Best Nursing CV Examples and Template for 2025
Nursing is a fast-paced role that is challenging and rewarding. If you want to get the best nursing position in this field, you will need a great CV. Here’s how to write one.
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Nursing CV Examples
Nursing is a fast-paced, challenging and rewarding role in the modern NHS. If you want to land a great job as a staff nurse or nurse practitioner, you will need to have a professional CV and cover letter to help you to stand out from the crowd. This guide and example will help you to write a stand-out CV and land a job interview!
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See our full list of CV examples for more expert guidance.
What To Highlight in a Nursing CV
Structure of a Nursing CV
Header
The CV header is the topmost section that contains your full name, phone number and contact information. You can include your email address and your professional social media links, like your LinkedIn profile.
CV summary or objective
Under the header, you should write either a CV summary or a CV objective statement. Whether you write an objective or summary depends on your years of experience. If you have a lot of work experience, a CV summary statement would be best, as a summary is a personal statement that sums up your key experiences and skills. However, if you are a recent graduate, a CV objective statement that emphasizes your skills and career goals is more appropriate.
Skills
A CV skills section should include 8 to 12 bullet points detailing the skills that are most relevant to the role that you are applying for. Examples of skills commonly listed in nursing CVs include:
- Creating care plans
- Triage
- Primary care
- ICU nursing
- Monitoring vital signs
- Adult nursing
- Teamwork
- Pediatric nursing
- Infection control
- Geriatric care
- Ward management
- Communication skills
- Leadership skills
Work experience
The work experience section of a CV is important, especially for those who are looking to apply for advanced roles. This section should include up to 10 years of work experience unless more is specifically requested, and be presented in reverse-chronological order. When you list your previous jobs you should include your job title, employment dates, and 3-5 bullet points with succinct sentences summing up key duties and achievements in the role.
Education
Your education section will be particularly important when it comes to applying for your first nursing role. You should list only your most recent and advanced qualifications. For example, you should list your nursing degree but not your secondary school qualifications.
Do’s and Don’ts for a Nursing CV
Do:
- Use active language.
Action verbs like “created,” “managed,” and “developed” will show that you take charge of your work and progress. Hiring managers will find this more appealing than passive language, like “Was responsible for.”
- Use specific metrics to highlight key skills.
Use specific metrics, like percentages, to catch a recruiter’s eye. For example, rather than saying you helped reduce patient processing times, say “Created a patient care system that contributed to a 10% decrease in patient records processing times.”
- Keep it short.
Your CV should be no more than two pages at most, but a single page is best where possible.
Don’t:
- Submit the same nurse CV for every job application.
Tweak your CV for each application to make a strong impression. Consider the job posting carefully and highlight the skills and achievements that are listed as necessary. Integrate these keywords into your CV to catch a hiring manager’s attention.
- Use complex design elements.
Complicated infographic design elements can be useful for creative industries like graphic design, but a simple, professional CV is better for roles in healthcare. Complicated designs can throw off readers (as well as applicant tracking systems (ATS) employers use to read resumes).
- Forget to proofread.
Typos and grammatical mistakes are the quickest way to undermine a great CV. Take the time to proofread thoroughly before you submit your CV.
FAQ: Nursing CVs
Have questions? We’re here to help.
Do I need to include a cover letter for a nursing application?
Yes, you should always provide a cover letter when you make a job application. The only exception to this is when the job posting or hiring manager makes it clear that a cover letter is not wanted. Your cover letter provides a unique opportunity to connect directly to a recruiter and provide additional information about your qualifications, and why you’re a good fit for the role you’re applying for. Consider these nursing cover letter examples to get some inspiration for writing your own.
How can I write a nursing CV without a lot of experience?
A lack of work experience should not prevent you from getting a nursing job as long as you have the appropriate qualifications and professional certifications. When applying for entry-level roles as a new graduate, focus on the nursing skills you learned during your academic career. Supplement this information with any details of relevant coursework, other work experiences (such as volunteer work or internships), and any other related extracurricular activities.
How do I change my nursing CV to apply to different jobs?
If you want to adjust your registered nurse CV to apply for new roles, you should start by thoroughly reading the job posting you want to apply for. Note which hard skills, soft skills, and qualifications are listed as necessary, and include them in your CV if you have them. You can use a CV builder to make this process easier and ensure proper formatting of your CV.
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