Stunning ER Nurse Resume Examples for You to Use This Year

A strong resume for nurses working in the emergency department needs to feature your ability to manage stress and make split-second decisions for patient needs while in emergency situations. General medical knowledge is certainly important, and your nursing license should prove that you have that general knowledge. If you want to shine in your ER nurse resume, then you need to showcase instead strong interpersonal skills as well as the ability to make quick, accurate decisions.

One of the most important elements that impact the structure of any resume is your resume format. Most nurses will use the chronological format, which emphasizes your professional experience. However, the functional and combination formats, which place more emphasis on  skills, can be effective as well. No matter what format you choose, here are the sections you’ll need to think about:

 

 

The resume header is part of the resume design. It includes your full name, contact information, and your professional portfolio links (if available).

 

 

The first official section on any resume is your resume summary or objective. This short paragraph, only two to three sentences, gives a hiring manager a general overview of your strengths and top achievements. 

 

 

Your ER nurse skills section will have a wide array of options. Here are a few skills you’ll frequently see on ER nurse resume samples:

• General patient care and nursing care
• Triage
• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
• Basic Life Support (BLS)
• Critical care and acute care for patients in distress
• Monitoring patient condition and vital signs
• Creating care plans and treatment plans
• Maintaining ICU information
• Pediatric care
• Inserting catheters
• Ordering and reading diagnostic tests
• Decision-making skills
• Working with a healthcare team
• Deciding on interventions
• Keeping track of medical procedures and medical records
• Interpersonal skills
• Talking to family members
• Communication skills
• Pain management
• Patient assessment processes
• Telemetry

For this position, a mix of hard skills (technical skills such as maintaining ICU information) and soft skills (intangible traits, such as communication skills) is required, so include both in your resume.

 

 

Your work experience section is all about where you’ve worked before and what you did for them. If you’re applying to be an ER nurse, then try to include as many emergency care experiences as possible, whether your job title specifically noted emergency care needs or not.

 

 

In your education section, include your nursing education and license; if you’re a registered nurse, for example, then include that here. You can also include any other certifications that you might have received, like the Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC).

Do:

• Emphasize work experiences where you used teamwork. You can’t singlehandedly save people’s lives in the ER; you need to work with your care team.
• Describe specific emergency situations you’re well-suited to. The more you’re able to talk about specific experiences you’ve had in emergency situations, the better.
• Be specific regarding the type of emergency situations you’re most well-versed in. This can help a hiring manager know where they would place you.

Don’t:

• Talk negatively about previous employers or previous team members. This may make a hiring manager wonder whether you’d do the same to them.
• Discuss any specifics regarding individuals. This is a HIPAA violation and is extremely unprofessional as well.
• Mention specific skills that you’re not proficient at. Instead, just leave those skills off your resume entirely.