If you're a compassionate and caring nurse with a passion for travel and variety in your working life, then a career as a travel nurse will be the perfect fit. The travel nursing job market is both fluid and competitive, so having a standout resume is vital. Check out our high-quality resume example and writing guide to show a recruiter that you’re the nurse they should hire.
Your travel nurse resume needs to convey your achievements and aptitude in the nursing field, combined with your adaptability, critical-thinking skills, and empathetic approach. Hiring managers are often time-pressed, especially in a fluid job market such as travel nursing. So, keeping your resume format concise and orderly is the best way to impress recruiters and ensure you don’t lose their attention.
The professional profile is your initial elevator pitch, so it needs to grab the attention of the hiring manager and promote you as the perfect nurse. Our resume example shows exactly how you can highlight your experience and achievements in nursing, balanced with your soft skills and patient-centered approach. Keeping your profile direct and impactful will ensure the hiring manager is compelled to read the rest of your resume.
Areas of nursing expertise closely follows your professional summary and is prominent to capture the attention of recruiters during the initial scan of your resume. Keeping this section to 12 bullet-pointed areas ensures that you cover your core expertise, while keeping the hiring manager engaged. Note the nursing skills you see in the job posting so you can adapt the resume example for each specific opportunity.
The all-important professional experience section provides recruiters with information about your overarching responsibilities and showcases the specific contracts you have worked on. Short paragraphs (core responsibilities) and bullet points (contracts and accomplishments) provide a distinction between each section. Strong action verbs are used to ensure your resume is memorable.Education then wraps up the perfect travel nursing resume. This section outlines your highest and most relevant degree, licenses, and professional training in a concise way, showing that you have the right credentials for the job.
The job description is the best reference point for the right keywords and will help make your travel nurse resume ATS-compliant. Look out for terms that are repeated or emphasized as important skills and experience.
Here’s some top travel nursing skills to include:
Patient-centered nursing
Health assessments
Treatment plan implementation
Patient monitoring
Medication administration
Staff supervision
Multidisciplinary collaboration
Summary example
Extensive experience delivering high-quality, compassionate care to patients in intensive care, stepdown, telemetry, medical-surgical, and acute long-term care units. Expertise in conducting patient assessments, creating and updating medical charts, recording vitals, and implementing complex treatment plans in compliance with physician orders. Able to administer intramuscular, intravenous, and oral medication as well as start and care for IV drips, endotracheal tubes, chest tubes, and respirators. Adept at collaborating with multidisciplinary teams of specialists, nurses, and ancillary staff to ensure continuity of care. Effective in educating patients and family members on post-discharge care, diagnosis, and follow-up needs.
Employment history example
Travel Registered Nurse at HEALTHCARE STAFFING AGENCIES, Northeast Pennsylvania 2015 - Present
Provided high-quality patient care at a number of area hospitals and long-term care facilities. Assignments included:
Post Acute Medical Specialty Hospital: Cared for post-ICU patients being removed from ventilators and with significant wound and complex medical problems.
LifeCare Hospital of Chester County: Treated seriously ill patients requiring ICU-level care at two 30-bed long-term acute care hospitals.
WellSpan York Hospital: Provided patient care in Medical Transitional Intensive Care Unit (MTCU) with seven stepdown and two intensive care beds. Maintained endotracheal tubes (ETs) and administered a variety of IV drugs, including Propofol, Levophed, and Versed.
Ephrata Community Hospital: Worked eight to 12-hour shifts in nine-bed stepdown unit.
Regional Hospital of Scranton: Served as float nurse with primary responsibility in telemetry/stepdown unit.
Community Medical Center, Wilkes Barre General Hospital, Reading Health System: Cared for patients in telemetry unit and floated throughout hospital
Registered Nurse & Business Consultant at CARE FOR PEOPLE PLUS, Bellefonte, PA 2012 - 2015
Advised small healthcare business on implementing changes to comply with new Medicare and Medicaid requirements pertaining to mental health. Established protocols, policies, and procedures based on best nursing practices.
Played key role in expanding service area from three counties to 15.
Registered Nurse at LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK, Allentown, PA 2008 - 2012
Staff Nurse on ICU stepdown and ED observation unit with turnover of 600 in 32 beds, all capable of titrating drips. Provided 23-hour monitoring for diverse patients, including ED patients with low-level risk for MIs.
Provided exceptional nursing care to a broad range of patients, including those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Education example
Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) at Excelsior College, Albany, NY
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) at Centre County Vocational School, Bellefonte, PA
Licensed Registered Nurse (RN) | ACLS & BLS Certified | Essentials of Critical Care Orientation
Skills example
Patient-centered Nursing Care
Evidence-based Treatments
Electronic Medical Records/Charts
Multidisciplinary Collaboration
Patient Health Assessments
Treatment Plan Implementation
Medication Administration
Incision/Wound Dressing Changes
ICU Stepdown/Telemetry Units
Staff/Shift Supervision
Emergency Response (BLS/ACLS)