Hospice Nurse Resume Example
Pursuing a career as a hospice nurse provides opportunities for career progression and responsibilities involving coordinating with MDs and providing patient care. A strong resume for hospice nurse applications showcases your skills, experience and achievements and helps you stand out from other candidates. In this article, we'll outline how to write a winning resume to boost your chances of success in your hospice nurse applications.
After reading this guide, you'll know what it takes to create a resume that really stands out from other hospice nurse applicants. 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. Continue reading to find expert tips and advice from Jobseeker that will help you with your hospice nurse resume.
What to include in a hospice nurse resume
The key sections to include in a hospice nurse resume are similar to those for any role or profession.
If you have no work experience as a hospice nurse or have just started in the industry, you could consider using a functional or skills-based format, which emphasizes your skills and education. Focus the content of your resume on your soft and transferable skills, and any hard or technical skills you've learned from your studies or career to date. You can also mention any relevant internships, training courses or voluntary roles you've taken on.
For those with some prior experience as a hospice nurse work experience is the most important element of a resume. Use a traditional, reverse-chronological resume format to emphasize your career timeline and achievements. By using this resume format you can focus on showing how your experience has helped you develop the required skills for the job. Review the job description to understand which key skills and experience to focus on.
Senior job applications require a slightly different approach to mid-level or junior hospice nurse roles. Use a reverse-chronological format focusing on your work experience, with a particular emphasis on the impact you've made. 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.
You will have some choice over your resume layout and structure, but be sure to include these sections as the core of your document:
Resume Header
A hospice 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. Be aware of the amount of space your resume header takes up. You don't want your contact details to take space away from the main content of your resume, so keep this section as brief as possible.
Opt for a professional-looking email address based on your name. If your email address could be construed as unprofessional or inappropriate because it contains nicknames or unsuitable language, create a new, more professional email address for your job applications. Always check your contact details to make sure they're up-to-date before you send your resume.
Jonathan Jimenez
jonathan.jimenez@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA
linkedin․com/in/jonathan–jimenez123
Resume Objective
Next, write a short paragraph to introduce yourself. You could also call this section 'resume summary' or 'personal profile'. In two or three sentences, explain your professional background, achievements and key skills. If you choose to write a resume summary, this focuses on your career experience to date. On the other hand, a resume objective addresses your future plans and career ambitions. Furthermore, when writing your profile, focus on two or three key skills and achievements that showcase your suitability for hospice nurse roles.
Alternatively, use this summary to introduce your personal career ambitions and explain why hospice nurse roles are a good fit for you at this stage of your career.
A great resume summary should highlight why you're an ideal candidate for hospice nurse roles by showing key skills and qualities that reflect the job description and provide evidence to support them. It should also introduce your personality and unique qualities to the reader, to help them start to form an opinion about you as a candidate. See below for some great examples of what to include in your hospice nurse resume summary.
Good example:
Compassionate and dedicated Hospice Nurse with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and extensive experience in providing end-of-life care. Proven ability to manage pain and symptoms, support emotional well-being, and ensure comfort for terminally ill patients. Skilled in coordinating with interdisciplinary teams, educating families, and maintaining detailed patient records. Committed to delivering empathetic and holistic care to enhance the quality of life for patients and their families during challenging times
Bad example:
Nurse with some background in healthcare and working with patients at the end of their lives. Have experience in helping manage discomfort and providing support. Worked with different teams and talked to families about care. Keep track of patient information and aim to provide care that helps patients and families during tough times
Alternatively, a poor resume summary would include bland, generic information that does little to prove your suitability for the role, while failing to provide any useful insights on you as a person or as a candidate. See above for some examples of things to avoid when writing your hospice nurse resume summary.
Work Experience
Your resume work experience section is the chance to show your relevant previous jobs and career achievements as a hospice nurse. Mention only the most appropriate and relevant jobs you've had in reverse-chronological order, starting with your most recent and working backwards. Add your job title, the name of the employer, the location of the role and your dates of employment.
Also include some bullet points for each job mentioned, showcasing your achievements so the employer can see the impact you made on the company. Pay attention to the job description and make sure each point is relevant to hospice nurse roles.
A good work experience section pulls the reader in with clear examples of where you've put the skills necessary for the job into good use in your career to date. This typically includes evidence of how your skills and activities contributed to positive outcomes for the organization. Take a look at the examples below for some guidance on what works best for your work experience section.
