Would a functional resume be ok!

[rachelr]

Hi All

I am an RN in England but cant yet sit NCLEX as I lack some theory hours. I am hoping to emigrate to PA next year as I am the spouse of a US citizen! Before I move I would like to email my resume to local hospitals and nursing homes in the attempt of potentialy finding employment as a CNA for when I get there and have Department of Education approval to sit the CNA exam.

I have over 11 years healthcare experience in England, 3 as an RN and 8 as a Nursing assistant prior to that. I wrote a chronological resume at first but many of the skills overlapped in the different jobs I had as although my career progressed many of the skills I had from early in my career I have continued to develop and I was repeating myself on the skills for each job. I have had 2 main employers over the time but my job title changed over the time.

In my resume I want to emphasize the earlier skills I had related to the nursing assistant role rather than the skills I have developed more recently as an RN. I have read functional resumes are good if you have no experience in the job you are applying or have had significant gaps in employment and potential employers may see a functional resume and presume you have no relevant skills or gaps in employment! This is not true in my case but I am afraid a potential employer may just think that and disregard my resume, yet the chronological resume does not work for me as the RN only related skills are at the top and I dont want the potential employer to be confused about the position for which I am applying.

If I state I have 11 years healthcare experience with no gaps in employment on the cover letter do you think this would help to prevent the employer thinking otherwise?

For my situation can anyone give me feedback on which resume is the most appropriate?

Thankyou

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Welcome in advance to PA!!! A blended resume might work well for you.

Resumes for Nurses discusses both functional and chronological resumes along with how to use both. Your cover letter is crucial in explaining that you are seeking a CNA position upon emigrating to the United States. However, you are a licensed RN in England short on educational hours for PA license and plan to pursue additional education hours to be eligible take NCLEX exam.

Don't limit yourself to hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. If moving to a metropolitan area of PA, include application to Long Term Acute Hospitals (LTAC) and home health agencies.

See the PA Department of Health links to find list of facilities and their health survey's by county:

Hospitals:

Health Care Facility Locator (except Nursing Homes)

Nursing Homes:

Nursing Care Facilities

Outpatient (home health, hospice, surgical clinics, developmental group homes):

Locate a health facility

My thread: Start here: PA Nursing info schools, scholarships, NCLEX, Nsg Board, jobs, CNA info has links to PA regulations for nursing assistants.

Having worked in PA healthcare for almost 40yrs, please contact me if you need additional info.

[rachelr]

Hi

Thankyou very much for the response, i had not heard of the blended resume before but it seems similar to what I did, because I want to emphasize my skills but not de-emphasize my experience. I will put my skills in categories with headings such as -

Assisting with activities of daily living

Contributions to enhancing the working environment

Clinical skills

Team working skills and communication

Specialist skills

Client assessment and planning care

and under each heading put the key skills I have developed in each heading.

Then the professional experience (dates, workplace, position held, promotions, brief description about the type of place e.g 34 bedded emergancy surgery ward) then just list healthcare related education education.

when you say Long Term Acute Hospitals (LTAC) do you mean places like lifecare hospitals of Chester county, if so I have them on my list of people to send resumes. I have list of all the hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation hospitals, long term acute care hospitals and short term rehabilitation homes in the area and plan to email them nearer the time with resumes. I will have resumes slightly different obviously as what is appropriate for a hosiptal will not be for a nursing home (e.g "working together to promote a prompt and safe discharge" may sound good to the hospital but irrelevant to the long term nursing home). And I am researching all the places I will email so I aim the cover letter at them by considering their missions and values.

This is the 1st draft of my cover letter, I would welcome any feedback:

Subject Line = Certified Nursing Assistant – xxxxxxxxx

Dear Sir or Madam/??????????????/Hiring Manager/HR manager

I would like to express my interest in a position as a Certified Nursing Assistant with you. (((((((something about the place that I am emailing))))))))))))))

I am ………………….(something related to their value/vision)

a reliable, client driven, hard-working professional who strives on giving the best possible individualized care as if they were a member of my own family.

I am English and married to a US citizen, I am awaiting spouse visa processing to be with him as a legal permanent resident and as a result I am aiming to be emigrating to the West Chester, PA area in around ???????? When I arrive I will be eligible to work upon entry to the united states.

I have over 11 years’ experience in the healthcare field with no gaps in employment in England and this includes numerous healthcare training and professional experience within the acute care and the long term care setting.

I have been qualified as a Registered Nurse for over 3 years but during the process leading up to immigration I have had a CGFNS credentials review and discovered that I am short of theory hours in midwifery and paediatrics for a PA RN licence but I plan to pursue additional education hours to be eligible take the NCLEX exam when I am settled.

Prior to qualifying as an RN I had 8 years’ experience as a Nursing Assistant with experience in the acute care setting and long term care setting during which time I completed an NVQ Level 3 in Care among passing other qualifications for Care Workers. This is why I am seeking a position as a CNA with you as I can’t imagine myself doing anything other than looking after people.

I believe that my professional attitude, experience, skills and training can prove invaluable to your hospital / long term care facility / nursing and rehabilitation center / rehabilitation hospital as it can help enhance the care provided to your clients therefore enhancing their experience and helping you receive your goal of………………………..

As I have experience as a registered nurse I am aware that I can apply to the Pennsylvania Department of Education PDE 4328 to be eligible to sit a Certified Nursing Assistant exam without doing a specific training course. I would like to sit the exam as soon as it is possible meaning I would potentially be registered quicker than someone who had yet to do the training course. If you were to consider me as an eligible candidate for this position would I be able to begin working for you when I have received approval from the department on education while I prepare to sit the exam if I take and pass the exam within a set time frame?

Being a registered nurse in England shows that I have potential to progress my career further to become a registered nurse again in the future. This is without the added time and cost of attending nursing schools for a number of years and could then serve you further still.

I have attached a copy of my resume and would appreciate any feedback that you wish to offer. If you have any questions please feel free to ask me.

Thankyou for your time and consideration

Thankyou

[rachelr]

Wow I just saw how long my last post was!!!!!

Was just wondering if I put that I am an RN but cant sit NCLEX but would like to progress on the cover letter do I still write it on the resume??

[rachelr]

Hello KarenThank you for your guidance! If I put that I am on rn in the uk looking to make up hours in my cover letter should I still put it on my resume?