Why a good resume is essential when applying for a new school nurse job
A well-crafted and effective resume is key to securing a position as a school nurse. Your resume is your first introduction to an employer and is a tool to showcase your professional qualifications, skills, and unique experience. A compelling resume is your initial point of contact with a potential employer and should be written for a lasting impression.
Your resume should be detailed, concise, and should highlight your nursing degree (RN) and any additional specific certifications. It is used to effectively communicate your proficiency in school nursing and to differentiate you from a field of competitive candidates.
We will provide a few important tips and an example of a template resume to help improve your resume/CV and secure a job interview.
How long should a job resume for a school nurse be and what information should be included?
A resume for a school nurse should be comprehensive but concise. You should provide enough information to showcase your qualifications, skills, and experience. Generally, a resume should be one page in length but can be two pages if you have extensive experience or certifications.
The following information should be included in your resume: contact information, resume summary or objective, education, licensure, clinical experience, skills, professional membership, continuing education, certifications, and any honors and awards.
Points that need to be included in a resume
Contact Information: Include your full name, professional title, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile (if applicable).
Pro Tip: Your name should be highlighted with the biggest text on the page and listed near the top. Your address should only include city and state. The provided email should be a professional email, but not an employer email. (Never use your current job email for a resume.)
Resume Summary or Objective: Provide a brief, targeted statement summarizing your expertise, career goals, and what you offer.
Education: Include your educational background, including the name of the institution, degree earned, and graduation date. List your education in reverse chronological order with your most recent and highest degrees first. List your RN degree.
Pro Tip: If you are a new graduate, you may want to place the education section above the experience section. As you gain work experience, your education section should be shortened. If you have not graduated, you can add “expected graduation date” to the school.
Certifications and Licenses: Specify any specialized certifications including NBCSN.
Clinical Experience: Include your work history in reverse chronological order. For each position, include the name of the hospital or clinic, location, and dates of employment. Highlight any specialized procedure or technique you have experience performing.
This is the most important section as a school nurse. Your professional experience should be presented in bullet points, and a separate section should be created for each relevant previous job. The headline for each previous job experience section should in bold with the addition of the time you were employed. Beneath the company name, the position should be mentioned, and the bulleted points should list the job responsibilities.
Pro Tip: It is important to mention not only the job responsibilities but also the achieved results at that job.
Presentations and Conferences: If applicable, include any conferences or seminars where you have presented your research.
Skills: Outline both your technical and interpersonal skills that are relevant to a school nurse. Include your proficiencies in relevant subspecialties like pediatric, public health, and mental health nursing.
Professional Memberships: List any associations i.e. National Association of School Nurses or specific state associations
Awards and Honors: Highlight any special recognition or awards you have received for your contributions to the profession.
Professional Development: Showcase ongoing education, training, and workshops that you have attended to stay current in the field.
Note: If applicable, mention any languages that you proficient in.
A school nurses’ resume should highlight a combination of medical, technical, interpersonal, and leadership skills. Here are some important and relevant skills to include:
- Pediatric Assessment and Care:
- Proficient in monitoring and assessing pediatric patients
- Medical Administration:
- Handle medication administration and monitoring.
- Chronic Disease Management:
- Manage chronic disease like asthma and diabetes.
- Emergency Response:
- Rapidly recognize and administer first aid or CPR.
- Health Screening:
- Proficiency in performing health screenings including vision, hearing, scoliosis, and BMI.
- Vaccine Compliance and Tracking:
- Track student immunizations and notify parents as needed.
- Infection Control:
- Proficiency in the identification of disease and education on the treatment and protocols.
- Decision-Making:
- Ability to make informed and timely decisions in emergencies.
- Continuous Learning:
- Commitment to professional development and remaining current with public health protocols
- Communication Skills:
- Effective communication with students, parents, and staff.
- Documentation and EMR Proficiency:
- Accuracy in charting and the reporting of health data.
Pro tip: It is common for each job post to received hundreds of applications and a resume checking system is often in place for recruiters to filter through relevant applications. You should customize your resume to each specific school nurse position you are applying for. Be sure to emphasize your relevant skills and experience to demonstrate to the employer you understand the requirements of the job and are the best candidate. You will be more successful if you identify the key phrases in the job description and incorporate them into your resume.
Resume example-template: You can view sample school nurse resumes online, and can even build and customize your resume on websites like Live Career.