Psych Nurse Resume Example
A career as a psych nurse typically involves assessing patient needs and administering medications safely. A professional resume for psych nurse applications will showcase your relevant skills and career achievements, to help you stand out from the crowd. In this article, we'll showcase resume tips and examples that can help you create a professional psych nurse resume that catches the eye of hiring managers.
The aim of this article is to equip you with all the knowledge required to create a resume that positions you to succeed in your psych nurse applications. You'll learn how to show employers you've got the relevant qualities, skills and experience for the job, all presented in a format that employers prefer to see. The article also includes tips for formatting your resume according to your experience and strengths. Read on to access expert insights from Jobseeker that will help you create a winning psych nurse resume.
Core sections to include in a psychiatric nurse resume
Most resumes contain similar key sections, with a psychiatric nurse resume being no different.
If you're applying for an entry-level psych nurse role and have limited relevant experience, consider using a skills-based, or functional resume format. The layout emphasizes your skills and education 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 psych 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. Your resume should focus on your career achievements, and the role you've played in successful projects and activities for your employers. Consult the job description for guidance on what to showcase, and provide evidence to support your claims.
As a highly experienced candidate, you'll want your psych nurse resume to showcase your depth of relevant work experience, as well as other achievements. Use a reverse-chronological format and add additional sections to prove you're a strong candidate. Some elements to include in a senior resume for maximum impact might include awards, publications, conference presentations or professional memberships. By adding these sections, it's likely that your resume will be longer than a junior resume.
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 and Personal Information
Your psych nurse resume header is the place to add your contact details. Start by adding your full name and underneath, include your email address, phone number and location. Adding your LinkedIn profile, if you have one, can help the employer get a better insight into your skills and industry expertise. You don't need to include any additional personal information or a photo. 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.
Daniel Wright
daniel.wright@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
666 Park Avenue, New York, NY
linkedin․com/in/daniel–wright123
Resume Summary
In your resume summary, write a short paragraph that highlights two or three of your key achievements and skills for psych nurse roles. You could also call this section 'resume objective' or 'personal profile'. A resume summary covers your career experience to date, while a resume objective focuses more 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, write a paragraph that concentrates on your career objectives and how this role fits with your wider ambitions and progression.
A good resume summary is short and snappy, and focused on the skills and experience listed in the job description, with evidence to back it up. It will also help the reader to form their first impressions of you by providing an insight into your personality and unique qualities. See below for some great examples of how to approach your psych nurse resume.
Good example:
Experienced Psychiatric Nurse with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and a proven background as a Psychiatric Nurse Specialist. Skilled in comprehensive patient assessment, individualized care planning, crisis intervention, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Adept at managing a diverse caseload, providing therapeutic support, and utilizing evidence-based practices to improve patient outcomes in mental health settings. Highly compassionate, patient-focused, and dedicated to fostering a safe and supportive environment for individuals with psychiatric conditions
Bad example:
Nurse with some experience in mental health care and a degree in nursing. Worked in roles where I assessed patients and helped plan their care. Handled various patient situations and provided support. Tried to use best practices to help improve patient experiences. Focused on creating a caring and safe space for people dealing with mental health issues
On the other hand, an unsuccessful resume summary is one that mentions irrelevant skills, qualities and achievements and fails to differentiate you from other candidates. The visual above includes some examples of what not to do with your psych nurse 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 a psych nurse. For each entry, list the job title, the name of the employer, its location and the dates you worked there. Add each job in reverse-chronological order, starting with your current or most recent role.
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. Take a look at the examples below for some guidance on what works best for your work experience section.
Good example:
Psychiatric Nurse Specialist, January 2022 - Present
Mindful Care Solutions, New Orleans
- Developed and implemented comprehensive mental health treatment plans for over 100 patients, resulting in a 30% improvement in recovery rates
- Spearheaded a community outreach program focusing on mental health education, reaching over 5,000 individuals and reducing stigma
- Provided expert consultation and training to a multidisciplinary team, enhancing the quality of psychiatric care and reducing patient readmission rates by 15%
Bad example:
Psychiatric Nurse Specialist, January 2022 - Present
Mindful Care Solutions, New Orleans
- Assisted in patient care and treatment planning
- Participated in community mental health initiatives
- Collaborated with healthcare professionals to improve service delivery
The example above can give you some idea of what not to include in your resume work experience section. A bad resume work experience section might fail to address skills and achievements that relate directly to the job description. Falling back on clichés, vague descriptions and basic responsibilities, rather than showing the impact you made, is likely to disengage the reader.
