Nursing managers are essential leaders in healthcare, overseeing nursing teams to ensure high-quality patient care.
It’s a rewarding career and a competitive one at that. This means your ability to manage staff, improve processes and uphold healthcare standards, along with other qualifying skills and experiences, must stand out on your resume so hiring managers can easily see what makes you the best candidate for the job.
We’re here to help. In this guide, we’ll cover:
- Nursing manager resume examples for different experience levels.
- How to write an effective nurse manager resume quickly and easily.
- What formats and templates you can use to best highlight your qualifications.
- Tips for adding additional information to your nursing manager resume and cover letter.
Want to make your nursing manager resume right away? Then try our AI Resume Builder to create a professional resume in minutes. Upload an existing resume or start a new one, select a customizable template and fill it in with automated suggestions that describe your expertise.
Nurse Manager Resume Examples
Why this resume works:
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Demonstrates leadership:
This resume highlights the applicant’s ability to supervise and train a team, such as spearheading a process improvement initiative that reduced patient discharge times by 10%, showcasing readiness for a management role.
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Quantifies achievements:
The applicant includes measurable results, such as improving patient satisfaction scores by 15% and increasing compliance with new clinical policies by 20%, which demonstrate unique value and validate skills.
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Strong career objective:
The career objective clearly outlines the applicant’s goals to transition into a nursing manager role while leveraging their clinical expertise and leadership experience to underscore their qualifications.
Why this resume works:
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Relevant experience:
The first job entry in the work experience section shows that the candidate already has previous experience as a nursing manager, supervising large numbers of nurses and patients, which will be reassuring to most employers.
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Proven success:
This resume quantifies achievements, such as increasing patient satisfaction by 20% and reducing overtime costs by 25%, which validate the candidate’s ability to successfully fulfill the responsibilities of the nursing manager position.
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Advanced credentials:
With advanced certifications like CNML and a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), the candidate reinforces their credibility and expertise in the field.
More Resume Examples
If you feel like you could use more resume examples to help you in your writing, then check out our entire collection! We have plenty of sample resumes available to fit most career paths.
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Related Guides & Tips
Choosing a Resume Format
The first step to writing your nurse manager resume is to decide on which format you want to use.
Selecting the right resume format helps make it easy for hiring managers to evaluate your qualifications. This is because each format has a different focus on your qualifications based on your experience level and career goals.
Below are the three main formats to consider for your nurse manager resume:
- Chronological: This format is the best option for experienced nursing managers with a consistent job history because it highlights your work experience in reverse-chronological order, showcasing career growth and the impact of your leadership roles.
- Functional: The functional format focuses on skills and qualifications rather than work history, making it a good fit for those transitioning into nursing management or with less direct leadership experience. By centering on your core competencies, you focus on your readiness for the role without drawing attention to gaps or limited managerial roles.
- Combination: As a hybrid of the chronological and functional formats, this option works well for midlevel professionals who want to balance their skills and work history. This format gives equal emphasis to both technical expertise and hands-on leadership experience, making it ideal for professionals with a diverse range of qualifications.
Whichever format you pick, your nursing manager resume needs to be clean and easy to navigate. Use conventional formatting practices such as professional fonts, standard margins and organized sections to give your document a polished, professional appearance that reflects your high standards as a leader in healthcare.
Add a resume template
Not only do you need a format for your nurse manager resume, but it’s also important to choose a template that helps bring your qualifications to life.
Any great nursing manager resume will use a template that mixes professionalism with personality to help make you unique among other applicants.
Consider options such as:
- Modern template: A sleek and professional design, which is perfect for seasoned nursing managers who want to complement their experience with contemporary aesthetics. This template style draws attention to your accomplishments and extensive experience in leadership roles.
- Simple template: Designed for a more basic yet still effective approach, this layout prioritizes readability and organization. It allows your skills and certifications to stand out clearly, making it a great choice for those new to the position or applying to more traditional organizations.
How to Write a Nurse Manager Resume in 5 Easy Steps
So you have your format and a template, but now it’s time to fill out your resume in a way that gets the attention of hiring managers.
How do you do it?
It begins with a few simple steps. Let’s examine them to see what you can do to write an effective resume for a nurse manager position.
Step 1
Analyze the job description
Before you begin writing your nursing manager resume, take the time to carefully review the job posting.
Employers often list skills and responsibilities they want to see in candidates. Identifying these details will help you align your resume with their expectations and make your qualifications more noticeable.
