ER Nurse Resume Example
Starting a career as an ER nurse gives you the chance to gain experience in assessing patient conditions and collaborating with ER team. To succeed in your applications for ER nurse roles, you'll need a resume that reflects your relevant skills and experience. In this article, we'll highlight tips and examples for creating an emergency room nurse resume that makes a winning impression on recruiters and hiring managers.
This complete guide to an ER nurse resume will equip you with the tools you need to compete in your applications. The guide will show you practical examples of how to structure your resume to show off your best and most relevant skills and career achievements. It will also show you how to tailor your resume according to the job description and your unique skill set. Read on to learn the tips Jobseeker careers experts recommend as the best for your ER nurse resume.
Key sections for an ER nurse resume
Most resumes contain similar key sections, with an emergency room nurse resume being no different.
A functional or skills-based resume format might be best for applications where you have little or no relevant ER nurse experience. This layout prioritizes your skills and education sections above your work experience. Soft and transferable skills are often more highly valued by employers for junior roles, so highlight these. Also add any internships, volunteer work or training courses you've undertaken.
When applying for mid-level ER nurse positions, it's typically best to opt for a reverse-chronological resume format. This is because work experience tends to be the most important resume section for this level. In your resume work experience section, outline your relevant achievements and showcase the impact you've made in your career to date. Make sure everything you include is relevant to the job description.
For senior ER nurse roles, you're likely to be competing against highly experienced candidates. Use a reverse-chronological resume format and focus on adding additional information that shows your credentials beyond your work experience. Expect your senior resume to be slightly longer than resumes for more junior roles. This is because you 'll want to add details of professional memberships, awards, publications, presentations and other achievements expected of senior professionals.
While the content and format of your resume may vary depending on your experience levels, it's important to always include the following sections:
Resume Header
A ER nurse resume header contains your name and contact information. Add your first and last name, your phone number and your email address. Include your address or location, but avoid adding any other personal information. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can add the URL to your header so the hiring manager can get a better understanding of your work history and experience. Make your resume header clear, concise and as brief and compact as possible. Consider different layouts that spread the information horizontally across the page rather than using a different line for each piece of information.
Use an email address that's professional and appropriate for professional communication. Typically this would be an email address based on your first and last name, or your initials. If necessary, you could include your profession or another unique identifier. Avoid using old email addresses that could be considered unprofessional or inappropriate. Additionally, always check your contact details before sending your resume to ensure they're up-to-date.
Kyle Lee
kyle.lee@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
5150 Maple Drive, Twin Peaks, WA
linkedin․com/in/kyle–lee123
Resume Summary
The next section is the resume summary. The section might also be called 'resume objective' or 'personal profile'. This is a brief introduction to you, your key skills and your career achievements and ambitions. While a resume summary focuses on your career achievements and experience, a resume objective typically focuses on your ambitions for the future. However, make sure you keep your resume summary short and snappy, and focused on the skills and experience listed in the job description.
Alternatively, you could use this section to reference your objectives and ambitions, and how this role would fit into your career journey.
The best resume summaries reflect the job description and focus on qualities that are relevant to working as an ER nurse, while highlighting elements of your personality that make you an ideal candidate. They also quantify the information provided with evidence. You can see some positive examples of a resume summary for ER nurse jobs below.
Good example:
Highly skilled and dedicated ER Nurse with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and extensive experience in high-pressure emergency room settings. Proficient in rapid assessment, critical thinking, and delivering high-quality patient care in urgent situations. Adept at collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, managing multiple priorities, and maintaining composure in fast-paced environments. Excellent communication skills and a commitment to patient advocacy and safety
Bad example:
Nurse with a degree in nursing and some experience in busy places. Can quickly look at situations and think critically to help patients. Works with different teams and handles many tasks at once. Stays calm when things get hectic. Good at talking to people and cares about keeping patients safe
On the other hand, a resume summary can be ineffective if it lacks specific information about how your skills align with the job description, or fails to paint a picture of your unique qualities and talents. In the graphic above you can find some negative examples of how to write a resume summary.
