Nursing CV Example, Template, & Writing Guide

Nursing demands resilience and empathy, making it unsuitable for the faint-hearted or cold-hearted. This profession requires a unique set of qualities. Despite this, many people with a nursing degree seek opportunities in the field.

This article will show you how to write a nursing CV that will keep you ahead of the pack. You’ll find numerous nurse CV examples and UK-specific advice. Check out the nursing CV sample below for practical insights.

In this guide, you'll see a nursing CV example written by a career expert and numerous nursing CV samples you can use as reference. You'll also learn how to make a CV for nurses in a few steps, based on a dedicated nurse CV template for the UK with tailored formatting tips. 

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We created the sample on the right using our builder. See other good CV examples like this one.

Need a different CV example than a CV for nurses? Check these guides:

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Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our good CV examples.

Nursing CV example for the UK

Now that you have seen an expert example of a nurse CV, read on to learn how you can write your own CV:

1. Frame your nurse CV template with a personal statement

Interacting with patients daily means encountering individuals who may not be having the best day. How you introduce yourself—the first impression you make—can set the tone for the remainder of your interactions.

It’s similar when it comes to your nursing CV personal statement (or a CV summary): your reader is in a rush and may not be their best, most generous self when they pick up your application. So make a good first impression with a nurse CV personal statement that does 3 significant things:

• Introduces you as a nurse: your specialisation and the extent and nature of your experience.
• Provides insight into what you bring to the table by showcasing your contributions to previous employers.
• Shows how your goals align with the employer’s.

A personal statement for a nurse CV is only 3–4 sentences and 50–150 words long, but you’ll be writing a new one for every new job application you submit, so it’s worth streamlining the writing process. Use the following prompts as a kind of nursing CV template for your personal statement:

• What kind of nurse are you? Think professional attributes as well as specialisations.
• How much experience do you have, and where did you gain that experience?
• What’s your most impressive/relevant on-the-job achievement?
• What are you hoping to be able to achieve for your employer in this job?

It’s becoming increasingly likely that your application will be processed by an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) before a recruiter even lays eyes on it. Make sure you get past its algorithms by mentioning the employer by name (as it appears in the job advert) as well as the specific position.

Your nursing CV personal statement clearly comes first in your CV, but it’s best that you write it last, or at least towards the end of writing your CV. You’ll be much better equipped to do a good job once you’ve prepared your job descriptions and nursing skills section. So leave it for now and come back to it later.

Nursing CV sample for the UK: personal statement

A strong CV summary will convince the recruiter you’re the perfect candidate. Save time and choose a ready-made personal statement written by career experts and adjust it to your needs in the LiveCareer CV builder.

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2. Detail your nursing career in your nurse CV

Whether you’re a fresh graduate or a seasoned nurse, the steep learning curve of on-the-job experiences remains a vivid memory. Experience is extremely important in nursing—education and classroom training are just there to set you up for all you’ll learn in a real, bustling, and sometimes chaotic setting.

Make sure you capture all that experience in your nurse CV. Stick to the chronological format, which means detailing your work history in reverse chronological order. This is what recruiters expect to see and what ATSs are set up to filter most accurately.

Organise your work history by generating a subheading for each position using this nursing CV template:

[Job Title]

[Company Name, Location]

[Dates of Employment]

Create up to six bullet points under each subheading thus created. Resist the temptation to list your regular duties and responsibilities. Instead, make each point a description of one of your nursing achievements. An achievement is something measurable and quantified. For example, ‘inserted cannulas’ becomes ‘inserted more than 100 cannulas without serious incident’.

You can use a PAR (Problem, Action, Result) formula, CAR (Context, Action, Result) formula, or STAR method to help structure your bullet points. Start each point with a dynamic verb like ‘created,’ ‘ensured,’ or ‘helped.’ Estimating numbers is fine, but keep it realistic and justifiable.

If you’re writing a nursing CV without any experience, then focus on the volunteer, placement, and other work you did before becoming a Registered Nurse. It all very much counts, and regardless of how you became an RN, you would have accumulated much of this experience.

Nursing CV examples for the UK: job descriptions

3. Keep your nursing CV education section on point

Completing a university course is probably the most common way people get into nursing, but it’s certainly not the only way to become a nurse. Regardless of the diverse ways individuals enter the field, obtaining your NMC PIN is the key achievement. Ensure your nurse CV's education section serves its purpose precisely—avoid adding grades or university subjects.

List your academic qualifications in the reverse chronological order. If you possess a post-secondary qualification and relevant work experience, omit your high school education details. Use the following template for both university degrees and other tertiary qualifications:

[Degree Type] [Degree Name](Degree Class), [Years Attended]

[Institution Name], [Institution Location]

Include an expected graduation date if you’re still studying. If you don’t have a university degree, then use the following templates to detail your high school education:

A-levels: [Subject Name 1], [Subject Name 2], [Subject Name 3]

[School Name], [School Location], [Years Attended]

[n] GCSEs (including Mathematics and English)

[School Name], [School Location], [Years Attended]

where n stands for the number of GCSEs you completed.

