Working as a nursing manager is a challenging and varied role, where you’ll deal with everything from supervising nursing staff to assisting with budgetary decisions to case management to providing critical care! In this article, we’ll show you the best ways to format your nursing management resume, and exactly what you should include for the best chance of landing an interview… and your dream job!
We’ll also provide you with some nursing management resumes and templates you can use to apply for any of the following positions:
Nursing Manager / Nurse Manager
Assistant Nurse Manager
Registered Nurses / Practical Nurses
Chief Nursing Officer
Nurse Practitioner
Medical Director
Choose the Best Format for Your Nursing Management Resume
While nurse manager resumes generally follow the same standard format you’d use for other healthcare professionals, there are some key elements you should be sure to include in your nurse manager resume:
Resume Objective
Work Experience (including any notable achievements)
Education
Licenses and Certifications
Skills
Contact Information
In addition to the above, you should also include any details which are relevant to the particular job posting. For example, if the posting specifically calls for applicants with medication administration experience, you may also want to include a section on ‘Core Competencies’ or ‘Additional Skills’.
If applicable, you can also include the following sections - just remember to keep your nurse manager resume to a maximum of two pages, with one page being ideal.
Languages Spoken
Internships
Volunteer / Charity Work
Notable Seminars or Conferences Attended
If mentioned in the job advert, you can also include a section for computer literacy (such as knowledge of certain EHR software) or technical skills (such as familiarity with specialized medical equipment like MRI scanners).
The best way to make sure you’re ticking all the right boxes is to start off with a nurse manager resume template. The good news is we’ll provide you with some resume examples and templates later in this article!
How to Write an Entry-Level Nursing Manager Resume
If you don’t yet have direct experience as a clinical nurse manager, knowing what to put on your resume under work experience can be a challenge. However, there are some ways to show you have the nursing care skills needed to get the job done.
Place a strong emphasis on the skills and experience you’ve accrued in more junior nursing roles and mention things like case management or disease management. If you’ve ever filled in for a nursing manager or any other nursing staff when they were away from work, this is a prime example - and should be featured prominently in your nurse manager resume.
Any duties which spill over into those of a clinical nurse manager are important to highlight. For example, training new staff, improving patient satisfaction, clinical nursing care and overseeing team members. The better you can showcase your management skills, the more likely you are to be considered for a clinical nurse manager position.
Remember that there are other positions you can apply for if you aren’t having much success with more senior roles. In this case, a position such as assistant nurse manager is ideal, and will provide the perfect stepping stone on your career path.
If you’re a little stumped at this point, you're not alone! The resume objective is a common feature in a nurse manager resume, but knowing what to include here can be a challenge.
Firstly, what is a resume objective? Basically, this section gives you a space to tell the reader why you've applied for the job. Essentially, this part is about where you’ve been, and where you want to go in your career . It’s a chance to show you're ambitious and ready for a new challenge!
What is a good objective for a nursing resume?
You should always tailor this section of your nurse manager resume to the position you're applying for, rather than using a generic resume objective. When the reader can see you've taken the time to personalize your application, it immediately captures their attention.
One crucial aspect of the resume objective is mentioning what your current or most recent role was. This applies whether you’re going after a senior or entry-level role.
Examples of the Perfect Resume Objective for Nurse Manager resume
CORRECT
Driven Nursing Manager with 5 years of experience in disease management. An inspiring and conscientious leader with a strong background in ER management, team development and a solid reputation for assessing business needs, developing cost-saving solutions, disease management and driving patient satisfaction.
Strong experience in developing comprehensive post-treatment plans with patients and doctors to achieve quality healthcare.
How to Write an Eye-Grabbing Education Section on a Resume for Nursing Staff
Of all the industries out there, the medical field is perhaps the one where highlighting your credentials and qualifications is most crucial. That’s because hospitals and other healthcare facilities have a legal obligation to hire staff that are capable and qualified.
In fact, they can get in serious legal trouble if they don’t - so you can take it for granted that they’ll be paying close attention here.
Here’s what you should include under this section in your nurse manager resume:
Details of your college or nursing university degree as well as your GPA
Nursing certificate or equivalent
Any specialist training you’ve done in addition to your tertiary education, such as a certificate in bloodborne pathogens, oncology or pediatric nursing
Any qualifications which complement the work you will be doing, such as stress management training
Remember to also include the year(s) in which you received the qualification, and the institution which issued the certification. Here’s a typical example:
Examples of Effective Education Section for Nurse Manager resume
CORRECT
Bachelor of Science - Nursing BSN
University of Pennsylvania , 2008
Associate of Science in Nursing ASN
Alabama Nursing School 2005
INCORRECT
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Associate of Science
Don’t Forget to Include a Work Experience Section in Your Resume
Once the recruiter sees you have the right qualifications for the job, the next place they’ll look is at your work history. This is your chance to show them you have experience they can use straight away, with minimal on-the-job training or onboarding required.
