Nursing is one of the busiest yet most fulfilling jobs in the world. It's also one of the most trusted professions in the UK. It's a reputation built on the care and dedication you show each patient you look after. But, when you spend so much time committed to helping others, it means there isn't always time to think about your nursing CV.

This is where Randstad can help.

No matter if you're newly qualified or need a refresher on what a good nurse CV looks like, our guide will be of some assistance.

 

what makes a good CV for a nurse

It's vital to have an up-to-date and well-crafted nursing CV. It'll help you stand out from all the CVs a busy recruiter will look at. And making sure your CV is to the point can dramatically increase your chances of getting your dream new job. So, it must be relevant and provide an employer with the necessary information about your work history, education and training.

Your CV should be detailed because you're working in healthcare – but it should also be concise. The standard CV thinking tends to mean it shouldn't run to more than two pages. If you have lots of relevant experience, however, it's not unusual for nursing CV examples to fill three or even four pages. Don't forget to include your professional registration details as well. 

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how to write your nursing CV

personal statement/bio

The first thing to include on your nurse CV is your personal statement or bio. It should describe what you've done so far in your career. But keep it concise – no more than four or five short paragraphs. Use it to summarise what you've been doing in recent years too. 

Do you have expertise or specialise in a certain branch of nursing? Don't be afraid to boast about it here – after all, you want to make yourself stand out. So, make sure you include all the things you excel at. 

To give one nursing CV example, you might want to write something like:

"A dedicated and hard-working nurse with more than five years' experience in critical healthcare and accident and emergency. Strongly focused on patient comfort and adept at working collaboratively as part of a wider healthcare team. Duties are always carried out with the utmost respect for patient confidentiality and welfare." 

employment history/work experience

Next, cover all your relevant nursing employment and work experience history. Start with your most recent position then work back in chronological order. For each job or work placement, it is a good idea to include:

  • Your job title
  • The name of the employer
  • The length of time you worked there
  • A summary of your main duties and responsibilities

Using bullet points to list the main points in your nurse CV is a succinct way of putting things. It also gives your potential employer or recruiters a chance to look at your experience at a glance. 

education – practical training and placements

In this section of your nursing CV, you should detail where and when you got your qualifications. It could be through on-the-job training or perhaps you took a degree course. Either way, be sure to include this information to show how suitable you are for the role.

Any relevant training placements – detailing the work undertaken and your main responsibilities – can also be inserted here. The same applies to any continuous professional development (CPD) you have undertaken and any specialist qualifications.

List them in chronological order – starting with the most recent before working backwards. 

additional relevant skills

Here you can include anything relevant to your application. You may have experience of patient admission and discharges, for example. Or perhaps you led a project to reduce patient waiting times or implement a flu vaccination programme.

Anything that showcases your skills can be included in this part of a nurse CV. If you're planning to apply for a more senior role, describe your leadership skills in this section. Don't forget to give examples of any projects or roles where you've used those skills. 

references

Many professions don't include references. But nursing CVs are a little bit different. You should include two references at the end of your CV. One should be your current employer, while the other one should be a recent employer. If it's your first application, a tutor/lecturer/placement can act as your reference.

 

nursing cv sample

To help you write a good nurse CV, we've created a nursing CV sample template that you can download for free. It comes complete with notes about what to include in each section. So, what better way to enhance your employment opportunities today than with our helpful template?