Example of a Nursing CV: 7 UK Nurse CVs, Student to Band 7
By Mustafa Tarabya, founder of CVBooster · Published · Updated
9 min read
A good nursing CV puts your NMC registration, your field of nursing and the type of ward or service you have worked in within the first three lines, then shows your clinical skills with numbers: beds, patients per shift, and the competencies you are signed off for. The constraint is that every nurse applying has the same degree, so the CV wins on setting, skills and evidence, not on the word compassionate. The National Careers Service is direct about the gate: "you'll need to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council". Below are seven complete nursing CV samples, tagged by level, from a third year student nurse to a Band 7 ward manager. Written by Mustafa Tarabya, a qualified care worker who has hired care staff and been hired as one.
Every nursing CV says "caring and compassionate". So does every other one in the pile. The ward manager has read that sentence more times than she has done a drug round, and she has done a lot of drug rounds.
Third year student nurse
Student nurse CVs are built from placements. List each one with the ward type and what you were signed off for, because that is your experience.
Entry level: third year student nurse, adult field (144 words)
AMELIA CLARKE Nottingham | 07700 900214 | amelia.clarke@example.com
PROFILE Third year adult nursing student at the University of Nottingham, due to qualify in September 2026. Completed placements on respiratory, surgical and community teams. Looking for a newly qualified nurse post on a medical ward with a strong preceptorship programme.
CLINICAL PLACEMENTS Respiratory Ward, 28 beds | Queen's Medical Centre | Jan 2026 to Apr 2026 - Cared for up to six patients under supervision, including patients on non-invasive ventilation. - Signed off for medicines administration, NEWS2 observations and wound care.
Surgical Assessment Unit | City Hospital | Sep 2025 to Dec 2025 - Admitted and prepared patients for theatre and completed pre-operative checklists.
District Nursing Team | Nottingham CityCare | Apr 2025 to Jun 2025
EDUCATION BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing | University of Nottingham | expected 2026
SKILLS NEWS2, venepuncture, catheterisation, SystmOne, Nerve Centre
Newly qualified nurse
Once you have your PIN, the CV leads with registration. The NMC register "shows who can practise as a nurse or midwife in the UK", and employers check it, so put your registration and field where it is seen first. More on the exact wording in where your NMC PIN goes on a CV.
Entry level: newly qualified nurse, Band 5 application (145 words)
JOSHUA BENNETT Leeds | 07700 900538 | joshua.bennett@example.com
PROFILE Newly qualified adult nurse, NMC registered in October 2026. Final placement of 12 weeks on an acute medical ward, managing a bay of six patients with my practice assessor. Applying for a Band 5 staff nurse post with preceptorship on an acute or elderly care ward.
REGISTRATION Registered Nurse (Adult) | NMC PIN: [your PIN]
CLINICAL EXPERIENCE Acute Medical Unit, final placement | Leeds General Infirmary | May 2026 to Aug 2026 - Managed a bay of six patients, including admissions, discharges and handovers. - Gave oral, IV and subcutaneous medicines under supervision.
Healthcare Assistant (bank) | Leeds Teaching Hospitals | 2023 to 2026 - Worked bank shifts on medical and elderly care wards during my degree.
EDUCATION BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing | University of Leeds | 2026
SKILLS IV therapy, NEWS2, sepsis screening, Datix, PPM+
Band 5 staff nurse, three years in
Now the CV needs the size of the ward, the patient mix and the extra responsibility you carry, such as shift co-ordination or a link nurse role.
Mid level: Band 5 staff nurse, surgical ward (157 words)
SOPHIE PATEL Birmingham | 07700 900671 | sophie.patel@example.com
PROFILE Band 5 staff nurse with three years on a 30-bed general surgery ward, caring for elective and emergency surgical patients. Regularly take charge of the ward on late shifts. Tissue viability link nurse. Looking for a Band 6 post in surgery or theatres recovery.
