GN/Intership Cover Letter & Resume Critique

[jjrodriguez, BSN, RN]

Hello!

I am in the process of setting up my cover letters and resume for application to internships and graduate nurse positions. I have browsed this area of the forum and found so many great hints and tips from you guys, so I edited my resume based on the advise. I pasted my cover letter and resume for one of the internships and would like some honest feedback from the members, hiring recruits, managers, etc.

Thanks!

*****

COVER LETTER:

xxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

1111 xxxxxxx xx

city, ST 11111

111-111-1111

[email protected]

(DATE)

xxxx xxxxx xxxxx Hospital

1111 x xxx xx

City, ST 11111

111-111-1111

Dear (hiring manager),

In December 2012, I will graduate from the xxxxxxxxxx xx xxxxx xx xxxxxxxxx with a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing. As the largest teaching facility in Tarrant County that offers a diversity of clinical settings, your hospital is the ideal fit for me to begin my career as a Registered Nurse. I would like to apply for a position as a (graduate nurse/intern) at the (unit/internship program).

Providing direct care to a variety of complex clinical cases, acuities and patient populations during my clinical rotations has prepared me comprehensively to begin employment as a (graduate nurse/intern). I feel my strength is in critical care, where I was able to shadow care for high risk trauma, neuro and medical-surgical ICU patients. Alongside, Your need for a high performing and dedicated (graduate nurse/intern) is an excellent fit to my strengths as an individual who seeks ways to exceed expectations, who is constantly seeking learning opportunities that reflect the stimulating pace and wealth of knowledge gained from your facility and who practices effective time management and organizational skills to lead a productive and efficient schedule, all of which I believe I can parallel in my role as a nurse.

I would like an opportunity to schedule an interview with you for a position as a (graduate nurse/intern). I will follow up with you to confirm that you have received my application and resume and will be glad to answer any additional questions you may have. You may also reach me at [phone]. Thank you for you time.

Sincerely,

xxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

*****

RESUME:

xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

1111 xxxxxxx xx, city, ST, 11111

111-111-1111 * [email protected]

EDUCATION

• xxxxxxxxxx xx xxxxx xx xxxxxxxxx; city, ST
  Candidate for Bachelor of Science in Nursing, December 2012; GPA: 3.5/4.0
  - Pending senior thesis: "Determining the Prevalence and Effectiveness of Evidence-based Therapies by Caregivers of Autistic Children in Texas"
  - Student Excellence in Clinical Nursing for Spring 2011
  - Awarded the Honors Presidential Scholarship for 2011-2012 and Dream Makers Scholarship for Spring 2012 by Paula Webb, CNO at Cook Children's
  
  
  

CLINICAL ROTATIONS

• Medical Center of Arlington (Nursing Foundations), Spring 2011.
  Medical-surgical floor, Cath Lab, Radiology, Day Surgery.
  
• Harris Methodist HEB (Med-Surg), Fall 2011.
  Progressive Care Unit.
  
• Springwood (Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing), Fall 2011.
  Adolescent Psych, Adult Psych, Chemical Dependency.
  
• Harris Methodist Fort Worth (Critical Care & OB), Spring 2012.
  Critical Care: Trauma, Neuro, CV and Med/Surg ICUs.
  OB: Mother-Baby, L&D, NICU, Antepartum.
  
• Cook Children's Medical Center (Pediatrics), Spring 2012.
  Medical-surgical: Cardiac, Renal. Emergency Department. OR.
  

QUALIFICATIONS SUMMARY

• In the Progressive Care Unit, I practiced BiPAP care on a SIRS patient.
  
• In Trauma ICU, provided direct care to 2 gunshot wound patients and 2 MVA patients. Skills practiced include changing of a gunshot wound dressing, airway management, ventilator care, maintenance of a ventriculostomy, evaluation of EKGs. Aided in admission of a stab wound patient.
  
• In Neuro ICU, practiced zeroing and referencing of an arterial line.
  
• In Med-Surg ICU, administered IVP medications and withdrew blood sample from triple-lumen central catheter, administered medications through NG tube.
  
• Had several opportunities to observe procedures in the Cath Lab and Interventional Radiology and perform frequent assessments, positioning, EKG and vital signs monitoring.
  
• In the Mother-Baby unit, removed staples from a post-Cesarean mother.
  
• Followed one patient throughout the perioperative experience from admission to PACU at a pediatric OR. I observed an arthroscopy where I had the opportunity to scrub, prep the site using sterile technique and plug in the equipment for the physician and surgeon.
  

WORK EXPERIENCE

• xxxxxxxxxx xx xxxxx xx xxxxxxxxx, University College; Peer Academic Leader, Aug 2011 - Dec 2011
  - Co-taught with faculty and mentored an Introduction to Nursing class of just under 60 students.
  - Constructed Prezi presentations pertaining to topics taught including Time Management, Goal Setting, Study Skills, Healthy Lifestyles,
  - Organized interactive critical thinking activities as it relates to nursing and the college lifestyle; graded papers, evaluated portfolios outside of the classroom setting.
  
  
  

AWARDS AND MEMBERSHIPS

• Sigma Alpha Pi National Society of Leadership and Success, founding member
  
• Sigma Alpha Lambda, member
  
• Golden Key International Honor Society, member
  
  
  

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

• Bob Duncan Health Fair (2006)
  
• Arlington Memorial Hospital, volunteer (2007)
  
• Cook Children's Hospital, volunteer - 100+ hours total, (2010-2011)
  
• Peer Mentor, Pathophysiology, Health Assessment, Nursing Foundations, Medical-Surgical Nursing and Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing courses (2011-2012)
  

DEVELOPMENT/TRAININGS

• CPR/AED certified by American Heart Association
  

*****

The cover letter body is a little over 250 words and the resume is about 1 page and 1/4.

Thank you for taking the time to critique! Searching around the forums helped alot!

[Rednights]

Main body paragraph of your Cover Letter reads like copy and paste material aka "void of personality" which is odd because your resume has a ton of material about "you" and not the generic cover letter new grad nurse you give the initial impression of. You can cut out a lot of it and instead give a short relevant "experience/scenario" during a clinical / volunteer / or other relevant setting to make it a tad more personal to whatever hospital you're applying to. Well something like that.