Registered Nurse (RN) Resume Example (+ ATS Keywords)

A strong registered nurse resume puts licensure and certifications up top, then proves clinical competence with specific, measurable bullets — patient loads, units, outcomes — rather than generic duties. Below is an annotated RN example to model, plus the certifications and keywords an applicant tracking system (ATS) and a nurse manager both look for first.

Registered nurse resume example

This example is illustrative — a realistic, synthetic profile, not a real person. Adapt the structure; don’t copy the text.

Dana Brooks, RN, BSN Buffalo, NY · dana.brooks@example.com · RN License #0000000 (NY, active)

Summary Registered Nurse with 6 years in acute-care and step-down settings. ACLS, PALS, and CPI certified. Charge nurse for a med-surg telemetry unit at a 250-bed regional hospital.

Licenses & Certifications RN (NY, active) · BSN · BLS · ACLS · PALS · CPI

Skills Telemetry monitoring · IV therapy · Epic EHR · patient education · preceptor/charge experience · med-surg

Experience

Charge Nurse, Med-Surg Telemetry — Mercy Regional Hospital (2022–present)

Coordinate care for a 24-bed step-down unit (avg census 22); lead shift huddles and triage staffing across 8–12 RNs per shift.
Precept new-grad RNs through a 12-week orientation; 13 of 14 completed on schedule and remain on the unit.
Championed an hourly-rounding protocol cited in the unit’s falls-reduction plan; carried a full 4–5 telemetry-patient assignment alongside charge duties.
Served on the hospital’s Magnet designation steering committee.

Staff RN, Cardiac Step-Down — St. Anne’s Medical Center (2019–2022)

Provided bedside care for post-MI, post-PCI, and CABG patients in a 16-bed cardiac step-down unit; consistently top-quartile on unit patient-satisfaction.
Trained 9 new RNs on telemetry interpretation and arrhythmia recognition; built a one-page quick-reference still used on the unit.

Education BSN — State University of New York at Buffalo (2019)

What makes this nurse resume work

License and certs are impossible to miss. A nurse manager and the ATS both screen for active licensure and BLS/ACLS first — so it’s a dedicated section near the top, not buried in education.
Bullets are specific and clinical. “24-bed step-down unit, avg census 22, 8–12 RNs per shift” tells a manager exactly what the candidate can handle. “Provided excellent patient care” tells them nothing.
Outcomes and scope are quantified. Falls reduction, preceptor success rate, patient-satisfaction quartile — measurable signals of a safe, effective nurse.
Unit and population are explicit. Med-surg, telemetry, cardiac step-down, post-MI/PCI/CABG — specialty language a same-specialty manager recognizes instantly.

Resume keywords for a registered nurse

The chips above are the credentials and skills most ATS filters scan for in RN postings. Match them honestly:

Lead with hard credentials. RN license (and state), degree (ADN/BSN), and certifications (BLS, ACLS, PALS, NRP, CCRN) are non-negotiable keywords. Spell out the acronym at least once.
Mirror the posting’s specialty. An ICU role wants “critical care,” “ventilator,” “vasoactive drips”; a med-surg role wants “telemetry,” “wound care,” “discharge planning.” Match the unit.
Name the EHR. Epic, Cerner, Meditech — it’s a real, screenable keyword; list the one you’ve charted in.
Never list an expired or uncertified credential. In a regulated field, an unverifiable cert isn’t a keyword win — it’s a red flag (and often a license-board issue).

Common registered nurse resume mistakes

Burying the license and certifications. If a screener can’t find your active RN license in five seconds, the resume may not advance.
Generic duty statements. “Administered medications, monitored patients” describes every nurse. Show your unit, your patient load, and what changed because you were there.
Omitting specialty and setting. “Hospital nurse” is too vague — name the unit, acuity, and bed count.
No measurable outcomes. Patient-satisfaction scores, fall/infection-rate improvements, preceptor counts — quantify the impact.
Listing a certification you can’t verify. Only include current, verifiable credentials.

FAQ

What skills should a registered nurse put on a resume?

Lead with credentials — active RN license, degree, and certifications (BLS, ACLS, PALS, or specialty certs like CCRN). Then list clinical skills that match the posting: the EHR you chart in (Epic, Cerner), your specialty competencies (telemetry, IV therapy, wound care), and patient-education or charge experience. Keep it to skills you actually hold.

How do you write a new-grad nurse resume with no experience?

Lead with your license, NCLEX status, and BSN/ADN, then make your clinical rotations the “experience” — name each unit, the patient population, and what you learned to do. Include capstone/preceptorship hours, BLS/ACLS, and any tech/CNA work. New-grad managers expect rotations in place of jobs.

Can an ATS detect an AI-written nurse resume?

An ATS doesn’t flag “AI-written” — it scans for keywords, structure, and credentials. What gets a nurse screened out is a missing license, the wrong specialty keywords, or unverifiable certs — not the drafting tool. The real risk with AI is fabricated credentials, which is a serious problem in a regulated field. See can an ATS detect an AI resume?.

How long should a registered nurse resume be?

One page for new grads and nurses with under ~10 years; two pages is acceptable for long careers, charge/leadership roles, or when float/agency assignments and certifications genuinely fill it. Keep certifications and specialty current and prominent regardless of length.