Nursing skills for a resumé

It takes a special type of person, with a broad set of skills and a high level of empathy, to take on a career as a nurse. It’s a challenging role, but one that offers a competitive salary, personal fulfilment, and job security.

Once you’ve completed your studies and training, it’s important to know how to highlight your nursing skills on your resumé. While high demand for nurses in New Zealand means you have plenty of options for jobs, you still need to know how to best present your skills in your application.

By highlighting a mix of technical skills and soft skills, you can provide potential employers with a well-rounded view of your capabilities, demonstrating how you can meet the clinical and interpersonal demands of nursing. 

Whether you’re an experienced nurse looking to enter a specialisation or a soon-to-be graduate seeking an entry-level role, understanding which skills to emphasise is essential for getting the job you want.

What are nursing skills?  

A career in nursing requires a broad set of skills in order to deliver patient care. Nursing resumé skills that employers look for include a mix of technical abilities, medical knowledge, and soft skills that are essential for working with patients and as part of a team.  

It’s essential to have a balance of these technical and soft skills in a nursing resumé. Technical skills include expertise in administering medications, wound care, and operating medical equipment, which can all be learned through formal education and on-the-job training. Soft skills, such as communication, empathy and problem solving, are just as important. These skills enable nurses to provide effective care, work well with other health professionals, manage stress, and contribute to a positive work environment.

Essential soft skills for nurses to include in your resumé 

There are some key soft skills that you should include in a nursing skills list on your resumé. Here are a few examples.

Interpersonal skills  

Interpersonal skills refer to your ability to communicate and interact with others. They include understanding and managing both your own emotions and those of the people around you. In nursing, strong interpersonal skills help build rapport with patients and ease their anxieties, and ensure clear communication across different teams and situations.

Highlight experiences on your resumé where your interpersonal skills led to positive outcomes. This includes things like resolving conflicts, enhancing patient satisfaction and facilitating team collaboration.

For example:

• Collaborated with other healthcare professionals to assess patient treatments.
• Discussed treatments with patients in a sensitive and supportive manner. 

Communication skills  

Communication skills involve the ability to convey information clearly and quickly, both written and verbal. Good communication ensures patient care instructions are clear, treatment plans are understood, and there is collaboration between departments.

List specific instances on your resumé where your effective communication skills improved patient care or team dynamics. This can include things like delivering presentations or writing detailed patient care reports. 

For example:

• Trained new nursing staff, improving team efficiency by 30%.
• Answered phone calls, scheduled patient visits, and relayed messages.

Compassion   

Compassion involves showing empathy and sympathy towards patients and their families, understanding their experiences and providing comfort. It might look like reassuring a scared patient, keeping a family updated between visits, or finding an extra chair for visitors. 

Mention specific instances on your resumé where your compassionate approach improved patient care, like handling sensitive situations or providing support during critical times.

For example:

• Provided compassionate care to oncology patients
• Provided end-of-life care to patients in hospice and their visiting loved ones

Critical thinking  

Critical thinking in nursing involves the ability to assess clinical situations, analyse data and make informed decisions quickly. Being able to think critically enables nurses to provide high-quality care, anticipate potential complications and more. 

Describe scenarios on your resumé where your critical thinking was crucial to diagnosing patient issues or improving treatment protocols.

For example:

• Used critical thinking to triage patients in A&E. 
• Monitored and assessed vital signs in ICU training.

Teamwork  

Teamwork involves working with others to achieve common goals, which requires excellent communication and mutual respect. Teamwork is essential in healthcare settings where interdisciplinary teams must work together to provide patient care. 

Include examples of working in teams on your resumé, particularly in high-pressure situations. You can also highlight any leadership roles you have stepped into. 

For example:

• Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams to implement a streamlined patient intake system, reducing wait times by 25%.

Attention to detail  

Attention to detail means carrying out tasks with accuracy and precision. In nursing, attention to detail ensures patient safety, proper medication administration and accurate record-keeping. Share instances on your resumé where your attention to detail prevented medical errors or enhanced patient care monitoring. 

For example:

• Obtained and recorded patients’ vital signs 
• Administered medications according to charts

Time management  

Time management refers to your ability to manage your workload and prioritise tasks. Good time management allows nurses to handle the high demands of their roles, like patient care and administrative tasks, without compromising the quality of service. Show on your resumé how your ability to manage time allowed you to handle multiple patients or projects at the same time.

For example:

• Implemented a new scheduling system that reduced shift overlaps and increased coverage during peak hours by 15%.
• Managed admissions desk, prioritising tasks to maintain smooth patient intake and upkeep of patient records.

