It’s expected that a nurse who passes certification possesses a clear understanding of essential clinical skills. Those basic skills are extremely important but in order to catch the eye of recruiters and hiring managers you need to highlight those skills that go beyond the basic technical knowledge. Here we offer our list of skills that are most marketable on your nursing resume, including both clinical skills and soft skills.
Basic Life Support
Nurses who are new to the career or those who are CNAs and LPNs should highlight this important life saving skill. Basic life support goes beyond CPR and includes the proficient use of life saving equipment such as AEDs.
Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support
A nurse who possesses the skills for advanced cardiovascular life support is a benefit to any healthcare organization. The candidate stands out as they have experience in dealing with a range of cardiovascular events. From cardiac arrest to MI to stroke and the like, this candidate highlights their ability to use their hard skills like inserting an IV, placing advanced airways, using specialized medical equipment and understanding medications.
Emergency and Critical Care
A nurse who possesses the skills necessary for emergency and critical care is in high demand right now. If you have the ability to think on your feet, remain calm under the stresses of ER and CC and respond in a prompt and efficient manner you move to the top of the stack.
Telemetry
Telemetry is a specialized skill. High-tech and highly specialized equipment monitors those cardiac patients who’ve undergone surgery. Knowledge regarding placement of leads and electrodes, care and maintenance of equipment and understanding of how the equipment works are among the specialized skills for this nurse. The telemetry nurse is skilled in monitoring the patient remotely and understands how to read the defibrillation algorithms and pair and unpair equipment.
Proficiency in Electronic Medical Records
A big marketable benefit to your nursing resume right now is the understanding of electronic medical records. Knowing how to use the software and having the aptitude to understand the process is a huge asset to your future employer.
IV Therapy
For RNs, highlighting your IV therapy management skills most definitely gets the attention of recruiters and hiring managers.
Patient and Family Education
Possessing the inter personal skills of an educator is another marketable skill for your nursing resume. A patient who is informed and understands clearly their specific situation can make informed decisions. The patient’s family is better able to support them when they are educated in what needs to be done.
The Most Marketable Soft Skills for Your Nursing Resume
Although some of the so-called soft skills recruiters and hiring managers look for are difficult to quantify, these marketable skills need to be mentioned on your nursing resume.
- Communication: Hone those skills that allow you to communicate clearly with your patients and your colleagues.
- Empathy: It’s not always easy to put yourself in someone else’s place but that’s exactly what makes a great nurse. Empathy builds trust and calms anxiety in patients and their families.
- Time Management: Although shifts can be long you can find yourself with unfinished tasks at the end if you aren’t skilled in time management. Good time management also indicates excellent organizational skills.
- Flexibility: The roles of nurses can change in a heartbeat. If you can “roll with the punches” and adapt you demonstrate a skill that is oh-so-necessary to nursing.
- Detail Oriented: All nurses should have well-developed attention to detail. In a busy healthcare environment where you are constantly called upon to handle often-complex situations, being detail oriented may mean the difference between life and death.
- Leadership Qualities: Every employer desires a staff member who illustrates leadership skills and qualities.
We Can Help
Your nursing resume is your ticket to an interview and making sure that you showcase those beneficial skills that nudge you to the top of the resume file is essential when job-hunting. Trends in nursing are ever-changing but will always be centered around people and every worthy nurse must have well-developed interpersonal skills to complement their clinical prowess. For more on creating a marketable nursing resume please reach out to BOS Medical Staffing.