Work Experience
In your work experience section, list any previous relevant roles you've worked in, as well as your key achievements as an ER nurse. Include any relevant jobs you've held in reverse-chronological order. Start with your current or most recent roles and work back through previous roles. For each job, list your title, the name of the company, its location and the dates you worked there.
For each job listed in this section, add some bullet points so the employer can understand the skills you developed, and your achievements. Focus on showcasing the impact you made on the organization, and show evidence of how you made a difference.
The best resume work experience sections focus only on the most relevant previous jobs, and link each bullet point back to a skill or experience listed in the job description. It's also critical to provide evidence that shows the value you added to each role in a quantifiable way, such as project outcomes, key performance indicators or feedback from customers, colleagues or managers. See below for some good examples of what to include in your resume work experience section.
Good example:
Emergency Room Nurse, January 2022 - Present
VitalCare Emergency Services, Madison
- Successfully reduced patient wait times by 30% through efficient triage and workflow optimization
- Spearheaded a training program resulting in a 25% increase in staff proficiency with advanced life support techniques
- Coordinated a multidisciplinary team to improve patient outcomes, achieving a 15% decrease in emergency department readmissions
Bad example:
Emergency Room Nurse, January 2022 - Present
VitalCare Emergency Services, Madison
- Improved patient care through teamwork and collaboration
- Enhanced department efficiency by implementing new processes
- Led initiatives to boost staff skills and knowledge
The example above can give you some idea of what not to include in your resume work experience section. Poor examples of resume work experience sections tend to be vague and fail to quantify your achievements and the impact you've made in your career to date. They may also focus on responsibilities above relevant skills and how you've used them.
Education
Your resume's education section provides space for you to list your highest and most relevant qualifications for ER nurse roles.
Typically, working as an ER nurse requires a university or college degree, which you'll need to list on your resume. If you're working in this sector, it's usually a good idea to highlight your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree or other relevant qualifications. Focus on qualifications that showcase your advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) or electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation.
List every relevant qualification, including the name and level of the course, the name of the school, college or university, its location and your graduation date. Include bullet points to show any specialist modules you studied, awards or exceptional grades and achievements that can set you apart from other candidates. These will all contribute to creating a positive impression on employers.
Membership or leadership of any societies, clubs or causes while studying can also make a positive impression on hiring managers. Consider adding these to your education section for more insight into how you used your time as a student.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), 2017 - 2020
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Skills
The skills section is one of the main ways to show employers you've got the skills required for ER nurse roles. Whether your skills include electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation, emotional resilience or any other useful skills for the role, you'll want to list them here. Again, refer to the job description and make sure you include skills that the employer has listed as essential or desirable for employment as an ER nurse.
Highlighting your hard skills
Hard skills are specific skills related to the job you're applying for. They include particular abilities, technical skills and industry knowledge that relate directly to jobs as an ER nurse. Furthermore, your hard skills list helps to show employers how competent and experienced you are at key ER nurse duties and responsibilities. If possible, add four or five hard skills that reflect the requirements of the job description. These will boost your chances of success in your applications.
If you want to make a strong impression with your hard skills list, focus on hard skills that align with your specific industry expertise, and that reflect the job description. For inspiration on the right type of hard skills for an emergency room nurse resume, see below.
- Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS)
- Electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation
- Intravenous (IV) therapy
Adding soft skills to your ER nurse resume
In your soft skills list, include any personal characteristics that make you a good fit for an ER nurse job. Soft skills tend to be more universal than hard skills, but they're no less important. In fact, as technology develops, soft skills are growing in importance for recruiters and employers, so be sure to add several of these to your resume. You should generally look to include up to five soft or transferable skills that match the job description.
An effective ER nurse resume soft skills section should be targeted to include skills that reflect your personality and unique characteristics, while also matching the job description. The graphic below includes some examples of good resume soft skills.
