How to use this list
These are keywords that often appear in registered nurse job listings. They are not a checklist to copy. Paste the actual job ad into the free score checker to see which words that employer uses, then add a keyword to your resume only if it is true for you and you can talk about it in an interview.
Put your licence or registration (with state, province or NMC) and current life-support cards near the top. Many nursing ads screen on them first.
Hard skills
- Patient assessment
- Medication administration
- Care planning
- Patient education
- Wound care
- IV therapy
- Infection control
- Charting and documentation
- Triage
- Discharge planning
Tools and software
- Epic
- Cerner (Oracle Health)
- Meditech
- Electronic health records (EHR)
- Infusion pumps
- Telemetry monitoring
Certifications and licences
- RN licence: NCLEX-RN (US and Canada)
- NMC registration and PIN (UK)
- BLS (Basic Life Support)
- ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support)
- PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support)
- Specialty certifications such as CCRN or CEN
Soft skills
- Compassion
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Critical thinking
- Calm under pressure
- Attention to detail
Soft skills land better as evidence inside a bullet ("trained 4 new hires") than as a bare list.
Using keywords honestly
- Start from your real experience. Keep a full Master CV with everything you have done.
- Mirror the ad's wording for the same thing. If you built "dashboards" and the ad says "data visualization", you can use their term because it describes your real work.
- Put proof next to the keyword. A skill inside a bullet with a result is stronger than a skill in a list.
- Leave gaps as gaps. If you have never used a tool, don't list it. Mention you're learning it only if you really are.
- Avoid stuffing and hidden text. Repeating keywords or hiding white text can get a resume rejected by the people who read it.
Cared for 5 to 6 patients per shift on a 32-bed med-surg unit and documented care in Epic.
This is an example of the structure (action, tool or skill, result), not a line to copy. Your bullet must use your own work and your own numbers.
Sources and more reading
- O*NET: Registered Nurses (29-1141.00) (US Department of Labor task and skill data)
- How to tailor a resume without making anything up
- Keywords for other job titles
FAQ
What keywords should a registered nurse resume include?
Use the keywords from the specific job ad that are true for you. Common ones for registered nurse roles include Patient assessment, Medication administration, Care planning, Epic, Cerner (Oracle Health), Meditech. Check a real listing with a free score checker to see which ones that employer uses.
Should I add a keyword I do not have?
No. Only add a keyword if it is true and you can discuss it in an interview. If it is a gap, leave it out or say you are learning it, if you really are.
How many keywords should I use?
There is no magic number. Cover the required skills you really have, in context, and keep the resume readable for a person.
Check your resume against a real job
Paste your resume and a job listing. Get a 0 to 100 fit score, matched and missing keywords, and section checks. Free, no signup, runs in your browser, no AI.
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