By tailoring your resume to reflect the employer’s needs, you position yourself as the ideal candidate for the job by demonstrating a thorough understanding of the role and how you are a perfect fit for it.
Additionally, look for key terms from the job description and incorporate these phrases into your resume. These keywords will not only make your resume more relevant but also improve your chances of passing applicant tracking systems (ATS).
Step 2
Write a professional summary or resume objective
The opening section of your nursing manager resume is crucial for making a strong first impression.
In just a few sentences, this profile is your opportunity to immediately grab the hiring manager’s attention by introducing yourself and what makes you an exceptional candidate.
Depending on your experience level, you can choose between a professional summary and a resume objective.
- Professional summary: This option is ideal if you have relevant experience in nurse management because it provides a concise overview of your career. In the resume summary, highlight your leadership expertise, key accomplishments and how those align with the role.
- Resume objective: If you’re new to nursing management or transitioning into the role, a resume objective is a better choice. This section highlights your career aspirations while focusing on your transferable skills and enthusiasm for leadership.
Here’s an example of each to show you how you can incorporate this into your nurse manager resume.
Example nursing manager professional summary:
Accomplished nursing manager with over 10 years of experience leading nursing teams in fast-paced healthcare environments. Proven success in improving patient satisfaction scores by 20% through staff training programs and process enhancements. Skilled in budgeting, regulatory compliance and fostering high-performing teams.
Example nursing manager resume objective:
Dedicated registered nurse with eight years of clinical experience seeking to transition into a nursing manager role. Skilled in team coordination, patient care planning and quality assurance. Eager to apply leadership skills to enhance patient outcomes and staff performance in a dynamic healthcare setting.
Incorporate key terms from the job description into your professional summary or objective. This is a great way to make your resume more relevant to hiring managers while also making it ATS-friendly.
Step 3
Focus on relevant skills
The skills section of your nursing manager resume allows hiring managers to quickly assess your abilities.
They’ll be looking for a combination of hard and soft skills, so make sure to give them a balanced selection between the two. The nature of healthcare means nurse managers need a mix of technical and interpersonal skills that allow them to lead and collaborate with others.
- Hard skills: These are the technical and job-specific abilities you’ve developed through experience, education and certifications. Highlight skills directly related to managing nursing staff, ensuring compliance and improving patient care standards.
- Soft skills: Soft skills reflect your personal attributes and leadership style. Nursing managers need strong interpersonal and organizational skills to handle the complexities of managing a healthcare team.
When listing your skills, it’s important to use the language in the job description to directly connect your capabilities to the employer’s expectations.
- Staff scheduling and resource management
- Budget planning and financial oversight
- Quality assurance and regulatory compliance
- Workflow optimization and process improvement
- Patient care planning and documentation systems
- Training and professional development for nursing staff
- Leadership and team-building
- Effective communication and active listening
- Problem-solving and critical thinking
- Conflict resolution and decision-making
- Adaptability in high-pressure situations
- Empathy and emotional intelligence
Step 4
Work experience
The work experience section is an important part of your nurse manager resume, especially when it comes to validating your skills.
Your job history is where you demonstrate how your previous roles have prepared you to excel by showcasing responsibilities that lead to accomplishments. This both underscores your qualifications and helps to set you apart from other candidates.
So use this section to show specific accomplishments and the impact you’ve made in your past positions.
List your roles in reverse-chronological order, starting with your most recent or current position.
For each role, include the following:
- Job title.
- Employer name.
- Location.
- Dates of employment.
Under each role, use concise bullet points to highlight your key responsibilities and achievements. Focus on accomplishments that align with the nursing manager position and quantify your results whenever possible to demonstrate your impact.
Nursing manager work experience example:
Nursing Manager
Mostly Good Hospital – Seattle, WA
June 2018 – Dec. 2024
- Supervise a team of 25 nurses, ensuring adherence to patient care protocols and regulatory compliance.
- Implemented a staff scheduling system that improved shift coverage by 15% and reduced overtime costs by $20,000 annually.
- Led staff training programs on infection control, resulting in a 25% reduction in hospital-acquired infections.
- Developed patient care plans in collaboration with interdisciplinary teams, boosting patient satisfaction scores by 18%.