Flexibility and adaptability  

Flexibility and adaptability mean adjusting to new conditions and managing changes in the workplace. In healthcare, adapting to sudden changes and being flexible in your approach can impact the quality of care. Highlight situations on your resumé where you adapted to changes or were flexible in your approach to meet the needs of the patients or staff. 

For example:

• Adapted patient care plans in real time during shortages, ensuring continuous delivery of high-quality care.

Problem-solving skills  

Problem-solving skills allow you to identify issues and develop and implement solutions. Problem solving helps address challenges quickly, ensuring patient care continues smoothly and safely. Provide examples on your resumé of specific challenges you have faced and how you resolved them. 

For example:

• Implemented a new patient flow management system that decreased patient transfer times by 30%.
• Reorganised and maintained storeroom for more efficient cataloguing and inventory management.

Ethics and professionalism  

Ethics and professionalism in nursing involves sticking to moral principles and professional standards. Upholding high ethical standards is important for maintaining the integrity of care and protecting patients’ right to privacy.

Mention on your resumé any committees you have been part of that focus on ethical practices. You could also include any recognition you have received for professional conduct. 

For example:

• Served on the hospital ethics committee, contributing to policy revisions that enhanced patient privacy and staff accountability.

Essential hard skills for nurses to include in your resumé  

In the nursing field, having a robust set of hard skills (technical knowhow) shows you can meet the demands of the job. Here are some specific hard nursing skills for your resumé that are highly sought after by employers.

Caregiving skills and techniques  

Caregiving skills include assisting patients with daily living activities, administering medications and carrying out assessments. These skills ensure that nurses provide care that supports patients’ physical, emotional and psychological needs.

Examples include:

• Assistance with daily living: helping patients with eating, bathing, dressing and mobility.
• Engagement activities with patients: implementing therapeutic activities such as memory games, gentle exercises and social interactions.
• Medication administration: ensuring accurate dosage and timing of medication to manage health conditions.
• Assessing patients: carrying out thorough physical and mental assessments to determine patient needs, track progress and adjust care plans
• Home care: providing care in a patient’s home setting.

These are essential skills in a nursing resumé that you can build on by working under the guidance of a mentor or more senior nurse.

Specialised care techniques  

Specialised care techniques are the methods and practises nurses use to manage and treat medical conditions. These techniques are tailored to the unique needs of patients suffering from specific illnesses or in certain stages of life. 

Examples include:

• Dementia care: using different approaches to manage behaviour, improve communication and support cognitive function.
• Cancer care: providing chemotherapy administration, managing side effects and offering emotional support.
• Diabetes care: monitoring blood glucose levels, administering insulin and educating patients on lifestyle modifications necessary for managing diabetes.
• Stroke care: assisting with mobility, speech therapy and daily living activities.
• Post-hospitalisation care: coordinating rehabilitation, monitoring for complications and ensuring a smooth change from hospital to home care.
• Palliative/end-of-life care: offering symptom management, emotional support and comfort care to patients in the final stages of their lives.

If you’re looking to improve your specialised care skills, look for training programs or courses that focus on the type of care you’re most interested in. You can also gain hands-on experience by working in specialised units or clinics. 

Urgent and emergency care  

Urgent and emergency care skills in nursing involve the ability to respond quickly and effectively to life-threatening situations. These skills allow you to provide rapid assessments and make critical decisions to stabilise patients with immediate intervention.

Examples include:

• Intensive care: monitoring and managing the care of critically ill patients including those on life support.
• Emergency care: delivering care in emergency departments for a wide range of urgent health issues including trauma and illness.
• Surgical care: assisting in surgical procedures, managing preoperative and post-operative care and monitoring for surgical complications.

It helps to take part in simulated emergency situations to hone your skills in a controlled yet realistic environment. Keep up with the latest protocols and treatment methods in emergency care through continuous education, and practice techniques to stay calm under pressure.

Clinical nursing skills  

Clinical nursing skills encompass the practical and technical abilities required for direct patient care. These skills are essential in executing doctors’ orders accurately, managing patient conditions and ensuring a high standard of care.

Examples include:

• Wound care and dressing: managing and treating all types of wounds to prevent infection and promote healing.
• Oral suctioning: clearing secretions from the mouth and throat to prevent aspiration.
• IV drip: setting up and managing intravenous fluids and medications, monitoring for adverse reactions and ensuring proper hydration or medication delivery.
• Changing of tubes: safely replacing various medical tubes, such as feeding tubes or chest drains.
• Medication administration: accurately administering prescribed medications and monitoring for side effects.
• Urinary catheter care: managing and caring for urinary catheters.
• Tracheostomy care: providing care for tracheostomy patients.