Educational Achievements
Under education, add details of any degrees or professional qualifications relevant to psych nurse roles.
A psych nurse role tends to require candidates to have a university or college degree, so make sure you list yours in your resume. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree or similar is the most suitable for this job, but you could also include any other relevant qualifications that show your crisis intervention skills or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
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 enhance this section by adding bullet points that show any outstanding grades, awards or achievements and any specialist subjects you studied. These details can make you stand out from other candidates.
Additionally, mentioning any leadership roles or any societies and clubs you participated in while studying shows proactivity and initiative.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), 2017 - 2020
University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL
Hard and Soft Skills
Adding a list of your key skills provides a quick reference for the reader of what you can bring to a psych nurse role. Skills such as patient assessment techniques or emotional intelligence (EI) are particularly useful for psych nurse jobs. Additionally, read the job description to make sure your skills match those required for psych nurse positions. You could also include some unique skills that help you stand out as a candidate.
How to list hard skills on your psych nurse resume
Hard skills are the key technical skills required for psych nurse positions. They include specific industry knowledge and abilities that you could learn on the job, or through a specialist qualification. Furthermore, it's important to show these skills in a psych nurse resume as they provide a strong indication of your experience in the sector. 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 a psychiatric nurse resume, see below.
- Patient assessment techniques
- Medication administration proficiency
- Crisis intervention skills
Showcasing your best soft skills
In your soft skills list, include any personal characteristics that make you a good fit for a psych nurse job. Soft skills tend to be more universal than hard skills, but they're no less important. Indeed, transferable skills are growing in importance in the modern world of work, so make sure you include several of these in your resume. Aim to include approximately five soft skills that reflect the skills listed in 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 psych nurse resume, see below.
- Emotional intelligence (EI)
- Active listening skills
- Problem-solving abilities
Certifications and Training
In this section, include any psych nurse certifications, training or licenses you hold that are relevant to the job. These could be professional accreditations and licenses, or certifications that improve your level of suitability for the position. Therefore, list any official licenses and certifications, along with their dates, so employers can assess whether you've got the necessary qualifications to work as a psych nurse.
Take a look at some example certifications for a psych nurse resume below:
- PMH-BC, 2022
- CARN, 2022
- PMHCNS-BC, 2022
Jobseeker Tip:
Additional Information
If you need to provide further evidence of your suitability for the job, optional sections can be useful for a psychiatric nurse resume. Add any of the sections below that help you showcase your key skills and experience.
Hobbies
Including your hobbies and interests can be a valuable way of showing your key skills and qualities. They also help to show a different side of your personality, and can help your resume create a more memorable impression on hiring managers. If you're short on real world work experience, hobbies and interests can be a useful way of providing more information about your qualities. 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.
Volunteer Experience
Listing volunteer work is another useful way to prove your relevant experience for psych nurse roles. Add your volunteer job title or role, the name of the organization, its location and the dates you were involved.
References
It's not typical to include references in a psych nurse resume, but some employers might ask for them. Don't add references unless requested by the employer. Include a maximum of three professional references, being sure to check with your referees before including them in your resume.
Please contact me for a list of references.
Best action words for your psych nurse resume
Add strong verbs to your work experience section to show the hiring manager the impact you made in your previous roles. Add strong verbs from the list below to create a greater impact with your work experience section.
- Assess
- Evaluate
- Counsel
- Advocate
- Educate
- Intervene
- Coordinate
- Document
- Support
- Collaborate
Jobseeker's resume templates were created by careers experts to help you produce a professional resume in minutes. You can also find cover letter templates to complete an eye-catching job application that gets you noticed.
