Hi All,

I'm brand new to this website, and I'm hoping for a little guidance. I am a 24 year old nursing student, currently attending a one year accelerated BSN program at Dominican College in Blauvelt, NY (about 20 miles Northwest of NYC). I am very excited to report that I will graduate in May 09 and I can't wait to begin my nursing career! There's only one problem...my resume.

My first bachelors degree was in a field entirely different from nursing (communication studies). Obviously my resume will need a near complete overhaul. I see so many different examples of nursing resumes online but all seem very different from one another, and I feel overwhelmed with how to set mine up!

I would like to get some of your opinions, if possible. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to best set up an entry-level nursing resume? Or any suggestions for websites I could check out for some better guidance?

Thanks for the help!

-Lauren

Hi Lauren,

Check monster.com. I know it's an advertised site, but it really has good info. They actually helped me write my resume - I was in the same boat as you - change of career, and I didn't know how to proceed. You can pay a fee, or just look for free at all their samples of resumes, how to write one, cover letters, verbs you can use for your resume, suggestions specifically for the medical field, and so on. Good luck.

I graduated with an AS in May, and I had no professional health care experience. I ended up writing a functional resume, emphasizing my clinicals and my volunteer work in the ER.

Thank you both for your comments and suggestions! I will definitely look into monster, and I will look into writing a functional resume as well.

Sincerely,

Lauren :)

Certainly a functional resume, as the other posters have said, is a good choice.

I think your communications background is something very valuable, and I would put some thought into how to get that across in a cover letter and in interviews.

Good luck to you, from another Accelerated BSN nurse.

hi lauren,

i know of a professional resume writing service based out of monmouth county, nj. i've never used it, but i have 2 close friends who have and both have said that they would highly recommend him (everyone calls him "resume rob". here's the site: http://www.creativeedgeresumes.com/

i believe he may be a little pricey, but knowing of 2 people who landed jobs immediately with his service, i think the cost is worth it. i plan on using him when i graduate from nursing school next year. because my degree is in a non-nursing field, as well as my work experience, i don't know where to begin to incorporate all of that in with my clinical experience.

good luck to you and keep us posted on how you make out!

Hi All,

I'm brand new to this website, and I'm hoping for a little guidance. I am a 24 year old nursing student, currently attending a one year accelerated BSN program at Dominican College in Blauvelt, NY (about 20 miles Northwest of NYC). I am very excited to report that I will graduate in May 09 and I can't wait to begin my nursing career! There's only one problem...my resume.

My first bachelors degree was in a field entirely different from nursing (communication studies). Obviously my resume will need a near complete overhaul. I see so many different examples of nursing resumes online but all seem very different from one another, and I feel overwhelmed with how to set mine up!

I would like to get some of your opinions, if possible. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to best set up an entry-level nursing resume? Or any suggestions for websites I could check out for some better guidance?

Thanks for the help!

-Lauren

I am not really answering your question but I just wanted to ask you something. First of all CONGRATS on your graduation this month. I am very interested in attending this program. If it is possible what was your GPA when you applied to the program? How did you find the program?....(the professors, the clinical sites, etc.). How much the program costs ( I was looking for the figure at the school site and could not find it). When the program starts (as in the exact dates....my school might kinda cut it close to my graduation to when the program begins). And does pathophysiology transfer or do you have to take their version. Are there any scholarships available...whether thru the school or hospitals where clincials are taken.

I know it kinda alot but this program and Concordia are on the top of my lists. Thank you in advance and congrats once again.

Hi future nurses!!I am also interestered in this ASBSN program. Is it too late to apply for may 2011?Can any students who got accepted previous year post their stats like gpa and major?Does your major count? For instance, how would they compare a bio degree vs. a literature degree.Thanks so much in advance for the help!! =)

Hey girl,

Good luck on the nursing career! I graduated the Dominican ABSN program in May 09 and landed my first nursing job a month later. So it's definitely a worthwhile program. Can't remember when I applied for the ABSN program, but I'm pretty sure I applied in late 2007 for a May 2008 start. But before you even waste your time applying....have you actually contacted Dominican college about the pre-requesites yet?

I ask this because your original undergraduate major does not matter, per se, however, there are a number of pre-requesites that need to be completed before you would be accepted into the ABSN program. I can't remember them all....maybe I can, I'll try:

Child development through infancy - adulthood (usually child development I and II)

Some sort of sociology course

biochemistry (they will only accept this from dominican college)

anatomy and physiology I and II

inorganic chemistry

Integrative physiology (again only accepted from dominican college)

microbiology

I think that's it.

So really, provided you had all other pre-requesites under your belt, you would need to be registered at Dominican College for this upcoming spring semester 2011 in order to take biochemistry and then integrative physiology is offered over 3 weeks as an accelerated course for the first 3 weeks of May (the ABSN program starts the last week in May and runs through the following May). It's a tri-mester program.

Lemme know if I can help. The person to contact at Dominican College is either the Nursing department awesome receptionist or the ABSN program coordinator.

Best wishes,

Lauren

Thanks!!

I have actually taken the prereqs except for pathophys and developmental psychology(life span), which I am taken next semester.

How do you think Dominican College prepared you for the NCLEX?

Congrats for graduating and getting a job!!! Hope that will be me some day!

I am in the same boat you were in when you wrote this post. I am graduating from an accelerated BSN this may and I desperately need help with my resume. My first degree was also in communication. I was wondering if you found any really useful websites for preparing your resume? I don't have any experience except for my clinical rotations and I don't know how to incorporate them into a resume. Any advice you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

I second purplegum's post. I'd like to know, too! How did any of you ABSN nurses with no previous health-related experience compose your resumes in order to land a job?

Thanks!