New grads, How did you list your clinical rotations on your resume?

jennafezz · Apr 9, 2013

I don't think there is a "right answer" to this topic. I personally made a second page to my resume with details of my clinical rotations, so that it didn't take up space on my single-page comprehensive resume but it was there if the reviewer wanted to read it. I'm mainly commenting because I thought the Hogwarts hospital names were funny :)

grownuprosie · Apr 9, 2013

Thanks! I got the idea from someone with a Walking Dead themed resume in another thread.

That sounds like a great way to work it out. The clinical synopsis that I added takes up a lot of space and I really wanted to keep it to 1 page. Thanks!

LaRoseRN · Apr 9, 2013

Some places ask for this, others don't consider it experience -- there are a few threads on this. I'd suggest a separate page, include the hours of that rotation (this was requested at some major teaching hospitals I applied to) and focus on skills -- discharge planning, eh... What hands on skills did you do? IV starts? Managing complicated lines or high acuity patients with vents, trachs --- what skills do you think you shine at in school ... Psychosocial support? Geriatric populations? Delirious patients --- this is a good place to highlight both experience in the context of skills and strengths in your practice so far. Don't be afraid to point out areas that need improvement during interviews and an interest in learning those skills too... Good luck!

grownuprosie · Apr 9, 2013

Thank you for the critique! I appreciate you reading it.

The thing that blows is that we did very little in the way of actual skills. I can think of only 2 class mates that got to put in a catheter in the past 2 years and the facilities did not allow students to put in IVs. no traches or vents either. the most complicated line I used was hanging a piggyback on a primary saline. the skills part is killing me! I did a ton of pt teaching. That is what i meant by discharge planning. I suppose I could change it to "teaching" or "education" instead of planning. thank you for pointing out psychosocial support. That is definitely something I should include.

Thanks!

Sun0408, ASN, RN · Apr 9, 2013

Putting your clinical rotations on a resume is unnecessary . The NM or HR knows you did all of that and provided care to the pts you are assigned as part of your education.. So no, I would not list them. You could sum it all up and include your total hours at the bottom... Hit the highlights.. List anything that makes you stand out.

Google new grad RN resumes to give to give you some ideas :)

KJM-RN, BSN · Apr 9, 2013

I disagree. I think it's important to include clinical rotations on a new grad resume, once you have experience than it's pretty pointless to include. Each school, class, or individual has a different clinical experience so I think this is something that can set you apart if your experience catches HR's eye.

tippytootagon · Apr 9, 2013

I didn't put any of my clinical rotations on my resume - I got an interview at my first choice hospital and was hired.

I agree with Sun that your hiring manager is going to know generally what your clinicals are all about.

Here are my ideas regarding New Grad resumes:

1. literally everyone else applying is going to have more or less the same background and experience: nursing school. Is there anything that can make you stand out from the crowd?

- working as a tech/cna in school

- volunteer experience in healthcare

- if you don't have the above, then you have to make what you do have stand out. I put a bunch of stuff on my experience waiting tables, which the hiring manager specifically mentioned as a positive in the interview. She said that it shows that I have good time management and good customer service skills. I'm sure that you could come up with some things on your own that would make your resume stand out.

2. It's not enough to just say that you are a "team player" or have a great work ethic. You have to prove it. Were you always selected to lead group projects? Put it in your cover letter. Did your manager say in your last performance review that you never missed work and that you were always willing to pick up shifts? Put it in your resume. Basically, it's not enough to say I'm a team player, you have to also put concrete, specific evidence to back it up.

3. Literally 90% of cover letters are terrible. For an example of a good one (although not specific to nursing) look at: What does a good cover letter look like? â€” Ask a Manager

I think it's easy to forget that the people looking over your resume are just that - people. Write as if you want a person to read it.

Yah, so a big no on the clinical rotations.

flipflop · Apr 9, 2013

I agree with Sun here. Put one line on about your rotations (the people hiring know you've done it all or you would not be an RN). For example the line may read

Student nurse, Hogwarts U

Completed x hours of clinical rotations in the following settings: med/surg, peds, etc, etc.

Don't let it take up too much space...

rumwynnieRN · Apr 9, 2013

I posted my resume on that new grad thread. I kept my clinical rotation list short and to the point, no unit or descriptions. Some places (I found one potential employer may have wanted that information) seemed picky, others not as much. Also, throughout nursing school, I never stayed on one floor -- my teachers rotated me around, with the exception of psych, community and management. Some of the hospital names gave away what I was probably doing anyway. "Women's Hospital" and "Children's Hospital" would probably indicate I was doing maternity and pedi rotations respectively.

Bayat · Apr 9, 2013

My opinion would be: if you're newly minted and haven't worked in healthcare before starting your degree program and your resume is a bit thin, list it below your education section (which in turn is below your Skill Highlights section in the upper third of the resume) so your employer can see you walk the walk and get pass the ATS 'bots. Later, as you become seasoned, you can ditch the clinicals. As per my usual disclamer: I'm not a nurse but am helping a nurse friend with over 30 years experience land her next job so I'm doing a lot of reading. Organize it thus:

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE

specific subcategory (e.g. Medical Surgical ) in bold 11pt, then below it -

Title of Hospital or Facility, Location, Dates (right or left depending on preference)

* Use action verbs to begin sentences

* Focus on the populations you have treated and include the diagnosis

* Be specific regarding treatments and give examples when applicable

* Show rather than tell your experience

* What did you learn, develop, or teach to patients and their families?

another specific subcategory (e.g. Pediatrics )

Title of Hospital or Facility, Location, Dates (right or left depending on preference)

* See above

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Apr 9, 2013

I say focus on the nursing interventions you did, instead of the rotations. When I was a new grad, a HR rep told me I did not have to list that; they already know that you had clinicals, as others have stated.

For example; if you had a pt who had a TURP, Chest Tube, Wound Vac, C-Section, Skin Graft, etc...Rotation in the ER (pt the hours down)...those are significant for the learning exposure you experience.

Also allow your résumé to be reviewed by someone from HR; if you have the opportunity to go to a job fair, ask them to critique your resume; use an elevator speech for 15-20 seconds, ask them to review their résumé, ask about the company, etc. Usually they are interested in giving new grads pointers. I did the same and have a contact at a major teaching hospital; but landed a job at another hospital because of her recommendations.

I didn't use a cover letter. I used the intro to my résumé to describe me, my goals as a new grad, and filled education and experience.