The best way to improve these skills is through hands-on practice under supervision. You can enrol in courses or workshops that focus on clinical skills. Many hospitals and nursing organisations offer training sessions on advanced clinical procedures.

Patient and family education 

Patient and family education includes providing detailed explanations about conditions, treatments, medications and preventive measures. This ensures patients and families are well-informed to take part in care decisions. 

Examples include:

• Clearly describing the purpose, process and expected outcomes of medical treatments or procedures.
• Providing information about specific conditions, including potential causes, symptoms and recovery.
• Explaining prescriptions and when to take medicine, including dosage, timing and side effects.
• Alerting patient or caregiver to watch for infection or side effects of treatments or medications.
• Sharing information about infection control, such as proper handwashing techniques.
• Educating patients and families on how to manage pain, including the use of medications and when to seek further medical assistance.

Focus on improving your ability to communicate complex information in an easy-to-understand way. This might include using simpler language, visual aids or analogies that make sense to patients and families. 

Patient safety 

Patient safety skills involve ensuring accurate medication administration, fall prevention, infection control and educating patients about safety measures at home. Nurses are often the first line of defence in preventing harm and ensuring the wellbeing of their patients.

Examples include:

• Preventing falls: implementing and monitoring fall-prevention protocols, especially for high-risk patients.
• Ensuring medication accuracy: ensuring information on medication orders, dosages and patient information is accurate to prevent errors.
• Offering physical assistance: providing necessary support to patients as they perform activities that might put them at risk of injury, such as moving from a bed to a chair.
• Explaining safety needed at home: educating patients and families about necessary home safety measures to prevent accidents.
• Preventing infection: adhering to strict hygiene and sanitation protocols to prevent healthcare-associated infections among patients.

It helps to use checklists for critical processes such as medication administration and patient handoffs, to reduce the risk of errors. Work closely with other healthcare professionals to maintain a multidisciplinary approach to patient safety. 

In the ever-evolving field of nursing, presenting a well-rounded resumé is essential for capturing the attention of potential employers and advancing your career. Highlight the essential technical and soft skills of a nurse in a resumé that demonstrates your ability to handle both patient care and team dynamics. A balanced mix of these skills shows your versatility and readiness to tackle various challenges in the healthcare field. 

FAQs 

How do you describe nursing skills on a resumé?

When describing nursing skills on a resumé, use specific examples and quantify your achievements where possible: 

1. Start with a strong action verb 
2. Follow with a detailed description of the skill
3. Conclude with the impact or outcome 

For instance: Administered medication to up to 50 patients daily accurately and efficiently, reducing patient care rounds by 15 mins.

What are the five skills of a nurse? 

The five essential skills of a nurse are:

1. Clinical knowledge
2. Communication
3. Empathy
4. Attention to detail
5. Critical thinking 

These skills enable nurses to provide care, engage with patients, and handle complex environments like hospitals and clinics. 

What hard skills do I need as a nurse?

As a nurse, essential hard skills include:

• Wound care 
• Medication administration
• Patient assessment
• Operation of medical equipment
• Emergency response techniques

What’s your strongest skill as a nurse?  

Your strongest skill as a nurse depends on the individual nursing role, but for many it’s empathy or communication combined with clinical proficiency. These skills are essential for any nurse, as they determine how effectively you contribute to patient care and how well you work in a team.

What is the difference between a registered and enrolled nurse?  

The main difference between a registered nurse (RN) and an enrolled nurse (EN) is the level of education and scope of practice:

• RNs hold a bachelor’s degree and have developed registered nurse skills that have a broader scope of practice. This allows them to perform more complex procedures and critical care.
• ENs have a diploma and work under the supervision of RNs, with a more limited scope.

What are the different skills for a registered nurse compared to an enrolled nurse?  

The skills of a registered nurse include clinical and leadership skills and the ability to manage healthcare plans. They’re trained to perform diagnostic tests, analyse results and administer medications. Enrolled nurses focus on basic nursing care, such as monitoring vital signs, assisting with daily activities, and following care plans set by RNs.

What computer skills should a nurse put on a resumé?

Nurses should include skills related to electronic health records (EHR) systems, Microsoft Office Suite for documentation and reporting, patient management software, and telehealth platforms. Skill in these areas shows your ability to handle the digital side of modern healthcare. 

What are the 10 qualities of nurse? 

The 10 qualities of a great nurse include:

1. Compassion
2. Emotional stability
3. Empathy
4. Flexibility
5. Attention to detail
6. Interpersonal skills
7. Physical endurance
8. Problem-solving skills
9. Professionalism 
10. Respect

These qualities help nurses care for patients and collaborate with other healthcare professionals.