clinical experience question

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Hello all! I recently passed my NCLEX and while I've applied to a few jobs prior to, now that I've actually passed I want to make sure my resume is the best possible for a new grad with little experience. My main question is what to include under my clinical experience? Currently I have the type of rotation, the hospital/facility and location, number of hours and a description of what I did (skills performed, where else I rotated to within the hospital, etc.). After reading a few posts it seems most people don't list a description of what their rotation entailed SO basically what is your opinion? Should I include it or not? Thank you in advance!

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A second question that just came to mind....what order should my resume sections be in? Initially I had it education, work experience, clinical experience, other experience, recognitions, certification, references...now as an RN I'm thinking licensure, certification, education, work experience, clinical experience, other experience, recognitions, references...thoughts??

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Potential employers are familiar with typical clinical rotations of nursing schools. Therefore, I would leave that element out of your resume. As far as in what order to place the information, I would go with your first choice (education, work experience, etc.), leaving out details of clinical rotations.

Good luck.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

List clinical experiences under education, which should be your first section. Then list any nursing related work experience, followed by general work experience, then certs and license information, then computer skills/charting systems and finally professional organizations. My first resume had a description for each clinical experience, even though I had a tech job. Then, I took off psych, community, and OB when I got my first nursing job. Then I just left my practicum experience in the PACU when I got my second nursing job. I just got a new PRN job, and finally took off the PACU experience, even though I did practice some cool skills like arterial sticks (on an intubated and sedated patient). My nursing experience now counts a lot more than the variety of experiences I had as a student.

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As already noted, healthcare employers are v. familiar with the standard clinical experiences students have in nursing school. Unless you had some really remarkable and unusual clinical rotation/experience in school, I wouldn't bother to list them on a resume'. If you really want to include them, be v. sure that it is quite clear to anyone that you are talking about student clinical experiences and not paid nursing experience.

Best wishes!

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I would order it education, clinical experience (because it's technically part of your education), work experience, certifications and licenses, and volunteer experience (including any organizations, associations, etc.).

As far as how much info to include about your clinical experiences? Very little. All you really need is the rotation type (med-surg, tele, ICU, OB, peds, etc.), the hospital and its location, and how many hours and/or when you participated in that rotation (Fall 2012, etc.).

I also like and agree with how Lev changed around the experiences on her resume based upon what type of nursing job and how long she had been nursing...you have to adapt into the nurse you want to become!

Best of luck!

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Unless you have clinical experience in some other way (CNA, tele tech, phlebotomist, etc....) do not include school rotations. it's not paid employment experience. it's not real life nursing experience. period.

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thank you for your help everyone! I've had a couple interviews and have been told I look great on paper...also rotations are still clinical experiences regardless of whether they're paid or not and my interviewers wanted to know about these. work experiences is where paid employment experiences should go in my opinion whether they be clinical related experiences or not. finally I decided to list my license/certs before education, etc. so those viewing my app could see right away that I have officially become an RN as a new grad, just my personal way of trying to stick out a little bit but I'm sure i'll be changing it around again as I gain experience, etc.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.
thank you for your help everyone! I've had a couple interviews and have been told I look great on paper...also rotations are still clinical experiences regardless of whether they're paid or not and my interviewers wanted to know about these. work experiences is where paid employment experiences should go in my opinion whether they be clinical related experiences or not. finally I decided to list my license/certs before education, etc. so those viewing my app could see right away that I have officially become an RN as a new grad, just my personal way of trying to stick out a little bit but I'm sure i'll be changing it around again as I gain experience, etc.

Congrats on the interviews!

I know that having that experience on the resume seems to help, from what I've experienced. I didn't spell out everything during clinical rotations, but I did for my preceptorship. Here's a copy/paste from mine:

Senior Preceptorship, Hospital X, City, CA, January-April 2014

Mother baby unit- performed the role of a registered nurse under the supervision of a preceptor RN, providing comprehensive care to newborns, mothers and families. Provided culturally-sensitive care to patients and their families; assessed mothers and newborns; administered IV, oral, ocular and parenteral medications; tended to surgical incisions and skin tears; managed high risk patients with conditions such as hypoglycemia, psychiatric diagnoses, hypermagnesemia, teens, and hemorrhage; referred patients to community resources and providers; educated patients; restocked supplies.

Clinical Practicum, Hospital X, City, CA, Aug 2012-December 2013

Adult med/surg unit- cared for up to 4 adult patients per shift while performing the role of a registered nurse under the supervision of a RN. Provided care for adult patients experiencing a variety of medical and surgical health alterations.

Other clinical experience included Hospital Y ED (pediatric rotation), school nursing through School District X, various mental health locations, and Hospital X labor and delivery, NICU, ED, ICU, cardiac cath lab, and surgical units.

I do have prior healthcare experience, and I spelled out everything for that as well, of course, but I felt that listing out what I did in preceptorship and that I was caring for 4 patients by the end of clinicals were important to include.

I agree that certs and education should be at the top. It's easy to have those get missed at the end of your resume.

Be able to speak to specific experiences in clinicals. Think of 10 varied cases that stand out to you, so that when interviewers ask, "Tell us about a time when you..." you have some experience to draw from, instead of sitting there for 2 minutes wracking your brain.

Good luck!

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