Newly licensed RN seeking Resume Advice

sbfairy · Jun 24, 2013

I would focus less on the restaurant jobs you've held and more on things you did in your clinicals. Did you get experience in starting IVs, wound care, ekg reading? For instance:

Acme Medical Center, San Diego, California

Medical Surgical Unit Clinical Rotation

January 2011-May 2011

-Inserted Foley Catheters

-Intravenous Line Insertion

-Post Surgical Wound care

Tailor your resume to your audience. Include your restaurant experience but use your cover letter to tell your potential employer how this experience is beneficial to them:

...As an assistant manager in the food service industry I learned valuable time management skills as well as how to multi task and work with people of different backgrounds.

Hope this helps!!

Peppermint_RN · Jun 24, 2013

Thanks sbfairy! My first resume actually included some of that, but I wasn't sure if it was good. I reworked it a little and have added it back in! Also, thank you for the idea on the cover letter! :)

I tried to use the nursing process in explaining what I've done during my clinicals. Unfortunately, I would say my clinicals in nursing school were "easy", I never once got a chance to start an IV, insert a foley, or see an EKG. The most I've done is medication administration! Obviously, I'm going to be learning a lot on the job...once I get one!

I moved some things around so everything still fits on 1 page, and was able to add back my experience section. How does this sound?

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Clinical Training

250+ clinical contact hours including Geriatrics/Long-Term Care, Medical-Surgical, Cardiac Telemetry, Labor & Delivery, Psychiatric, Pediatrics, and Perioperative

Assessment---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- Performed total patient assessments including neurological, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, musculoskeletal, IV/CVAD lines, urinary catheters, and ostomies.

Planning--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- Developed daily plans of care based on patient's assessments focused on achieving the highest level of health possible.

- Educated patients and family members on variety of subjects including disease processes, medication uses & side effects, and pain management techniques.

Implementing------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- Using aseptic technique and universal precautions, provided care of IV/PICC lines, urinary catheters, performed wound assessments, and administered oral, intramuscular, and intravenous medications.

- Utilized effective communication skills to ensure patient safety and standard of care were met.

Evaluation---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- Provided the highest quality care possible in the most efficient way using company policies and procedures.

sbfairy · Jun 24, 2013

I totally get you on not getting to do a lot during clinicals. I think what you have done is fine but you may consider parsing that into different clinical areas of nursing unless you applying in just one specialty (especially if you were able to do clinicals at a facility known for their excellence in a particular area). I would also find some way to let them know where you did your clinicals. You could maybe make this a short section with it's own header. It just gives them some idea of what kinds of facilities you received your training in. The first RN resume is hard so make sure you have a strong cover letter. Does your school have a career services department? Mine did and a woman there helped me with my resume and cover letter. It was invaluable, I have kept the format for both and modified as needed. I'll see if I can find a copy of my new grad resume and post it.

sbfairy · Jun 24, 2013

Okay, here is my new grad resume. I took out all identifiers It's pretty generic since I just wanted A JOB and didn't care what unit I went to. On the second page is where I listed my previous jobs, volunteer experience, etc. I ended up in med-surg. :

OBJECTIVE: To obtain a position as an RN in an acute care setting; new graduate program preferred if available.

LICENSURE & CERTIFICATION:

Registered Nurse, California License # exp 09/11
BLS Certified for the Healthcare Provider (CPR & AED) exp 01/11

EDUCATION:

A.S. Nursing, (December 2009)
B.S. (December 2007)

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

Member of the Nursing Student Association

______________________________________________________________________________

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE: School of Nursing Clinical Rotations

Medical-Surgical.-__________Medical Center-________ Campus,

_________ Medical Center-______Campus, and

________Medical Center- ________ (16 hrs/week).

Provided assessment and patient care using the nursing process for patients with diagnosis such as: Diabetes, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and Congestive Heart Failure
Administered medications via oral and subcutaneous routes, IV piggyback, and eye drop medications using the five rights and monitored patient for side effects
IV insertion and removal
Performed wound care: assessment and dressing changes
Worked with patients from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds including: homeless, teenagers, disabled, substance abusers and low income.

Pediatrics and Maternity-_________ General Hospital-_____Campus (16 hrs/week)

Provided direct care for patients ranging from infant to adolescence with diagnosis such as: Jaundice, Abscess, and Intussusception
Promoted comfort for women before, during and after lady partsl and cesarean section deliveries
Provided teaching to new mothers and care takers regarding bathing and breastfeeding of babies
Monitored for postpartum complications and assessed newborns

Psychiatric/Mental Health-____________ Memorial Hospital-________ (16 hrs/week)

Used therapeutic communication to assess patients and administered medications (IM and PO) to patients with diagnosis such as: Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder
Organized, supervised, and participated in patient social and recreational activities

Peppermint_RN · Jun 24, 2013

Thank you!! Definitely going to work on mine! I'll have to check into the career service department at my school; not sure if we have one. We did have to do a resume & sample cover letter for our last year of nursing class, but it was so generic & didn't include half of what I see online that people say to include that I'm almost embarrassed to even use it!