- Effective communication skills
- Critical thinking abilities
- Emotional resilience
Relevant Certifications and Licenses
Your certifications section is the place to mention any relevant professional ER nurse certifications, licenses or qualifications. Add any official certifications or accreditations that increase your level of qualification and suitability for working as an ER nurse. Therefore, include the details of any licenses and professional certifications required for ER nurse roles, along with completion dates so employers can see you're up-to-date.
Read on to see some relevant example certifications for an emergency room nurse resume:
- ACLS Certification, 2022
- PALS Certification, 2022
- TNCC Certification, 2022
Optional Sections
There are several additional sections you could add to an emergency room nurse resume, to improve your chances of success. Pick from the optional sections below to help show the employer you have the skills and experience for the job.
Hobbies
Including your hobbies and interests can be a valuable way of showing your key skills and qualities. Your hobbies and interests are useful for an emergency room nurse resume if you want to show a different side to your personality, or to stand out among other candidates. They can also be valuable if you're a junior candidate without much relevant work experience. Only include hobbies and interests that showcase your personality and personal qualities, and add something different to your application.
Voluntary Work
Voluntary work can help you develop useful skills, so it's a valuable addition to your ER nurse resume. Include the title of your volunteer role, who you volunteered for, as well as the dates you carried out the work. Provide brief details of your responsibilities and the impact you made.
References
Standard ER nurse resumes don't tend to include references, but you might find them requested occasionally. Check the job advert to see if you'll need to add references to your resume. Add two or three professional references, and be sure to approach each referee before you include them.
Please contact me for a list of references.
Best action words for your ER nurse resume
Start each bullet point in your work experience section with a strong verb to show actions you took. Add strong verbs from the list below to create a greater impact with your work experience section.
- Assess
- Coordinate
- Administer
- Monitor
- Triage
- Stabilize
- Document
- Collaborate
- Educate
- Prioritize
For help creating an eye-catching resume design to catch the attention of hiring managers, see Jobseeker's professional resume layouts. You can also use our clear, effective cover letter templates to complete your application.
Sample ER nurse resume
Now we've covered the main sections to include in your ER nurse resume, let's take a look at how it all comes together in the example below:
5150 Maple Drive, Twin Peaks, WA
•
kyle.lee@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/kyle–lee123
Experienced ER Nurse with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Proven ability to provide high-quality care in fast-paced emergency room settings. Skilled in triage, patient assessment, emergency procedures, and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams. Strong communicator with a commitment to patient advocacy and safety.
Emergency Room Nurse (RN)
2020
-2022
SwiftCare Medical Center (Wichita)
- Successfully managed and stabilized over 200 critical patients annually in a high-volume emergency department
- Spearheaded a triage improvement project, reducing patient wait times by 30% and enhancing overall departmental efficiency
- Trained and mentored 15 new nurses, leading to a 95% retention rate and improved team performance in emergency scenarios
Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS)
Electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation
Intravenous (IV) therapy
Effective communication skills
Critical thinking abilities
Emotional resilience
ACLS Certification
PALS Certification
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Best practices for an ER nurse resume
Key tips to help you craft a strong resume
- Mention key skills that show you're suited to the job throughout your resume, as well as in the dedicated skills section.
- Use strong action words to demonstrate the impact you've made in each ER nurse role (e.g. 'monitor', 'triage', 'stabilize').
- Adapt your resume for every job application for maximum impact. Review the job description to understand the specific requirements for the role.
- Make a strong first impression with a concise, impactful ER nurse resume summary that showcases your key qualities.
- Use a professional resume format with clear headings, a defined structure and consistent margins for optimum readability.
Things to avoid on your resume
- Don't use old contact information and always review your resume header to make sure it contains the latest information.
- Don't list irrelevant work experience as it will likely do nothing for your chances of success.
- Don't include any personal details, such as a photo, your age or marital status. These can create unwanted bias in the recruitment process.
- Don't lie or exaggerate about your ER nurse experience or achievements as it can harm your chances in the long term.