Use action verbs like “led,” “supervised,” “implemented” and “developed” to start each bullet point. Pair these with quantifiable results, such as improved patient satisfaction rates or reduced costs, to provide clear evidence of your effectiveness as a nursing leader.
Step 5
Education and certifications
Having the proper education and certifications is essential for all nurse management positions. You will be responsible for the health and wellness of many patients.
List your highest degree first, followed by the institution’s name and location. Certifications only need to include the name of the certification and who granted it.
If you’re currently pursuing a degree or certification, include it with an expected completion date. Be concise but clear in presenting your credentials.
Example of education and certification sections:
Education
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) – Healthcare Leadership
University of Washington – Seattle, WA
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
Oregon State University – Portland, OR
Certifications
- Nurse Executive Board Certification (NE-BC)
- Certified Nurse Manager and Leader (CNML)
- Basic Life Support (BLS), American Heart Association
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), American Heart Association
- Infection Control Certification (CIC)
Create a dedicated certifications section if you have multiple credentials. This helps hiring managers quickly identify your qualifications, particularly if the job description specifies preferred certifications for the role.
Optional resume sections
Awards
This section allows you to showcase any accolades you’ve received for your nursing leadership, patient care or team management. Awards demonstrate your dedication to excellence and provide evidence of your recognized value as an employee.
Example:
- Nursing Manager of the Year – City General Hospital, 2022
- Excellence in Patient Care Award – Green Valley Medical Center, 2020
Volunteer experience
As long as you have the space on your resume, consider adding volunteer roles where you’ve used your nursing or leadership skills, such as organizing community health initiatives or mentoring nursing students. This section can demonstrate your dedication to serving others.
Example:
- Volunteer Coordinator, Free Health Clinic – Organized and led a team of nurses to provide care for underserved communities, 2020-2023
Languages
If you’re fluent or conversational in multiple languages, include this section. Multilingual nursing managers can better serve diverse patient populations and improve communication within teams.
Example:
- Mandarin: Fluent
- Arabic: Fluent
- Spanish: Conversational
Specialized training and workshops
If you want to clearly establish your dedication to professional development, then include any advanced training or workshops you’ve attended that furthered your skills in areas like leadership, compliance or patient care.
Example:
- Attended “Leadership Development for Nurse Managers” Workshop – AONL, 2021
- Completed “Infection Control Practices” Training – American Hospital Association, 2020
Add a Cover Letter
We highly recommend that you include a cover letter with your nurse manager resume. This is your chance to expand on your leadership experience, highlight your qualifications and explain why you’re the ideal candidate for the role.
Use this space to share specific examples of your best and most relevant qualifications by telling a story that reveals not only your professionalism but your personality as well. By adding your voice to the cover letter, hiring managers will see you less as a faceless applicant and more as a unique individual with something to offer.
Including a tailored cover letter also allows you to express your enthusiasm for the role and demonstrate how your skills align with the organization’s mission, adding another layer of personal touch.
Not sure where to begin? Our Cover Letter Builder provides easy-to-use templates and tailored content suggestions to help you craft a compelling letter in just a few minutes.
Take a look at our expertly written cover letter examples for inspiration to get started on creating a standout letter today!
Key Takeaways
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Tailor your resume to the job description
Highlight the skills and experiences that align with the specific requirements of the role and use keywords to help your resume pass applicant tracking systems (ATS).
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Pick a format that suits your needs
The chronological, functional and combination resume formats focus on different aspects of your qualifications based on your amount of skills and experience.
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Include a balanced skill set
Highlight a mix of hard skills, such as staff scheduling and compliance, and soft skills like leadership and communication to showcase your well-rounded qualifications.
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Quantify whenever possible
Use metrics in your work experience to demonstrate your impact, such as improving patient satisfaction scores, reducing costs or streamlining processes.
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Provide your education and certifications
Clearly list your nursing degrees and certifications, such as NE-BC or CNML, to validate your qualifications. If you’re pursuing additional certifications, include expected completion dates.
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Add optional sections for additional relevant qualifications
If you have the space, add sections like awards, languages or specialized training to further differentiate your application and provide a comprehensive view of your abilities.
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Include a cover letter
A customized cover letter complements your resume by allowing you to expand on your leadership experience, highlight your enthusiasm for the role and show how you align with the organization’s mission.
FAQ for Your Job Search
Last Updated: November 21, 2024
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Conor is a writer for Resume Now. He has over five years of professional writing experience and professional development training. Conor has written on a range of career development topics.
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