Good example:
Hospice Care Nurse, January 2022 - Present
Serenity Care Hospice Services, Phoenix
- Implemented individualized care plans, improving patient comfort and quality of life by 30%
- Trained and mentored 50+ nursing staff, enhancing team competence and patient care standards
- Coordinated interdisciplinary care teams, ensuring seamless communication and comprehensive patient management
Bad example:
Hospice Care Nurse, January 2022 - Present
Serenity Care Hospice Services, Phoenix
- Provided excellent patient care, ensuring satisfaction and comfort for all patients
- Worked collaboratively with healthcare teams to enhance overall patient experience
- Supported nursing staff in delivering high-quality care to patients
See above for some of the pitfalls to avoid with your resume work experience section. Ineffective work experience sections tend to focus too much on everyday responsibilities over skills and achievements. If you use vague descriptions of activities and fail to back up your achievements with evidence, you're likely to fail to make an impact on the reader.
Education
Your resume's education section provides space for you to list your highest and most relevant qualifications for hospice nurse roles.
Opportunities as a hospice nurse and similar roles in the sector usually require a specialist degree. If you have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, be sure to mention this in your resume. You might also want to list any qualifications that highlight your end-of-life care or pain management expertise.
List your relevant qualifications in reverse-chronological order. Add the name and level of the award, the institution, its location (if this isn't obvious from the name) and your dates of study. You can also add some bullet points outlining any high grades, awards you won or specialist subjects you studied. Adding this information will show the employer your dedication to learning and your areas of specialist knowledge.
If you were a member of any clubs or societies, or volunteered for any causes while studying, you could also mention these in your education section.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), 2017 - 2020
University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN
Hard and Soft Skills
The skills section is one of the main ways to show employers you've got the skills required for hospice nurse roles. Whether your skills include medication administration proficiency, emotional resilience or any other useful skills for the role, you'll want to list them here. Again, refer to the hospice nurse job description for an indication of the types of skills the employer is looking for, and make sure your skills section reflects these.
How to list hard skills on your hospice nurse resume
In your hard skills list, include any specific abilities related to the role you're applying for. These could be technical skills or industry knowledge that showcases your expertise in your chosen profession. Furthermore, these skills are essential for a hospice nurse resume as they showcase your expertise in the field. Include around four or five key hard skills that are listed in the job description. These skills will help to convince the hiring manager that you're a good fit for the position.
The best resume hard skills sections focus on specific technical skills necessary for the job, showcasing skills that you have particular expertise in. There are some examples of valuable hard skills for a hospice nurse resume below.
- Pain management expertise
- Medication administration proficiency
- EMR documentation skills
How to list soft skills on your hospice nurse resume
In your soft skills list, include any personal characteristics that make you a good fit for a hospice 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. Think of your best soft skills and add up to five that match the requirements of the job description.
A strong soft skills section should play to your strengths, listing skills that reflect your personal qualities while also reflecting the skills listed in the job description. For some examples of good soft skills for a hospice nurse resume, see below.
- Empathy and compassion
- Effective communication skills
- Emotional resilience
Certifications and Training
Your certifications section is the place to mention any relevant professional hospice nurse certifications, licenses or qualifications. These could be official licenses required for the job or certifications that improve your employability. Therefore, add any professional licenses or certifications, along with valid dates that show they're still valid.
Take a look at some example certifications for a hospice nurse resume below:
- CHPN: Certified Hospice, 2022
- ACHPN: Advanced Certified, 2022
- RN-BC: Registered Nurse-Board, 2022
Optional Resume Sections
As well as the main sections of a hospice nurse resume, optional sections can help you prove your credentials to employers. Take a look at the sections below and add any that help you show how and why you're right for the job.
Hobbies
Hobbies and interests can be a useful way of showing your skills and experience beyond your work and education. Hobbies can help you show different sides of your personality and make your resume more memorable to hiring managers. They're ideal to include if you're a junior candidate who might lack real world hospice nurse experience. Just make sure any hobbies and interests you include in your resume add genuine insight into your personality, in ways other sections of the resume can't.
Volunteering
Voluntary work can help you develop useful skills, so it's a valuable addition to your hospice nurse resume. Add your volunteer job title or role, the name of the organization, its location and the dates you were involved.
References
It's relatively unusual to include references in a standard hospice nurse resume, but they are required occasionally. Check the job advert to see if you'll need to add references to your resume. Include a maximum of three professional references, being sure to check with your referees before including them in your resume.
References are available upon request.
Best words to use in a hospice nurse resume
Using strong action words to make your resume resonate with the employer. Choose from the list of words below to make the best possible impression.
- Assess
- Administer
- Coordinate
- Educate
- Advocate
- Support
- Document
- Monitor
- Counsel
- Collaborate
If you want to create a resume that stands out from the crowd, use Jobseeker's expert-designed resume templates. You can also find cover letter templates that work to get you noticed by employers.
Example of a hospice nurse resume
Now that you know everything that needs to go into your hospice nurse resume, let's review an example resume that you can use as a guide when creating your own:
1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, CA
•
jonathan.jimenez@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/jonathan–jimenez123
Compassionate and dedicated hospice nurse with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and extensive experience in palliative care. Proficient in providing holistic, patient-centered care to individuals with life-limiting illnesses. Strong background in pain and symptom management, emotional support, and end-of-life care. Skilled in communication with patients, families, and multidisciplinary teams to ensure the highest quality of care and comfort.
