🇺🇸 Resume guide · USA and Canada · General guide: US resume
Nurse resume for the USA and Canada
US and Canadian hospitals recruit internationally educated nurses. A one-page, results-focused resume with your licence status at the top gets past ATS filters.
Licensing and work permits
- USA: you pass the NCLEX-RN and get a licence from a state board of nursing; credential evaluation (for example CGFNS) and, for the visa, a VisaScreen certificate are usually needed.
- Canada: you start with an NNAS assessment, then apply to the provincial regulator (for example the College of Nurses of Ontario) and pass the NCLEX-RN.
- An English test (IELTS or TOEFL; CELBAN in some provinces) is usually required.
- On the resume: “NCLEX-RN passed (03/2026) – licence pending, Texas BON” or “NNAS assessment completed”.
Words recruiters and ATS look for
Registered Nurse (RN)NCLEX-RNPatient assessmentCare plansEHR (Epic / Cerner)BLS / ACLSMed-surgICU / ERPatient education
Example resume lines
As they would appear on a US or Canadian resume.
Provided care for 4–6 med-surg patients per shift with 98% medication accuracy audits
Documented assessments and care plans in the EHR
Precepted 5 new graduate nurses
Common mistakes
- Licence status missing or buried at the bottom
- Two-column templates that ATS cannot read
- A photo or date of birth
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Start free →Questions
Can I apply before passing NCLEX?
Some employers and staffing agencies sponsor nurses who are preparing for it. Write your exam date.
How long should the resume be?
One page is ideal; two pages only with long experience.
Other professions
Licensing differs between US states and Canadian provinces and changes. Check the state board or provincial regulator before you apply.