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    Registered Nurse CV: Skills, ATS Keywords & Examples

    Nursing CVs are screened hard for licences, certifications, and specialty experience. Get those front and centre and you clear the first filter every time.

    Hard skills to highlight

    • Active RN licence (state/country) and registration number
    • Certifications (BLS, ACLS, PALS as relevant)
    • Specialty experience (ICU, ED, med-surg, paediatrics)
    • Electronic health records (Epic, Cerner)
    • Patient assessment and care planning
    • Medication administration and IV therapy

    Soft skills that matter

    • Compassionate patient care
    • Calm under pressure
    • Team communication / handover
    • Patient and family education

    ATS keywords to include

    • patient care
    • BLS / ACLS
    • EHR / Epic
    • care plans
    • triage
    • infection control
    • HIPAA

    Sample Registered Nurse summary

    “Registered nurse with 4 years in a Level 1 trauma ED. Active RN licence, BLS and ACLS certified. Known for calm, accurate triage during high-volume shifts and strong patient-education outcomes.”

    How to structure a Registered Nurse CV

    • Put licences and certifications in a clearly labelled block near the top — these are mandatory ATS filters.
    • State your specialty and patient population explicitly.
    • Include the EHR systems you've used by name.
    • Quantify where you can: patient loads, unit size, shift type.

    Common Registered Nurse CV mistakes

    • Hiding or omitting licence/certification details the ATS screens for.
    • Not naming the specialty or care setting.
    • Leaving out EHR systems — they're common required keywords.
    • Generic duties with no patient volumes or outcomes.

    See how your Registered Nurse CV scores

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