See this new grad nurse resume in another design
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- 01
NCLEX-RN scheduled Nov 2026
Residency programs take applications before the NCLEX but need the license by the start date. A test date answers their first screening question.
- 02
Senior Practicum, Cardiac Step-Down (144 hours)
UC Davis Health asks for exactly this: preceptorship hospital, unit, total hours and dates. A manager hiring for that unit reads it first.
- 03
Completed 135 med-surg hours at UC Medical Center across 2 semesters, carrying 2 to 3 patients per shift
Hours per unit let a recruiter match you to the unit they are filling. Grouping by unit, not by course, keeps it to one page.
- 04
Support RNs on a 32-bed orthopedic and neuro unit on 12-hour weekend shifts, covering 10 to 12 patients alongside a second PCT
Paid patient care is the only work history most new grads have. One Ohio residency posting we read prefers previous experience in a relevant care setting.
- 05
Capstone: evidence-based project on hourly rounding and call-light response for a med-surg unit, presented to the unit practice council
One Ohio residency program we read includes a group evidence-based project. A capstone shows you have already done one.
What recruiters look for in a new grad nurse resume
- Licensure status at the top: NCLEX date or pass date, the state you applied to, and BLS. One Ohio posting we read asks for BLS through the AHA or American Red Cross.
- Senior practicum or preceptorship: hospital, unit, total hours, and start and end month. UC Davis Health requires these fields.
- Clinical rotations with hospital, unit and total hours, grouped by specialty rather than by course number.
- Degree and graduation date. BSN is in 28% of the 1,997 postings we counted, and one Ohio system asks ADN hires to finish one within 5 years.
- Paid patient care work (STNA, CNA, PCT, extern) with the unit and patient load.
- The unit you want, matching the posting. Ohio residency postings we read hire new grads into named units and pathways.
Skills for a new grad nurse resume
- Assessment and care
- Head-to-toe assessmentVital signs and trendingTelemetry rhythm recognitionEarly warning signs and escalationPatient and family teachingDischarge teaching
- Medications and procedures
- Medication administrationIV pump programmingWeight-based dose checksFoley insertion and careWound careFingerstick glucose
- Systems
- EpicCerner (Oracle Health)PointClickCarePyxisAlaris pumps
- Safety
- Fall preventionInfection controlTwo-identifier checksSBAR handoff
Turn clinicals into experience
Before
Clinical rotation, med-surg, UC Medical Center.
After
Completed 135 med-surg hours at UC Medical Center across 2 semesters, carrying 2 to 3 patients per shift.
Hours and patient load show your real exposure.
Before
Assisted nurses with patient care.
After
Support RNs on a 32-bed orthopedic and neuro unit on 12-hour weekend shifts, covering 10 to 12 patients alongside a second PCT.
Unit, shift and load make tech work count.
Before
Passed medications under supervision.
After
Gave 300+ medications with barcode scanning across the practicum with zero medication errors.
Volume and safety from one placement.
Before
Took care of patients in my preceptorship.
After
Took a 2-patient assignment under my preceptor by week 3 and the full 3-patient assignment for the final 4 twelve-hour shifts.
Shows you can carry a real assignment.
Action verbs for a new grad nurse resume
- Assessed
- Monitored
- Administered
- Documented
- Recognized
- Escalated
- Reported
- Educated
- Prioritized
- Mobilized
- Recorded
- Presented
Keywords from new grad nurse postings
From Ohio new grad and nurse residency postings read in November 2026.
- New graduate RN
- Nurse residency program
- NCLEX-RN
- RN license
- BLS
- BSN
- ADN
- Clinical rotations
- Preceptorship
- Med-surg
- Telemetry
- Progressive care
- Patient assessment
- Medication administration
- Evidence-based practice
- Patient safety
- Documentation
- Epic
Common new grad nurse resume mistakes
Listing rotations by course name
"NURS 3020 Clinical" tells a recruiter nothing. Use the unit, hospital and hours, and combine hours on the same unit across courses.
Leaving NCLEX status out
Put it at the top with the month and year, scheduled or passed, and the state you applied to. Programs need the license by the start date, so they look for it.
Putting RN in your title before the license posts
Use "New Graduate Nurse, BSN" until your license shows active on the board's verification. Then add RN and the license number.
Cutting your aide or tech job to save space
Keep it, with the unit and patient load. Trim the oldest rotation bullets first; paid patient care is harder to replace.
The rotation format one residency program spells out
UC Davis Health tells nurse residency applicants what the resume must show: Education (school, location, program type, month and year completed), then Senior Preceptorship, then Clinical Rotations, each with hospital name, department or unit, total hours, and start and end month. It requires a cover letter, resume and unofficial transcripts in one file and disqualifies applications that miss them. That order is a safe default for any residency.
If a posting names one unit, put the matching placement first and give it three or four bullets. The other rotations can share one entry, one line per unit with hospital and hours, as in the sample.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for new grad nurse jobs before I pass the NCLEX?+
Usually, yes. UC Davis Health takes applications before the NCLEX but needs proof of passing by the program start date, and Sharp HealthCare lets you apply if you expect to be licensed by the start. Put your scheduled NCLEX month on the resume so recruiters can plan.
How do I write a new grad nursing resume with no experience?+
Your senior practicum and clinical rotations are your experience. List them under Clinical Experience with hospital, unit and hours, practicum first. Add any aide, tech or extern job with its unit and patient load, then BLS and your licensure status near the top.
Should I put my GPA on a new grad nursing resume?+
Yes if it is strong or the posting asks for it. Many residency programs also ask for transcripts (UC Davis Health requires unofficial ones), so your grades will be seen either way. Leave it off if it is weak and put the space toward your practicum.
How many clinical hours should I list?+
The total for each unit, taken from your clinical log, plus the total for your practicum. Hours tell a recruiter how much of their unit you have actually seen, which a list of rotation names cannot.
Should I keep my CNA or STNA on my resume?+
Yes, for your first RN applications. It shows paid patient care hours, which postings prefer. Once you have a year or so as an RN, move it to one line or drop it, and drop your clinical rotations at the same time.
Sources
- UC Davis Health: Nurse Residency Program application instructions · read 2026-11-14
- UC Davis Health: Nurse Residency Program FAQs (NCLEX timing) · read 2026-11-14
- Sharp HealthCare: New Grad Nurse Residency Program eligibility · read 2026-11-14
- NCSBN: NCLEX registration and Authorization to Test · read 2026-11-14
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