Always give your most recent or current employment first, and work backward chronologically. Take extra care to give details which will be of interest to the employer. For example, if the healthcare provider which posted the job is known for their advanced radiology services, make sure to mention any experience you have in this field.
If you've only had nursing experience, highlight any duties you had which show off your management potential like your excellent case management or disease management skills. Some good examples might be assisting with shift scheduling, participating in a hospital-wide disease management program, or working with your supervisor on a project to improve patient outcomes
It is important however not to include too much detail on your nurse manager resume - especially details which aren’t relevant to the nurse manager position you’re applying for. Unless the duties you performed can actually help the employer, they will distract from all your experience.
Work Experience Examples
CORRECT
Responsible for the administration of oral, intramuscular and IV medications to patients, monitored patient responses and took action if urgent situations occurred.
Acted as patient advocate to identify insurance coverage, discussed care preferences of patients, relayed information to medical practitioners, and verified interventions were aligned with patients' treatment objectives.
Worked in busy and high caseload emergency room in coordination with interdisciplinary team to assist in diagnosing and provide treatment and acute care to patients.
Ensured adequate supplies were on hand to meet expected patient requirements.
Provided influenza and pneumonia immunization to vulnerable patients to assist with disease management.
Responsible for maintaining high levels of staff development and training for clinical nursing staff
Responsible for installation and maintenance of electronic medical records
Always Include Volunteer Experience in Your Clinical Nurse Manager Resume
One thing that all nursing positions have in common is the need for an empathetic and caring personality. Showcasing any volunteer experience you have is the perfect way to demonstrate that you have the right personal traits to take excellent care of your patients. This can make you stand out in a pile of nurse manager resumes.
Even if your volunteer work isn’t in the medical field, it shows that you’re willing to help others - and that’s what being a nursing manager is all about! Some examples might be volunteering at a free clinic, helping out with a charity like Habitat for Humanity or an animal shelter, being an active member of your college’s Student Organization, or working at a soup kitchen. All these types of things will bolster your nurse manager resume.
When listing your volunteer experience, you should format this section the same way you did your work experience. You will have lots of transferable skills such as critical thinking skills and case management skills that will boost your nurse manager resume.
Skills for Nursing Management Resumes
This section of your clinical nurse manager resume gives you the chance to really wow the reader with all the unique abilities you bring to the table! What are the skills of a nurse manager?
Here are some examples of hard skills and soft skills for nursing personnel which you could include:
Hard Skills for Nurse Manager Resume:
Advanced cardiac life support
Quality improvement
Critical care / Acute care
Case management
Emergency room experience
Excellent clinical skills
Clinical programs and assisting clinical staff
Computer skills
Familiarity with best practice nursing standards
Utilization management
Patient education and general patient care
Experience working in a clinic environment
Risk management
Disease processes
Electronic medical records
Quality improvement initiatives
Interdisciplinary team skills
Soft Skills for Nurse Manager Resume:
Critical thinking skills
Empathy
Diligence
Punctuality and reliability
Interpersonal skills
Management skills (give some examples wherever possible)
Ability to act as a patient advocate
Team building and staff development skills
In addition, use this section of your nurse manager resume to show any unusual or rare skills you could bring to the role. These might include:
Fluency in additional languages, including sign language - these are very attractive skills to potential employers, as most healthcare providers tend to deal with a diverse patient population.
Laboratory experience or other technical skills
Registered nurse in a maternity ward or other specialized field, such as psychiatric care or a nursing home.
Experience working with a specific patient group, such as the geriatric or pediatric population
Again, try and highlight the skills which are most relevant to the clinical operations of the healthcare provider you’re applying at. Check out our nurse manager resume sample further down the page for some practical examples.
Honors, Awards and Certifications Section for Nursing Manager Resumes
Now it’s time to make your nurse manager resume really stand out! The Honors, Awards and Certification section lets the potential employer know where you’ve really excelled in your career to date. Try and align these accomplishments with the kind of KPIs which health care services like to keep track of.
For example, if you received a Nurse of the Month award at your previous employer, describe the skills it took to win that award. These might include going above and beyond in patient care, or going the extra mile to address patient needs.