- Don't use passive language - avoid phrases like 'I was tasked with' and use strong action verbs instead.
How to make your resume ATS compliant
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are increasingly taking responsibility for the management and processing of job applications, helping hiring practices to become more efficient. This can include screening resumes by scanning and ranking each application according to how closely it matches the job description. If you follow a few simple tips when writing your ER nurse resume, you'll give yourself a better chance of ranking highly in the ATS screening and progressing to the next stage.
Here a some simple tips to follow for an ATS-friendly resume:
- Choose a resume structure that matches the traditional, reverse-chronological layout or alternatively, the functional resume structure. This should make your resume more readable for ATS applications.
- Use of job description keywords throughout your resume will help it rank higher in the ATS scanning stage, as it will more closely match the requirements laid out in the job description.
- Include clear headings that make it easy to identify each section of your resume. This will help any ATS software navigate your resume during the scanning process.
- Use design elements that help make your resume more readable. These might include white space, clear, professional fonts and subtle color accents to help certain elements stand out.
- Keep your resume as concise as possible, to make it easier to read, and for ATS software to scan.
If you need help creating a professional resume, take a look at our expert career articles and variety of resume examples created by careers experts.
Frequently Asked Questions about an emergency room nurse resume
After writing your ER nurse resume, you'll want to write an accompanying cover letter that helps your application stand out.
Check the job description to see whether a full, formal cover letter is necessary. In some situations, it might be more suitable to simply send a brief email to introduce yourself and accompany your resume.
A full, formal cover letter follows a traditional letter-writing structure and format. Add your header, the recipient's address an use professional greetings and sign-offs. In your first paragraph, introduce yourself and confirm the role you're applying for, along with your reasons for applying. Next, outline your key skills and achievements that are most relevant to the ER nurse job description. Finish by expressing your enthusiasm for the role and adding a call to action to encourage the hiring manager to contact you for further information.
You can create a professional cover letter in just a few simple, easy-to-follow steps using Jobseeker's tried and tested cover letter templates.
Writing an ER nurse resume with no experience needn't be a daunting task. There are still plenty of ways to impress hiring managers with your resume. Use a skills-based resume format to highlight your relevant skills and education. This is more suitable for junior or entry-level roles where you might not have much work experience to showcase. Optional sections at the end of your resume can play a stronger role if you're lacking relevant work experience. Use certifications and training, hobbies and interests, volunteer roles and internships to show you've got the necessary skills for the job.
A strong resume headline can give the reader an immediate idea of your suitability for ER nurse jobs. A well-constructed resume headline can help your resume rank highly with ATS screening tools by referencing some of the key information from the job description. Write a concise headline including the job title, a reference to your experience or track record and one or two key skills.
Here's an example of a strong resume headline:
- Dedicated Junior ER Nurse Professional
- Experienced Emergency Room Nurse Specialist
- Experienced Senior ER Nurse Leader
The resume format that gives you the best chances of success depends on your experience levels, as well as the type of job you're applying for and its seniority level. If you're applying for a junior position or changing careers, you might want to consider a functional resume. This highlights your skills and education over your work experience. For more senior roles where you have plenty of relevant experience, use a reverse chronological format. This resume structure places work experience at the heart of the document, using it as a showcase for your skills and achievements.
Takeaways for your ER nurse resume
If you want to catch the eye of employers and recruiters, you need a professional resume that showcases your best skills and career achievements. Choose a resume structure that makes the most of your relevant experience, whether through work or other activities, and be sure to tailor your resume to match the job description.
Use Jobseeker's resume templates, other tools and resources to create an application that impresses employers. Sign up today to access a wealth of valuable resume and cover letter resources. To make the best possible impression with your applications, write a cover letter with the help of Jobseeker. You can also find plenty of expert-designed cover letter examples for inspiration.
Sources:
(1) Tips for Writing a Federal Resume, U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/tips-for-writing-a-federal-resume
(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/
