Should I Include my Clinical Rotations in my Resume

rn.d86 · Sep 27, 2011

In regards to post #10 and #11, I don't doubt what you are saying. Personally, I believe the answer is probably situation dependent. Some new grad programs require you to submit your clinical time in a specific format. One nurse recruiter told me that she prefers to see clinical hours listed. Unfortunately, it appears that nurse managers and those in HR are sometimes looking for something different. The truth is that you have to make it through HR to get the interview. If in doubt, you can always check with that facility.

ExpatHopeful, LPN, LVN · Sep 27, 2011

I was told by all my instructors and people from my school's career services to have a section on my new grad resume listing my clinical rotations. I listed it by hospital, course and unit. For example ABC Hospital - Med/Surg II, Cardiothoracic Stepdown.

I respect the opinion of those who say to leave it off, but I was asked about my rotations during my interview and the nurse recruiter looked at that part of my resume while we talked about it. What did I think about hospital X? What was my least favorite rotation and why? She was also interested to know about the two units I rotated through at the hospital I was interviewing at. Of course I had moved those up to the top of that section to highlight them.

Maybe it's different in areas where there are only a few hospitals that students go to? In NYC there were like 20 hospitals you could potentially do clinicals at and each offered a different patient population and experience.

dishes, BSN, RN · Sep 27, 2011

The advice to pad resumes has been coming from instructors and recruiters for the past 4 years, but colleagues and managers have had more than enough of them.

I live in a large city also, it doesn't matter which hospitals grads did their placements at.

beast master RN · Sep 27, 2011

yea i have , if its all in the same city i would think it adds some credit-ability

llg, PhD, RN · Sep 27, 2011

I used to say "Don't include your school experiences unless they were unusual or exceptional in some way." It used to be a given that all nursing students had certain clinical experiences in school.

However, in recent years, some schools are giving their students less and less clinical experience. So, I now recommend including them with a few caveats.

1. Be sure to label them clearly that these were nursing school experience (not to be confused with clinical experiences some people get through employment or volunteering). Anything that even hints that you are trying to pass them off as being equavalent to work experience makes you look untrustworthy. So, label them very clearly. I recommend listing them on a separate piece of paper -- with a note on your main page stating that they are "attached." Just put anything exceptional and/or very pertinent to the job you are applying for on the main page.

2. Don't list everything in detail. Highlight the most important stuff (preferably on your main page and/or in your cover letter) -- and just list the basics of the rest.

xtxrn, ASN, RN · Sep 27, 2011

They know I had clinicals with "RN" after my name.....I never included it on a resume or application. :)

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Sep 27, 2011

I would definitely add them because you have no prior experience. Recruiters may want to ask you and this will save them time if you already have them listed! And every school is different...some schools don't even do peds, OB, or critical care. It can be very helpful if you're trying to get into a certain area. For example, if you want to do peds and you had a peds clinical in school, and they compare your resume against someone who did not have peds at all in school (and is also a new grad), chances are they will want to meet with you over the other person.

dishes, BSN, RN · Sep 27, 2011

Cristal

Consider doing a basic resume and submitting it to various veterans health administration hospitals, the combination of your nursing education and military experience will be enough to make your resume stand out from other new grads.

dishes

RNChristy · Sep 27, 2011

I agree with not putting clinical experience on a resume. Like others have said the exception may be if there is a special preceptorship; otherwise, most employers will know that you have completed the clinical rotations if you have received your RN license.

Christy

MrChicagoRN, RN · Sep 27, 2011

Hello everybody. I just got my nursing license and I'm ready to start working on my resume. Unfortunately, I have no nursing experience since I am a new grad. However I do have six years of military experience in a different field. I'm not sure whether or not I should highlight my clinical rotations on my resume to give my resume some substance. Can someone please offer me some advice?

Generally NO. Emphatically NO to those that list course numbers, & each & every skill & objective covered in the course.

I don't mind seeing the facilities & rotations succinctly listed, as this can be used by the interviewer for icebreaker questions. And I may want to ask you about your final leadership rotation.

I'd probably list that under education or student experience, not under Clinical Experiences, due to the potential for being misleading.

RNDance · Sep 27, 2011

It just looks like "padding" to me. Hey, the recruiter knows that you're a new grad and that you had clinical experience during nursing school. LOL---if you didn't then THAT would be worth noting. You are what you are.

You're not going to make yourself seem like anything special by fluffing out your resume with filler. You might even succeed in annoying a recruiter---they have tons of resumes and applications to go through and the rule is to keep it short and sweet and relevant.

Nurse recruiters and managers know what kind of education you received simply by noting what program you graduated from. I honestly don't think you'd be adding anything by listing clinical hours, course by course.

JMHO....

dishes, BSN, RN · Sep 27, 2011

I used to say "Don't include your school experiences unless they were unusual or exceptional in some way." It used to be a given that all nursing students had certain clinical experiences in school.
However, in recent years, some schools are giving their students less and less clinical experience. So, I now recommend including them with a few caveats.
1. Be sure to label them clearly that these were nursing school experience (not to be confused with clinical experiences some people get through employment or volunteering). Anything that even hints that you are trying to pass them off as being equavalent to work experience makes you look untrustworthy. So, label them very clearly. I recommend listing them on a separate piece of paper -- with a note on your main page stating that they are "attached." Just put anything exceptional and/or very pertinent to the job you are applying for on the main page.
2. Don't list everything in detail. Highlight the most important stuff (preferably on your main page and/or in your cover letter) -- and just list the basics of the rest.

Llg

Just to clarify, are you saying some schools are providing inadequate clinical experiences for their students and as a result, employers are screening new graduate's resumes to weed out grads with subopitmal education?

If employers and educators are awareof this problem, they have a responsibility to make the information public, students need to make informed decisions and schools need to be held accountable for the education they provide.

dishes