  • Time management & prioritization
  • Adaptability under pressure

Certifications that help

  • Registered Nurse (RN) License — NCLEX-RN, active and in good standing (name your state or NLC compact/multistate)
  • Basic Life Support (BLS) — American Heart Association
  • Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) — American Heart Association
  • Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) — American Heart Association
  • Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) — AACN

How to use these keywords (without stuffing)

  • Only add a keyword if it's genuinely true — you'll be asked about it in the interview.
  • Match the exact wording in the job description; ATS keyword matching is literal (write both "CI/CD" and the tool name).
  • Put keywords where they carry evidence — inside quantified bullet points — not only in a skills wall.
  • Aim for natural coverage, not density. Ten defensible keywords beat forty hollow ones.

More Registered Nurse resume resources

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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.