Skills employers ask for most
The most-requested skills in registered nurse job postings, per published hiring research. Put the ones you have in a dedicated Skills section and prove the top few in your bullets.
- RN license99%
- BLS certification53%
- CPR certification17%
- Medication administration9%
- PALS certification8%
- Critical care experience5%
Source: Indeed employer duties & skills data — share of US registered-nurse job postings on Indeed requesting each skill (2026).
Example registered nurse résumé
Resunova score 92/100Compassionate Registered Nurse with two years of medical-surgical bedside experience caring for up to six acute-care patients per shift. Strongest in head-to-toe assessment, safe medication administration, and thorough EHR documentation, backed by 510 hours of supervised clinical practice completed during a BSN program. Piloted a revised charting workflow that cut documentation time per patient by 15% and returned roughly 45 minutes per shift to direct bedside care. Focused now on discharge education, early recognition of patient deterioration, and coaching nursing students on the unit.
A complete, scored entry-level registered nurse résumé (fictional candidate) built with Resunova. Notice every bullet leads with a strong verb and ends in a measurable outcome — that pattern is what earns the score above. Score your own résumé free →
Salary & where these roles work
From 2,391 analyzed registered nurse postings. Figures vary by location and seniority.
Registered Nurse resume FAQ
What should a registered nurse resume include?
Lead with your license and certifications — an active RN license is named in 99% of postings and BLS certification in 53% (Indeed employer data, 2026) — then unit type, patient load, and outcomes such as satisfaction scores or error rates.
Do nursing resumes need a summary?
Yes. A two-to-three line summary naming your specialty, years, setting (e.g. acute med-surg), and one standout metric helps recruiters and ATS match you quickly.
How do I make a nursing resume ATS-friendly?
Spell out certifications both ways (e.g. 'Basic Life Support (BLS)'), use standard section headings, and mirror the EHR system named in the posting.
Build your registered nurse résumé
Opens the example above in the résumé builder with your own name and contact details left blank. Replace the sample experience with yours, pick a template, and download an ATS-clean PDF. Free, no signup.