REGISTRATION Registered Nurse (Adult) | NMC PIN: [your PIN] | Revalidated 2026
EXPERIENCE Staff Nurse, Band 5 | Ward 12 General Surgery, Queen Elizabeth Hospital | Sep 2023 to Present - Care for up to eight post-operative patients per shift, including stoma and drain care. - Take charge of the ward on late shifts twice a week, managing beds and staffing. - As tissue viability link nurse, run pressure ulcer training for new starters. - Mentor student nurses as a practice supervisor.
EDUCATION BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing | Birmingham City University | 2023
SKILLS Post-operative care, IV therapy, stoma care, pressure ulcer prevention, PICS
A&E nurse moving to Band 6
Emergency nursing CVs win on triage, resus experience and the courses you hold. Name the department size and your competencies.
Mid level: emergency department nurse, Band 6 application (158 words)
DANIEL OKAFOR Manchester | 07700 900293 | daniel.okafor@example.com
PROFILE Emergency department nurse with five years at a major trauma centre, competent in majors, resus and triage. ALS and ILS certified, with the ENP module in progress. Looking for a Band 6 senior staff nurse role in emergency care.
REGISTRATION Registered Nurse (Adult) | NMC PIN: [your PIN]
EXPERIENCE Staff Nurse, Band 5 | Emergency Department, Manchester Royal Infirmary | Aug 2021 to Present - Work across majors, resus and triage in a busy adult emergency department. - Triage walk-in and ambulance patients using the Manchester Triage System. - Nurse in charge of majors on night shifts when the Band 6 is in resus. - Teach the ECG and sepsis sessions on the departmental induction.
EDUCATION AND COURSES BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing | University of Salford | 2021 Advanced Life Support | Immediate Life Support | Manchester Triage System
SKILLS Triage, resus, trauma care, sepsis pathway, ECG interpretation, Symphony
Mental health nurse
Mental health nursing CVs need the setting and the risk work: acute inpatient, community or crisis, with the assessments you carry out.
Mid level: mental health nurse, acute inpatient (136 words)
REBECCA HUGHES Bristol | 07700 900845 | rebecca.hughes@example.com
PROFILE Registered mental health nurse with four years on an acute adult inpatient ward. Experienced in risk assessment, de-escalation and medication management for patients detained under the Mental Health Act. Looking for a Band 6 role with a community mental health team.
REGISTRATION Registered Nurse (Mental Health) | NMC PIN: [your PIN]
EXPERIENCE Staff Nurse, Band 5 | Acute Adult Ward, Bristol mental health trust | 2022 to Present - Named nurse for up to five patients, writing care plans and risk assessments. - Lead de-escalation and use PMVA techniques as a last resort. - Coordinate discharge planning with care co-ordinators and families.
EDUCATION BSc (Hons) Mental Health Nursing | University of the West of England | 2022
SKILLS Risk assessment, de-escalation, depot administration, Mental Health Act, RiO
Community or district nurse
In the community the CV should show caseload, autonomy and the clinical skills you deliver in patients' homes.
Mid level: community staff nurse, district nursing team (143 words)
CHLOE EVANS Cardiff | 07700 900417 | chloe.evans@example.com
PROFILE Community staff nurse with three years on a district nursing team covering a mixed urban and rural area. Manage my own daily caseload of home visits, including complex wound care and end of life care. Working towards the District Nursing SPQ.
REGISTRATION Registered Nurse (Adult) | NMC PIN: [your PIN]
EXPERIENCE Community Staff Nurse | Cardiff West District Nursing Team | Sep 2023 to Present - Visit 10 to 12 patients a day for wound care, catheter care, insulin and end of life care. - Run a leg ulcer clinic one day a week with the tissue viability nurse. - Liaise with GPs, pharmacists and social workers on discharge and care packages.
EDUCATION BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing | Cardiff University | 2023
SKILLS Leg ulcer management, Doppler assessment, syringe drivers, palliative care, lone working
Band 7 ward manager
At Band 7 the CV is about the ward, not the shift: staffing, budget, quality measures and the team you developed.
Senior: Band 7 ward manager, elderly care (154 words)
ANDREW MORGAN Newcastle | 07700 900362 | andrew.morgan@example.com
PROFILE Ward manager with 14 years in nursing, the last four leading a 32-bed elderly care ward with a team of 45 nurses and healthcare assistants. Responsible for staffing, the ward budget, patient safety and quality measures. Looking for a matron post in medicine for older people.
REGISTRATION Registered Nurse (Adult) | NMC PIN: [your PIN]
EXPERIENCE Ward Manager, Band 7 | Ward 22 Elderly Care, Royal Victoria Infirmary | 2022 to Present - Lead a team of 45 staff, including rotas, appraisals and recruitment. - Manage the ward budget and use of bank and agency staff. - Introduced a falls prevention bundle and reviewed every fall with the team.
Senior Staff Nurse, Band 6 | Freeman Hospital | 2017 to 2022
EDUCATION MSc Leadership in Healthcare | Northumbria University BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing | Northumbria University
SKILLS Leadership, rostering, budget management, Datix investigation, CQC readiness
How to write a nursing CV that gets shortlisted
The National Careers Service CV guide says you should "tailor your CV to the job or opportunity you’re applying for." For nursing that means reading the person specification line by line. If it asks for IV competency, preceptorship experience and band 5 leadership, those words belong in your profile, in that order.
Show what the job actually involves. The National Careers Service lists tasks such as "assess patient needs to see if they require immediate attention" and "draw up treatment care plans", which is the level of detail your bullets need: what you assessed, for how many patients, on what kind of ward.
Your conduct is part of the job too. The NMC Code "presents the professional standards that nurses, midwives and nursing associates must uphold in order to be registered to practise in the UK." You do not need to quote it on the CV, but expect to be asked about it at interview, and prepare with our NHS interview questions and answers.
Leave out your date of birth, photo and marital status; what not to include on a UK CV explains why. Many NHS jobs also need a supporting statement, and the NHS supporting information example shows how to write one. If you are applying in the United States, a nursing resume follows different rules. If you are applying for support or healthcare assistant roles first, see our cover letter for a support worker examples.
Frequently asked questions
What should a nursing CV include?
Your contact details, a short profile naming your field of nursing and the role you want, your NMC registration, your clinical experience with ward type and numbers, courses such as ILS or IV therapy, education and key skills. Students list placements instead of jobs. Keep it to two pages and use British spelling throughout.
How do I write a nursing CV with no experience?
Lead with your placements. List each one with the ward or team, dates and what you were signed off for, such as medicines administration or NEWS2 observations. Add healthcare assistant or care work, even bank shifts. Mention the preceptorship you want, because employers expect newly qualified nurses to need support.
Should I put my NMC PIN on my CV?
Yes, once you are registered. Put it in a short registration line under your profile, with your field of nursing, for example Registered Nurse (Adult). The NMC says employers can search the register by PIN, and including it saves the recruiter a step when checking your registration.
How long should a nursing CV be in the UK?
Two pages is standard for registered nurses. One page can work for a student nurse with only placements. A Band 7 or matron applicant may need two full pages, but keep older roles short. The person specification matters more than length, so cut anything that does not answer it.
Do I need a CV for NHS nursing jobs?
Most NHS jobs use an online application form on NHS Jobs rather than a CV, with a supporting statement. A CV is still useful for agencies, private hospitals, GP practices and care homes, and it helps you fill in the NHS form quickly and consistently because the details are already written.
What skills should go on a nursing CV?
Clinical skills you are signed off for, such as IV therapy, venepuncture, catheterisation, wound care or triage, plus the systems you use, such as SystmOne or EPIC. The National Careers Service also lists "the ability to work well with others" and calm under pressure. Give an example rather than listing adjectives.
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