What does a good registered nurse resume look like in 2026?

A strong 2026 RN resume puts active licensure and required certifications (BLS, ACLS) near the top, then leads experience bullets with patient-care outcomes — patient load, satisfaction scores, safety improvements. It names the specialty and EMR, and stays single-column and ATS-readable, since hospital systems rely heavily on applicant tracking.

Where should I list my nursing license and certifications?

Near the top — in the header or a dedicated licensure/certifications section — including license type, state, number, and active status, plus BLS, ACLS, and any specialty certs. These are the first things hospital recruiters and ATS filters check, so they should never be buried at the bottom.

How do I quantify nursing experience on a resume?

Use patient ratios (a 5–6 patient telemetry assignment), unit size and acuity, satisfaction scores (HCAHPS), error or falls reductions, and preceptees trained and retained. These numbers show the scale and quality of care you deliver, which reads more strongly than a list of routine duties.

How do I tailor a nurse resume to a specific unit or hospital?

Match the exact specialty, EMR, and certifications the posting names — telemetry vs ICU, Epic vs Cerner — and foreground the most relevant clinical experience. ATS keyword matching is literal. Resuvia scores your resume against the job description and lists the keywords you are missing.

Is this registered nurse resume example ATS-friendly?

Yes. It uses a single-column layout, standard headings, a clear licensure and certifications section, and quantified patient-care bullets — the structure hospital ATS parsers read reliably. Avoid multi-column templates and tables, which frequently cause licensure details to be dropped.

Registered Nurse · resume example

Registered Nurse resume example.

A strong registered nurse resume leads with licensure and certifications, then patient-care outcomes — patients managed, satisfaction scores, protocols followed. Name your specialty, EMR, and certifications (BLS, ACLS) explicitly, quantify your patient load, and keep it single-column and ATS-readable. Below is a full sample plus how to build your own.

Score my resume free →Registered Nurse optimizer guide

The sample

A full registered nurse resume, top to bottom.

A realistic, ATS-friendly example you can model yours on. Names, companies, and numbers are illustrative — the structure and phrasing are what to copy.

Maria Santos

Registered Nurse, BSN — Med-Surg / Telemetry

Phoenix, AZ · linkedin.com/in/mariasantos-rn

Summary

Compassionate, detail-oriented RN with 6 years in med-surg and telemetry. Manages a 5–6 patient load per shift, precepts new graduate nurses, and consistently scores above-unit on patient-satisfaction surveys. Active AZ RN license; BLS and ACLS certified; Epic proficient.

Licensure

Arizona RN License #RN1234567 (active)
Compact (eNLC) eligible

Skills

ClinicalMed-Surg · Telemetry · IV therapy · Wound care · Medication administration
CertificationsBLS · ACLS · PALS
SystemsEpic (EMR) · Cerner · Pyxis
StrengthsPatient education · Care coordination · Preceptorship

Experience

Registered Nurse — Telemetry — Desert Vista Medical Center
2021 — Present
Phoenix, AZ
- Manage a 5–6 patient assignment on a 32-bed telemetry unit, monitoring cardiac rhythms and escalating changes per protocol.
- Precepted 8 new-graduate nurses through unit orientation; 7 remained on the unit past their first year.
- Sustained an above-unit patient-satisfaction score (HCAHPS) across 6 consecutive quarters.
- Served on the unit's falls-prevention committee; contributed to a documented 18% reduction in patient falls.
Registered Nurse — Med-Surg — Valley Community Hospital
2018 — 2021
Mesa, AZ
- Delivered post-surgical care for up to 6 patients per shift on a high-acuity med-surg floor.
- Reduced medication-administration errors to zero over a 12-month span through diligent barcode-scan compliance.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) — Arizona State University
2014 — 2018

Certifications

BLS (AHA) · ACLS (AHA) · PALS (AHA)

This is an illustrative sample, not a real individual. Use the structure, ordering, and bullet phrasing as a model — fill in your own true experience and numbers.

Write your own

How to write a registered nurse resume.

01
Put licensure and certifications up top
For nursing, the first thing a recruiter and ATS check is an active license and required certs (BLS, ACLS). List your license type, state, and status near the top — never bury them.
02
Lead with patient-care outcomes
Patient load managed, satisfaction (HCAHPS) scores, falls or error reductions, preceptees retained — quantify the care you delivered, not just duties.
03
Name your specialty and EMR
Med-surg, telemetry, ICU, ER — and the EMR (Epic, Cerner). ATS matching is literal, so use the exact specialty and system terms the posting names.
04
Show acuity and patient ratios
A "5–6 patient telemetry assignment" or "high-acuity med-surg floor" signals the level you work at. Include the ratio and unit type.
05
Surface safety and quality work
Falls prevention, medication-error reduction, infection control, committee work — quality and safety contributions differentiate experienced nurses.
06
Keep it single-column and ATS-readable
Hospital systems lean heavily on ATS. Use standard headings, no tables or columns, and a true-text PDF so your license and certs parse correctly.

Keywords ATS scans for

Registered Nurse ATS keywords.

Work the ones that are genuinely true of you into your bullets and skills — not a keyword-stuffed block. Paste your resume + a job description into Resuvia to see which of these you're missing.

Registered NurseRNBSNmed-surgtelemetrypatient careBLSACLSPALSEpicCernerIV therapymedication administrationpatient educationcare coordinationHCAHPS

Common questions

Registered Nurse resume questions, answered.

What does a good registered nurse resume look like in 2026?
A strong 2026 RN resume puts active licensure and required certifications (BLS, ACLS) near the top, then leads experience bullets with patient-care outcomes — patient load, satisfaction scores, safety improvements. It names the specialty and EMR, and stays single-column and ATS-readable, since hospital systems rely heavily on applicant tracking.
Where should I list my nursing license and certifications?
Near the top — in the header or a dedicated licensure/certifications section — including license type, state, number, and active status, plus BLS, ACLS, and any specialty certs. These are the first things hospital recruiters and ATS filters check, so they should never be buried at the bottom.
How do I quantify nursing experience on a resume?
Use patient ratios (a 5–6 patient telemetry assignment), unit size and acuity, satisfaction scores (HCAHPS), error or falls reductions, and preceptees trained and retained. These numbers show the scale and quality of care you deliver, which reads more strongly than a list of routine duties.
How do I tailor a nurse resume to a specific unit or hospital?
Match the exact specialty, EMR, and certifications the posting names — telemetry vs ICU, Epic vs Cerner — and foreground the most relevant clinical experience. ATS keyword matching is literal. Resuvia scores your resume against the job description and lists the keywords you are missing.
Is this registered nurse resume example ATS-friendly?
Yes. It uses a single-column layout, standard headings, a clear licensure and certifications section, and quantified patient-care bullets — the structure hospital ATS parsers read reliably. Avoid multi-column templates and tables, which frequently cause licensure details to be dropped.

More examples

Other resume examples.

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