How to write a nurse CV
Write for one advert. A ward post and a clinic post do not want the same first bullet.
The example is Amina Cole, the same fictional nurse as the nurse CV example. The wards are invented.
1. Put the registration where it can be seen
Say the part of the register and that it is current. Do not print the full pin on a CV you will upload to a public board. Take the proof to interview.
2. Name the setting
Medical ward, community, theatre or clinic. Say the patient group in general terms. A reader should know what kind of shift you have worked.
3. Write the note, not the adjective
“Compassionate” does not tell a sister what you do at 2am. Write the observation, the escalation and the handover line.
Before and after
Before
Provided compassionate care to patients on a busy ward.
After
Recorded observations on time and escalated a rising score using the ward criteria, before the next drug round.
Before
Excellent communication with the multidisciplinary team.
After
Wrote the handover so the next nurse could see the outstanding scan, the family update and the cannula review.
Checklist
- The document is a CV, with no photo or date of birth.
- Registration is current and not printed in full.
- No patient can be identified.
- Each bullet is a task you can talk through.
- The setting matches the advert.
- Titles such as charge nurse are used only if you held them.
A finished example
Amina Cole is fictional.
Amina Cole
Bristol · amina.cole@example.com
Eligible to work in the UK · NMC pin current in this sample
Personal statement
Registered nurse with four years on a medical ward. I write the observation, the escalation and the plan in the same note, and I hand over what is still outstanding. Looking for a ward role where documentation is treated as part of the care.
Experience
Staff nurse
Harbour Ward, Severn Hospital (fictional) · May 2022 – present
- Take a bay of medical patients, record observations on time, and escalate a rising score using the ward criteria rather than waiting for the next drug round.
- In a made-up sample week, rewrote three handover lines so the night nurse could see the outstanding scan, the family update and the cannula review without reading the whole day.
- Explain a discharge plan in plain English, including the medicines the patient is taking home and who to call if the symptoms return.
- Support a student with one medication round a shift, and sign only the tasks I watched.
Staff nurse
Nightingale Assessment Unit (fictional) · August 2020 – April 2022
- Admitted patients from the emergency department, took a history, and flagged allergies before the first prescription.
- Kept a running list of who was waiting for a bed, and told the coordinator when a patient had been in the unit past the agreed time.
Education
- BSc Adult Nursing, 2020
- NMC registration, maintained in this fictional sample
Skills
- Observations, escalation and handover notes
- Medicines administration with a second check where the policy requires it
- Discharge explanations in plain English
- Supporting a student on a task I have watched
- Infection control on a bay
Use it on your own CV
FAQ
What goes at the top of a nurse CV?
Your name, city, email, the part of the register, and a short statement about the setting you want. Leave the full pin off a public copy.
How do I describe a deteriorating patient?
Describe the action: the score, the escalation, who you called. Do not add details that identify the person.
Should student placements stay on the CV?
Keep them while they are your main evidence. Once you have a few years of practice, cut placements that repeat the same task.
Where is the full example?
The nurse CV example uses the same fictional person and explains the keywords.
Free job-ready CV checklist
A one-page checklist for any role. No name, and no account.