CV for nurses: education section sample

4. Showcase skills in your nurse CV

Distinct nursing environments require varied skill sets. The skills that get you and your patients through a night in A&E aren’t going to be the same skills that keep the residents in a nursing home comfortable and healthy. This means you’ll have to revise your nursing CV skills section with every new application.

Crafting a new skills section for every CV submission can become tedious quickly. A more efficient approach is to create a master list of nursing skills, allowing you to copy and paste as needed seamlessly. This minimizes the immediate workload while significantly reducing future efforts.

Open a new document and compile all the nursing skills you can think of. Enhance each skill by adding a sentence demonstrating how you’ve applied it professionally. Strive for specificity and quantify your achievements wherever possible. 

Return to the job advert and copy-paste 5–10 skills from your master list into your nursing CV. Be sure to cover at least what the job advert requires (including soft skills and hard skills). Rethink your word choice so that you echo keywords used in the advert. For example, change ‘teamwork’ to ‘team player’ if they’ve used it.

Nursing CV examples for the UK: skills

5. Inject additional sections into your nursing CV sample

Despite having nearly identical educational backgrounds and work experiences, two nurses may not necessarily be equally proficient or well-suited for a specific team. Nursing is a whole-person kind of affair, and a lot depends on who you are as an individual.

Add extra sections to your nursing CV to better capture the aspects of your professional life and personality that slip straight through categories like recent work history or skills. Add sections that summarise your professional development efforts, qualifications, certifications, awards, and even hobbies.

Whatever you add has to be relevant to the job at hand. An especially pertinent addition in nursing is speaking languages other than English. This is an extremely attractive trait in the British labour market, especially in jobs requiring an empathic approach.

CV examples for nurses in the UK: additional sections

6. Include a cover letter with your nurse CV

Paperwork, in one form or another, continues to play a big part in nursing. Even ‘just’ ticking a box here or noting a time there. And with good reason—following procedures, keeping good records, and communicating clearly can mean the difference between life and death. The stakes are not quite as high in your CV.

Still, there are certain formal requirements to which you have to adhere. A CV is always accompanied by a cover letter, for example. The only exception is if you’ve been explicitly asked not to include one. If there’s no mention of a cover letter at all, then the default assumption is that you should include one.

Luckily, you’re halfway there to having a winning nursing cover letter prepared once you’ve prepared your nurse CV template. A properly structured cover letter will include a standard UK header, appropriate salutation, attention-grabbing opening, impressive achievements showcase, neat wrap-up, and the right sign-off.

A good nursing cover letter will end up being around 250–400 words long and should nicely fit on (but never exceed) a single A4 page. End your nursing cover letter with a confident call to action that shows your eagerness to continue to the next stage of the recruitment process.

7. Make your nursing CV formatting neat

There are many aspects of being a nurse that don’t seem to be directly related to health care, like keeping your uniform looking neat and tidy. Attention to detail, organisation, and general hygiene are important in preventing the spread of disease and mistakes from occurring.

Present the same traits in a perfectly-written CV. Proofread your work until you’re sure there isn’t a single spelling or grammatical error left, and then proofread it again. Use whatever software you’re using to type up your documents and any readily available software and web apps that can help you. Get someone else to look over your work.

Leave your personal details (including your NMC PIN) near the top of your CV, where they’ll be easy to find. Use plenty of white space and subheadings to break your CV down into sections clearly. Maintain consistency in your CV format and CV design. Choose an understated CV font like Noto, Arial, Liberation, or Calibri, and keep the size at a readable 11–12 points. These guidelines are guaranteed to create a professional and visually appealing CV.

Keep your nursing CV to a one-page maximum unless you have over 20 years of experience. Attach your CV and cover letter in PDF, unless asked for something else. Haven’t heard back after a week? Fire off a quick email or pick up the phone and follow up—it can do wonders.

You don’t have to be a CV writing expert. In the LiveCareer CV builder you’ll find ready-made content for every industry and position, which you can then add with a single click.

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Did you enjoy our nurse CV sample? I hope this article was useful to you! Is there anything here that you’d like more information on? Please leave any questions or comments down below – we’ll be sure to get back to you.

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Our editorial team has reviewed this article for compliance with Livecareer’s editorial guidelines. It’s to ensure that our expert advice and recommendations are consistent across all our career guides and align with current CV and cover letter writing standards and trends. We’re trusted by over 10 million job seekers, supporting them on their way to finding their dream job. Each article is preceded by research and scrutiny to ensure our content responds to current market trends and demand.