Nurse CV example
A nurse's CV is read by the head nurse of the ward and by HR. They look for your licence, the wards you have worked on, the procedures you perform independently and your reliability (shifts, patient safety). The structure must be clear and the wording specific.
This example suits general and specialist nurses. If the ad is in English (at a private clinic with international patients or a clinical research organisation, for example), state your English level and use the standard English names for your wards and qualification.
CV example
General practice nurse (valid licence) with 8 years' experience in intensive care and surgery. Independently handle IV therapy, care of mechanically ventilated patients and wound care; shift lead on a 12-bed unit. Take further training every year.
- Care for critically ill patients (mechanical ventilation, monitoring, IV therapy); shift lead on a 12-bed unit.
- Introduced a shift handover form: incidents caused by lost information fell by half.
- Train new nurses and nursing students (8 a year).
- Post-operative care, wound dressing and administering medication as prescribed; 25-bed ward.
Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU), Faculty of Nursing: BSc,Nursing, 2018
General practice nurse licence, State Accreditation Service for Health Care Activities (VASPVT), valid
Intensive care nursing course, 2021; Basic and Advanced Life Support (BLS/ALS), 2024
What to put in a nurse CV
Your licence status and the wards you have worked on (intensive care, surgery, internal medicine, paediatrics) are the first filters.
A list without exaggeration: the head nurse will check it in your first week.
Fewer incidents, documentation, training new staff: this shows maturity and reliability.
Courses with dates; the expiry date of your BLS/ALS certificate. For an English-language employer, add your English level and any certificate that proves it.
Most common mistakes
- Licence status not stated.
- Procedures described in general terms (“nursing procedures”) with nothing specific.
- Gaps in the timeline with no explanation (parental leave is normal: just say so).
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a cover letter?
Hospitals rarely ask for one; private clinics and international employers often do. Keep it short and specific.
If the ad is in English, what should change in my CV?
Write the CV in English and keep your Lithuanian version up to date too. Translate consistently: use the same English name for your qualification (general practice nurse) and standard names for your wards (intensive care unit, surgical ward), and spell out the licensing body (VASPVT) once. Give your English level, your ward experience and references if you have them: the reader may not know Lithuanian hospitals.
What should I write if I have just graduated?
Your placements and the wards they were on, procedures you performed under supervision, your BLS certificate, volunteering and languages.