Example resume for psych nurse applications
The psych nurse resume example below includes all the sections above, so you can see how a completed resume looks:
666 Park Avenue, New York, NY
•
daniel.wright@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/daniel–wright123
Dedicated and compassionate Behavioral Health Registered Nurse with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and extensive experience in mental health care. Proficient in patient assessment, crisis intervention, and therapeutic communication. Skilled in developing and implementing individualized care plans, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, and providing holistic support to patients with diverse psychiatric conditions. Committed to promoting mental wellness and improving patient outcomes through evidence-based practice and empathetic care
Behavioral Health Registered Nurse
2020
-2022
Mindful Care Solutions (Hialeah)
- Implemented evidence-based interventions, reducing patient readmissions by 25%
- Led mental health crisis team, achieving a 90% de-escalation success rate
- Developed patient education programs, increasing medication adherence by 30%
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
2017
-2020
University of Mississippi (Oxford, MS)
Patient assessment techniques
Medication administration proficiency
Crisis intervention skills
Emotional intelligence (EI)
Active listening skills
Problem-solving abilities
PMH-BC
CARN
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Tips for psych nurse resumes
Simple tips for creating a winning resume
- Choose a resume format that's clear, professional and makes your resume as readable as possible. Pay particular attention to the font, line spacing, heading and margins to make your document as easy-to-read as possible for employers.
- Adapt your resume depending on the job you're applying for. Take a look at the job description and make sure you reference all the required key skills and experience.
- Reference your key qualifications and educational achievements, including grades if these help you stand out from other candidates.
- Add each relevant job in reverse-chronological order, beginning with your current or most recent position and working back from there.
- Quantify your successes by providing figures and other evidence that shows how your skills have made a difference to your employer.
Steer clear of these common resume writing errors
- 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 use old contact information and always review your resume header to make sure it contains the latest information.
- Don't clutter your document by trying to add too many details. Focus on core psych nurse skills and achievements that are relevant to the role.
- Don't lie or exaggerate the details of your psych nurse career or education, as this can backfire later in the recruitment process.
- Don't use an email address that contains unprofessional content, and if necessary create a new, more professional email address.
Making an ATS-friendly resume
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are one of the key ways recruiters and employers manage the hiring process. The systems can screen candidates by scanning and ranking resumes based on each candidate's likely suitability for the vacancy. When you're writing your psych nurse resume, there are several things you can do to make sure your resume stands the best chance of passing the ATS stage.
Follow these simple rules when writing your resume, to make sure it's ATS compliant:
- Use a traditional resume format, such as reverse-chronological or functional. These will give your resume a structure that's easier for ATS systems to scan.
- 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.
- Add each section with clear headings that match the established resume conventions, so ATS software can easily identify each part of your resume.
- Use a resume design that includes clean, professional design elements to give your content space to breathe. This might include clear, readable fonts, subtle color accents and simple design elements.
- Keep your resume as concise as possible, to make it easier to read, and for ATS software to scan.
For advice and guidance on creating the perfect resume, read our expert career blog and check out our detailed resume examples.
FAQs for a psych nurse resume
Alongside your psych nurse resume, it's important to produce a professional cover letter that creates a similar positive impact on the reader.
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.
If you decide you want to write a traditional cover letter, follow the standard letter-writing conventions around layout and structure. In the main body of the letter, write an opening paragraph to introduce yourself and explain why you're applying for the psych nurse role. Your second paragraph is typically where you highlight your key relevant skills and achievements. Finally, close by expressing your enthusiasm for the role and leave a call to action to encourage the hiring manager to make contact with you.
Jobseeker's HR-approved cover letter templates can help you produce a cover letter that really catches the eye of employers.
If you have no experience, it's still possible to write a professional psych 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. Make the most of additional sections such as hobbies and interests, volunteer work, certifications and internships. These can help you showcase skills that you've developed outside traditional work settings.
Use a resume headline to make it easy for the reader to start assessing your suitability for psych nurse positions at first glance. A well-written resume headline is also a way to increase your chances of passing the ATS resume scanning stage, by referencing keywords that match 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.
See below for an example of a well-constructed resume headline:
- Junior Psychiatric Nurse Seeking Growth
- Compassionate and Skilled Psychiatric Nurse
- Experienced Senior Psychiatric Nurse Specialist
The best resume format for you depends on two things. Firstly, it depends on your experience level. Secondly, it depends on the type and level of position you're applying for. For applicants without much relevant work experience, a functional resume format tends to be best. This places the emphasis on your key skills and relevant qualifications. If, however, you have experience in your chosen profession, a traditional, reverse chronological resume format might be the way to go. This showcases your relevant skills and achievements in your work experience section.
Takeaways for your psych nurse resume
The key to a strong resume is to showcase your relevant skills and achievements through your work experience and other activities. Use a suitable resume format and tailor your resume for every application you submit.
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. A stylish, professional cover letter can make all the difference to your job prospects. See Jobseeker's cover letter examples, written by careers experts, to help you craft an eye-catching application.
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/
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