Palliative Care Nurse
2020
-2022
Serenity Haven Palliative Care (Pittsburgh)
- Developed and implemented a comprehensive pain management protocol, reducing patient discomfort by 40%
- Successfully coordinated interdisciplinary teams to enhance patient-centered care, improving overall patient satisfaction scores by 35%
- Led educational workshops for nursing staff, increasing proficiency in palliative care techniques by 50%
Pain management expertise
Medication administration proficiency
EMR documentation skills
Empathy and compassion
Effective communication skills
Emotional resilience
CHPN: Certified Hospice
ACHPN: Advanced Certified
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Tips for hospice nurse resumes
Tips to write the best resume
- List your qualifications in your education section, including any necessary degrees or certifications, along with high grades.
- Showcase your key hospice nurse qualities with a strong resume summary or objective to catch the attention of the reader.
- Quantify your successes by providing figures and other evidence that shows how your skills have made a difference to your employer.
- Action verbs can help show the actions you've taken and the impact you've made in hospice nurse jobs (e.g. 'document', 'monitor', 'counsel').
- Use a clear, professional resume format to make your document as accessible as possible, including a readable font and appropriate headings, margins and line spacing. This will make your resume easier for recruiters and hiring managers to read.
Steer clear of these common resume writing errors
- Don't use passive language - change phrases like 'the project was delivered' to sentences using strong active verbs.
- Don't add hobbies and outside interests unless they help you prove a skill required for the role.
- Don't use out-of-date contact information. Always make sure your email address and phone number are correct before sending your resume.
- Don't include personal details beyond your name, location and contact details. Adding your age, gender, nationality or a photo can create unwanted hiring bias.
- Don't exaggerate, lie or hide details about yourself as these can all undermine your chances of success with hospice nurse applications.
Tips on creating an ATS-optimized resume
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. When writing your hospice nurse resume, a few simple tips can help you pass the ATS stage with a higher-ranking resume, giving you a better chance of success with your applications.
Follow these guidelines to create the best ATS-friendly resume:
- Opt for an established, traditional resume format such as a reverse-chronological or functional structure. These will ensure your resume includes all the necessary details ATS systems scan for.
- Add keywords throughout your resume that help ATS software match your application to the job description. A higher match means your application is more likely to proceed to be reviewed by human eyes.
- Include clear headings in each section that match the traditional resume structure and format. This will make it easier for the ATS software to scan your resume.
- Utilize a clean, clear resume design that helps make your content more readable. Use simple fonts and subtle color accents and design elements that don't detract from the written content.
- Keep your resume as concise as possible, to make it easier to read, and for ATS software to scan.
For help crafting a winning resume, read our in-depth career blog and review our resume examples for inspiration.
FAQs for a hospice nurse resume
After writing your hospice nurse resume, you'll want to write an accompanying cover letter that helps your application stand out.
Before you write your cover letter, think about whether you need a formal, professional letter or if a brief, less formal email might be more suitable.
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 hospice 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.
For help creating an eye-catching cover letter that impresses recruiters and hiring managers, use Jobseeker's professional cover letter templates.
If you have no experience, it's still possible to write a professional hospice nurse resume that makes a positive impression on hiring managers. Use a functional resume format instead of the standard reverse-chronological structure. This emphasizes your skills and education over your work experience. 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.
If you want to create a strong first impression in your hospice nurse application, a resume headline can help. Resume headlines can also help you pass the ATS stage of the selection process, by highlighting the job title and one or two key details. Write a short, snappy heading for your resume including the job title and a reference to your experience, your track record or one or two of your key skills.
Below you can see a resume headline example:
- Compassionate Junior Hospice Care Nurse
- Compassionate End-of-Life Care Specialist
- Experienced Senior Hospice Care Nurse
The most suitable resume format for you depends on two crucial factors. Firstly, whether you have a body of relevant work experience. Secondly, the type of job and its seniority level. For entry-level roles, or situations where you're changing to a new career, a functional resume is often the best option. This places your skills and education above your work experience. On the other hand, if you're experienced in your industry or applying for senior positions, a traditional, reverse chronological resume format is usually best. This places most emphasis on your work experience.
Key points for your hospice nurse resume
The best resumes focus on your skills and the value you've added to previous roles, rather than focusing on your duties and responsibilities. Select a resume format that suits your experience levels and the job you're applying for, and make sure you tailor your resume for each application.
Using the professional resume templates and resources of Jobseeker can help you create a great-looking resume that stands out from other applicants. Sign up today and follow the simple steps to get started. Jobseeker's expert-designed cover letter generator can help your applications make a strong first impression on hiring managers. Find detailed cover letter examples to complement your resume and get your application noticed.
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/