Always include numbers, statistics, or other measurable data to back up and quantify your accomplishments. This lends extra credibility to your resume. For instance, rather than just saying you increased patient satisfaction, be specific and say that you helped raise patient satisfaction scores from an average of 72% to an average of 89%.
If you’re still at your current employer, make use of the opportunity to track down and crunch all the relevant numbers! If not, it might be worth reaching out to a close former colleague or supervisor and asking for their help.
Of course, you don’t need to (and really shouldn’t) list every minor award you’ve ever received, unless they are relevant or interesting to your would-be employer. You might be awfully proud of that creative writing award you received in middle school, but the hiring manager probably isn’t. Things like this they don’t need to see on your nurse manager resume.
Here are some examples of good awards and honors to show on a nurse manager resume:
Scholarships you were awarded
Making it onto the Dean’s list or honor roll
Receiving a research grant at university
Leadership or mentorship awards
‘Employee of the Month’ style awards
Academic achievement awards
More than just showing your commitment to excellence, honors and awards also tell health care providers about your character. Normally, it takes diligence, good time management and a goal oriented personality to qualify for and receive these kinds of awards - so feel free to boast a little!
Here’s an example:
March 2017 ‘Nurse of the Month’ Award
2018 Award for Outstanding Contribution to Nursing Care
Additional Tips for Writing the Best Nursing Manager Resume
Finally, here are some extra tips to help you create the best possible nurse manager resume. Remember that unlike many other industries, which tend to be accomplishment-driven, the nursing profession is a little different.
Rather than looking just for someone who is ambitious and driven, the human resource department at a healthcare provider also needs medical staff who have specific skills and highly relevant experience.
They need someone who can priorities patient care and patient needs, who works well alongside large healthcare teams, and who possesses the relevant nursing degree. The point of your nurse manager resume is to show that you have all these skills, as well as a wealth of patient experience.
Another good tactic is to carefully read through the job posting, keeping an eye out for key terms and specific requirements. Before listing the available job, the human relations department often brainstorms a list of essential requirements for the role. If your resume does not clearly show you tick all those boxes, it will likely get set aside.
It’s also always a good idea to include a cover letter with your nurse manager resume. This gives you a chance to craft a personalised introduction and make a solid first impression.
There are also a few no-nos when it comes to putting together resumes for licensed practical nurses. Try and avoid the following:
Giving references. It might sound a little strange, but the convention with resumes for nursing services is not to include references during the initial screening. If they’re interested, the HR team will request these from you after they’ve had a chance to go through your entire resume.
Show all your qualifications and memberships such as registered nurse
Using fancy fonts. While it might feel a little boring, stick to conventional fonts that are easy to read.
Create giant blocks of text. Split your resume into neat, logical sections, and use bullet points instead of writing long lists.
Including lots of graphics or special characters. Hospitals often get hundreds of applications when a position becomes available, which means they tend to use an ATS system (Applicant Tracking System) to screen resumes. This software can’t always understand images and special characters, and may remove them altogether - which completely messes up your beautiful formatting.
Don’t cram everything onto one page if it just won’t fit on your nurse manager resume. If you have to shrink your margins and font size down to nothing to fit your resume content onto one page, it becomes really hard to read. That’s not the first impression you want to make! Rather go for a two-page format if you have to, rather than cram it all in.
Ready to get started? Our awesome resume builder is the perfect place to begin!
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do nurse managers make?
While it differs from state to state in the USA, the average clinical nurse manager typically earns around $85,000-$90,000 per year.
What to include in the entry-level nurse manager resume?
If you don’t yet have direct nurse manager experience, you’ll need to focus on any experience, volunteer work, or training which shows you have management ability
What is case management in nursing?
In a nursing setting, case management refers to how an individual patient’s needs and unique situation are addressed over the long term. This might include helping them choose the most appropriate and cost-effective health plan, and working closely with other medical professionals to help the patient choose the right medication, surgical options, and outpatient treatment.
What are the duties of a nursing manager?
In a nutshell, a nursing manager oversees and supervises all the nursing staff at a medical facility. The role requires you to wear a lot of hats - from allocating assets and dealing with financial considerations, to onboarding new nursing staff and helping to improve the facility’s patient outcomes.
How long should your nursing manager resume be?
If you are applying for an entry-level position, one page is ideal. If you have a lot of experience and qualifications to put forward, then it’s best to go with a two page resume format.
CORRECT
INCORRECT
