Resume advice for seeking second nursing job

[tareija]

Hi all,

I am currently working on my resume and could use some advice.

I graduated from nursing school 2 years ago. I got a job a few months after graduation, and am now looking for another. I've only had the one nursing job so far. Nursing is my second career. I worked as a program assistant and then a program manager for community organizations prior to going to nursing school. I did various other things as a young adult (e.g. customer service, office work), but it's not really nursing related, and I've left it off the resume.

Anyway on to my resume. As a new grad, I included information on each of my clinical rotations on my resume, since that was the only nursing experience I had. Something like this for example:

Maternity, ABC Hospital, Jan-March 2010

Cared for women and newborns on postpartum ward. Supported women and their families during labour and delivery. Provided patient teaching on breastfeeding and infant care to prepare families for discharge home.

When I wrote my resume this time, to save space (it was originally 3 pages! too long!) I've removed the descriptive blurb from each of my clinical rotations. I've just left the dates and location, e.g

Maternity, ABC Hospital, Jan-March 2010.

I figure that all nursing students do similar things during their basic clinical rotations, and I'm trying to make my resume more readable. Is it okay to just list the clinical rotations but not give details? Do I even need to list my clinical rotations at all, since I graduated almost two years ago now?

I have listed my current job with more details about what I do there. I also have listed my final practicum (I think in the US you call this an externship), with details of what I did. I figure that this placement is not the same for all nursing students and I did learn some skills that would be useful in a new job. Is it okay to put details of my final practicum, but not my other clinical placements?

Also, I listed my last few jobs from before I started nursing school. Again, I have only had one job in nursing, but I did have a career prior. I thought if I included those jobs, it would show some level of responsibility, and professional and life experience, even if it's not in health care. I'm not sure how much information to include about them, though. Would a sentence or two about them be okay, or should I just list job titles and dates? I'm not sure if people care at all about non-health care experience.

For example, which is better?

2009 - Program Coordinator, XYZ Community Organization (listing no details)

or something like

2009 - Program Coordinator, XYZ Community Organization

- Developed and managed social, health and wellness, and recreational programs for senior citizens at a non profit community agency. Supervised staff, managed budgets.

Thank you anyone for any advice you can give! I am a bit frustrated with writing resumes and I'd appreciate any feedback.

[HappyWife77, BSN, RN]

I would write your resume with the truth of your experience. Leave off your clinicals. Just write where you were educated and when you graduated. Most resumes should be around one page with a cover letter.

Good Luck!

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

A professional resume would only have your work experience. No student stuff.

[tareija]

Thanks all.

Oh I forgot to mention one thing. I have only worked in psych since I graduated. I am applying for med surg jobs, but have no med surg work experience. I thought if I put details about my final practicum, where I did use a fair bit of med surg skills, it might help to show that I do have those skills, which is not as apparent if I only list work experience. I've also listed, under my current job, which med surg skills I have been using. I'm also taking a med surg refresher course and that's on my resume too, under the education section. So, in light of this is the student stuff okay, or should I still leave it off?

[HappyWife77, BSN, RN]

Yes leave student stuff off. It looks as though your grasping...when in fact you have completed your schooling and your licensed. That counts for a lot. Best wishes!

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

What Happywife said. I get your reasoning, but hiring managers assume everyone got that experience in school and only want to see what you have after school. You could mention the extent of that experience in your cover letter after emphasizing the actual RN experience you have obtained

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

Like the others said, dump the student stuff.

Use your cover letter to describe your med surg experience, ceu's, etc