Nursing CV vs. Resume: Which Should You Use? [With Examples]

Perhaps you’re newly out of school and looking for your first job. Or, maybe you’re a seasoned nurse with an advanced degree who’s ready to expand your career. If you’re applying for a nursing position, your potential employer will want to see a resume or CV (curriculum vitae—Latin for “course of life”).

This article examines the difference between a nursing CV and a nursing resume and how to create these important documents.

What’s the Difference Between a Nursing Resume and a Nursing CV?

A resume is a brief overview of your experience and education. “A nursing resume shouldn't be longer than two pages, whereas a CV is much more in-depth,” says Angela Owens, academic department chair for systems programs at Purdue Global.

According to Owens, a nursing resume should contain details of your:

• Education
• Experience
• Special skills
• Certifications
• Awards and other achievements
• Affiliations with professional organizations and/or volunteer and community organizations
• Presentations you may have completed and papers/articles that you've authored

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Which one should you have—a resume or a CV?

“Nurses should have both,” Owens says. “Depending on the position, you may be asked to include a resume and a CV.”

If the recruiter or job description doesn’t specify which one to send, use the following guidelines.

When Should You Use a Resume and When Should You Use a CV?

For entry-level nursing jobs, send a resume.

“They are simply looking for your educational background, work experience, and any special skills you've gained in clinical,” Owens says.

For nurse educator positions and positions in higher education, send a CV.

How to Create a Nursing Resume (With Example)

Your nursing resume should be one to two pages and should feature:

• Contact information (name; city, state, and ZIP code; telephone; email; and LinkedIn profile link, if available)
• Licenses
• A summary of your experience and the skills you can bring to the role, written specifically for a job posting (3–5 sentences; avoid personal pronouns such as I, me, and my)
• Education (degrees, awarding institutions, and dates)
• Professional experience (limit to the past 10 years, unless your past work directly applies to the position you seek)
• Clinical experience (highlight your clinical skills if this is your first nursing job)
• Volunteer work (optional)

By necessity, new nurses will have a short resume, unless they are second-career nurses. “If you have a previous degree and career in another area, and there's value to highlighting that previous career, I would recommend you use a CV,” Owens says.

Example of a Nursing Resume

View a sample nursing resume.

How to Create a Nursing CV (With Example)

There's no cap on how long your CV should be. It should be as many pages as you need to give a comprehensive overview of your education and experience.

A nursing CV should feature:

• Contact information (name; city, state, and ZIP code; telephone; email; and LinkedIn profile link, if available)
• Education (degree(s), awarding institutions, and dates)
• Dissertation or thesis title(s), names of advisor and committee members (if applicable)
• Awards/grants
• Academic appointments
• Hospital affiliated appointments (if applicable)
• Publications and conference presentations
• Teaching experience and interests
• Related experience (for example, administrative or editorial experience)
• Languages or other skills (including technology)
• Extracurricular activities/community service
• Service and membership in professional associations
• Certifications

Example of a Nursing CV

View a sample nursing CV.

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