If you're a nurse with a passion for writing, transitioning into a nurse writer role can be a rewarding career move. Nurse writers use their clinical knowledge and writing skills to create content for healthcare publications, patient education materials, blogs, grants, and more.
To succeed in this field, your resume must highlight both your nursing credentials and your writing experience. Here’s how to craft a nurse writer resume that stands out.
Building Your Nursing Resume: Essential Tips and Examples
Download Now1. Choose the right resume format
Select a format that effectively showcases your dual strengths: nursing and writing. The resume format you choose plays a vital role in how your qualifications are perceived by hiring managers and applicant tracking systems (ATS). A well-organized format not only improves readability but also ensures your most relevant skills and experience are immediately noticeable. This is especially important for nurse writers, as you must balance technical clinical experience with communication and writing proficiency.
- Combination (hybrid) format: Ideal for nurse writers, as it allows you to spotlight relevant writing skills and showcase your clinical background. This format presents both your skill sets and work history in a cohesive way, making it easier for employers to understand the full range of your expertise.
- Functional format: Emphasizes your transferable skills and writing projects if you're transitioning from a clinical role with limited writing experience. It's especially helpful for highlighting specific competencies, such as health communication or digital content development, without focusing heavily on job titles or chronology.
2. Add your contact information
At the top, include your name, phone number, professional email, LinkedIn profile, and a link to your online writing portfolio (if available). This section serves as your first impression and should be clear, concise, and professional. It establishes credibility and provides multiple ways for potential employers to reach you. If applicable, you may also include optional details such as your location (especially if you're open to remote work or relocation), professional title (e.g., Nurse Writer or Medical Communicator), and pronouns if you choose.
Example:
Jane Smith, BSN, RN
[email protected] | (555) 123-4567 | LinkedIn.com/in/janesmith | janesmithwrites.com
3. Write a compelling summary statement
Your summary should highlight your nursing background, writing expertise, and passion for healthcare communication. This section is one of the most important parts of your resume because it offers a concise and compelling overview of who you are and what value you bring to a potential employer. It sets the tone for the rest of your resume and can determine whether a hiring manager will continue reading.
Example of a resume summary:
"Registered nurse with over 8 years of clinical experience and 4 years as a freelance medical writer. Skilled in translating complex medical information into engaging, accessible content for both professional and lay audiences. Adept at developing patient education materials, continuing education modules, and digital health content. Committed to improving health literacy and outcomes through evidence-based, audience-tailored communication."
4. Showcase your writing experience
List your writing-related roles, projects, or freelance work. This section is vital because it establishes your credibility as a healthcare communicator and allows potential employers to see the breadth and impact of your writing experience.
Whether you've contributed to a health blog, written patient education brochures, or developed CE modules, showcasing these experiences proves that you can effectively translate complex medical content into accessible material.
Include:
- Role or project name
- Employer/client name and dates
- Type of writing (e.g., blogs, white papers, continuing education modules)
- Target audience (e.g., patients, nurses, physicians)
- Outcomes or metrics (e.g., increased reader engagement, improved patient comprehension)
Example:
Freelance Medical Writer
HealthConnect Publications, Remote
March 2022 – Present
- Authored over 30 blog posts and white papers on chronic disease prevention and lifestyle interventions.
- Created continuing education modules for nursing staff with a 95% satisfaction rate based on post-course surveys.
- Designed infographics and patient handouts on diabetes management, improving clinic distribution reach by 40%.
5. Highlight clinical nursing experience
Your nursing experience is crucial for establishing credibility as a writer. It not only validates your authority on clinical topics but also demonstrates to employers that you bring real-world healthcare insight to your writing. Readers and clients alike value content that is both medically accurate and informed by practical experience.
Focus on roles that align with the subjects you plan to write about — for example, if you write about emergency care, highlight your ER or ICU nursing background. