Should I Include my Clinical Rotations in my Resume

Flo., BSN, RN · Sep 26, 2011

yup. I have a heading that says nursing clinical experience.

NMW8809 · Sep 26, 2011

I included mine as well. A heading that says "Clinical Experience." Then I listed my rotations by discipline, the number of hours, and the hospital and city in which the clinical rotation took place. Example (with hospital name changed...):

Medical/Surgical: 128 hours, ABC Community Hospital, ABC City, CA

This is especially helpful if you apply at a hospital where you had a clinical rotation.

Good luck! :)

Nrsstudent09 · Sep 26, 2011

for the first year I did

whichone'spink, BSN, RN · Sep 26, 2011

I have. It's a good idea, especially if you're trying to get into a certain area.

OCNRN63, RN · Sep 26, 2011

No. It was clinical experience in nursing school. Kind of a no-brainer that you would have spent some time in the hospital while a student. (Although, these days...)

The only exception would be if you got honors in a certain area; then, I'd include that. But "x" amount of hours in Med-Surg? Not really relevant.

anc33 · Sep 26, 2011

I added my clinicals to my first resume. I was interested in finding a neurosurgery position so I highlighted that I had spent my med-surg rotation and practicum on a neurosurgery floor.

I Am ReadyRN, BSN · Sep 26, 2011

Yes you should. Just make sure that you are very specific when you make the heading for it. I used to call the heading for mine "Clinical Experience" and when I was on an interview, the people interviewing me told me that they were confused by the title and thought that I had meant that I had worked all those places in those short periods of time which may mislead the recruiter to think that you were hired and fired from all those places which is never good :bugeyes:

So it's best to be very specific with the heading and call it something like "(school you went to) Nursing School Rotations" for example, "XYZ Nursing School Rotations" that way there will be no confusion. You think they'd get it but you'd be surprised how easily they get them confused :rolleyes: So far, I haven't landed a job yet, but you need to do everything you can to make yourself come across clearly and easily, good luck :nurse:

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · Sep 26, 2011

I would think it would only be appropriate to add to your resume anything "above and beyond" the normal clinical curriculum. Every nursing student from X college does the same clinical rotation. An example of what TO include, say, would be what my program did for it's last clinical rotation....you are by yourself, working 1:1 with a preceptor, in a specialty area. Every student has a different area of their choosing (granted, the ones that end up picking last don't end up getting what they REALLY want). IMO that would be relevant. To say you did a med/surg rotation in your first year, well....everyone does that. If you were to mention it, I would keep it short and sweet. Trying to dress it up too much would look like you are trying too hard.

rntobe86 · Sep 26, 2011

I added them to my resume as I was in your position with no nursing experience, I havent used it yet for a nursing position but for a nursing assistant and I have gotten employed after 2 interviews so I would say might as well put them on there cant really hurt you I dont think.

Jolie, BSN · Sep 26, 2011

No.

Unless you have had a unique experience that is relevant to the position for which you are applying, please don't include basic clinical rotations on your resume. It's a waste of time for a hiring manager to read and almost guaranteed to make his/her eyes glaze over.

It is a given that nursing students in reputable, approved nursing education programs have basic clinical experience in a range of areas including LTC, acute care, med-surg, ICU, ER, OR, OB, peds, psych, community health, etc. Belaboring that on a resume only makes you look desperate for something to highlight.

As a hiring manager, I am far more interested in specific, unique information about YOU. Where have you worked and for how long? I don't care if your only work experience is babysitting, yard work or McDonald's, I want to know about it. Where have you volunteered and for how long? That shows commitment. What academic honors have you earned? Do you have an academic minor? Tell me about it, even if it seems irrelevant to you. It will show me that you have carried a difficult academic load successfully in diverse disciplines. What service organizations have you participated in?

The only exception to my above, No is if you have unique clinical experience in an area for which you are applying. If you were lucky enough to do a 12 week preceptorship in the OR or NICU and want to work there now, tell me about it. But don't embellish. I can detect BS a mile away :)

dishes, BSN, RN · Sep 27, 2011

The trend for new nursing grads to list their clinical experience on their resumes should be stopped immediatly! It is understood that the new grad has the necessary clinical experience to graduate, so it is redundant to give a breakdown of these experiences on a resume. Personally, when I have seen clinical experience on a new grad's resume, I have felt bored, confused and annoyed.