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Resume Tips for New Graduate Nurses

For nursing students and new RNs applying for a first nursing job.

By Resume Star · Updated October 2026

Every nurse manager hiring new grads knows you haven't worked as an RN yet. What they want to see is where you've practiced, what you can already do, and how you'll fit in on their unit.

You have more to show than you might think: hundreds of clinical hours, a preceptorship, and often a job as a CNA, patient care tech or unit secretary. The tips below show you how to put it on one clean page.

Start with the Nurse template →

7 tips for a new grad nurse resume

  1. Show your license status at the top. List "Registered Nurse, [state]" if you're licensed. If not, write "NCLEX-RN: scheduled for June 2026" or "Graduate Nurse, NCLEX-RN pending". Add BLS, and ACLS or PALS if you have them.
  2. Give your clinical rotations their own section. List each one with the unit, the facility and the hours, then 1 or 2 bullet points about what you did. Name the specialties: med-surg, ICU, pediatrics, L&D, psych, community health.
  3. Feature your preceptorship. Your capstone or preceptorship is the closest thing to a nursing job you've had. Give the unit, the hours and the patient load you took on by the end.
  4. List your healthcare jobs. CNA, patient care tech, EMT, unit secretary and medical assistant jobs all count. They show you already know how a hospital works.
  5. Write a short summary aimed at the unit you want. "New graduate RN with a 180-hour ICU preceptorship, seeking a nurse residency position in critical care" tells the reader exactly where you fit.
  6. Name the systems and skills you've used. The EHR from your clinicals (Epic, Cerner), medication administration, IV starts, wound care and patient education.
  7. Keep it to one page. Include your degree, school and graduation date (or expected date). Add your GPA if it's strong, and honors like Sigma Theta Tau.

Before and after

Before

Clinical rotation, City Hospital. Gained experience in patient care.

After

Preceptorship, Medical ICU, City Hospital (180 hours). Managed care for 2 critically ill patients by the final week, including drips, hourly assessments and family updates.

The second version names the unit, the hours and the workload you reached, so a manager can see how close you are to working on your own.

Example: nurse resume

This is the Nurse template you will start with. Add a "Clinical Experience" section for your rotations and preceptorship, and replace the sample details with your own. Every section can be renamed, reordered or removed.

Matty Nash

1722B W 8th St., Los Angeles, CA 90731

matty.nash@qmail.com  •  (562)-555-3237

Objective

Seeking a nurse position at The Lakeview Medical Center utilizing my experience and dedication to patient care.

Key Qualifications

  • Registered Nurse with over 1 year's experience.
  • Skilled at working with young and adolescent children.
  • A team player who works well with others.
  • Excellent communication and personal computing skills.

Work Experience

Registered Nurse
Jun 2024 - Present

Elm Family Clinic, Los Angeles, CA.
  • Performed as a Registered Nurse, and provided care to children and their families.
  • Performed pre-screening of patients. Took vital signs, medical history information, and answered initial queries.
  • Managed patients with chronic conditions including asthma, anemia, and digestive disorders.
  • Helped educate families about conditions, and general health trends.
  • Provided on-call service, and responded to off-hour emergencies.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Nursing, with Honors
May 2023

Western Medical College
  • Graduated with a 3.5 GPA.

High School Diploma
May 2019

Grove High School
  • Graduated with a 3.2 GPA.

References

Available upon request.

Use this template

Checklist

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply before I pass the NCLEX?

Yes. Many nurse residency programs hire graduates before they are licensed. Write "Graduate Nurse, NCLEX-RN scheduled for [month]", and update your resume as soon as you pass.

Should I list every clinical rotation?

List the ones that relate to the jobs you want, and always your preceptorship. If you are applying to many kinds of units, list them all with one line each, and give the matching rotation more detail on each application.

What if my only job was outside healthcare?

List it. Retail, food service and office jobs show you can handle busy shifts, difficult people and responsibility. Choose 1 or 2 bullet points about teamwork, communication or working under pressure.

Should I include my GPA?

Include it if it is strong (many advisers say 3.5 or higher), or if the employer asks for it. Otherwise leave it out. Honors and awards are always worth listing.

Do I need a cover letter?

Often, yes, especially for nurse residency programs. Use it to say why you want that hospital and that specialty, and mention your preceptorship.

I was an LPN before nursing school. How do I show it?

Put your LPN experience under "Work Experience" with your patient load and skills. It makes you a much stronger candidate than most new grads. For more, see resume tips for new LPNs.

Licensing timelines and new grad hiring practices vary by state and employer. Check your state board of nursing for what applies to you.

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