Nurse CV template

What's included

• A matching cover letter in the same design
• A4, laid out for UK applications
• Real, selectable text that online application systems can read
• Switch template any time without losing a word
• AI writing help for your profile, achievements and letter (up to 60 AI actions)
• PDF and Word downloads of your CV and letter
• Edit and download again any time, no subscription

What to put on a nurse CV

A nurse CV is read by busy ward managers and recruiters who want to confirm your registration before anything else. This nurse CV template has a clear blue header band holding your NMC PIN, band and DBS status, and keeps your clinical skills easy to find further down. It suits newly qualified nurses, experienced staff nurses and specialist practitioners, and it has no photo.

Many NHS posts go through NHS Jobs or Trac with a supporting statement, while agencies, private hospitals and overseas recruiters often ask for a CV. Write yours once here and preview it for free with no account. Pay £4.99 to download PDF and Word with a matching cover letter. The text is real and selectable, so it pastes cleanly into forms.

Registration first

Put your NMC PIN, your field of practice (adult, children's, mental health or learning disabilities) and your revalidation date in the header. Recruiters check the register, so make the PIN easy to copy.

Give your band and setting for each role

For every post, name the trust or provider, the ward or department, your band and the type of patients. An acute medical unit, a community team and theatre recovery need different skills, so say which you worked in.

List clinical skills plainly

Venepuncture, cannulation, IV medicines, catheterisation, wound care, tracheostomy care and ECGs are typical examples. Only list skills you are signed off for, and mention the systems you use, such as electronic patient records.

Show the difference you made

A practice change you led, an audit, supporting students as a practice supervisor or improving how observations were recorded on your bay all count. Describe what you did and what changed for patients.

Keep training current

List mandatory training, ILS or BLS, your safeguarding level and further courses, such as a prescribing qualification. Two sides of A4 is the usual length.

See a full nurse CV example

Questions

Should a nurse CV include my NMC PIN?

Yes. Your NMC PIN lets an employer confirm your registration quickly, so put it near the top with your field of practice. If you are a student or awaiting registration, say when you expect to join the register instead.

How long should a nursing CV be?

Two sides of A4 suits most nurses. Newly qualified nurses can fit everything on one or two pages, including placements. Senior and specialist nurses may need the full two pages, so keep older roles brief and give the most space to your current post.

What should a newly qualified nurse put on a CV?

Lead with your degree, field of practice and NMC status, then list your placements with the setting and the skills you developed. Describe your final placement in more detail, quote positive feedback if you have it, and include care work you did while studying, such as HCA bank shifts.

Do I need a CV if I apply through NHS Jobs?

NHS Jobs and Trac usually ask you to complete their form and a supporting statement, and some adverts let you upload a CV too. An up-to-date CV makes the form faster to fill in, and agencies and private employers will ask for one.

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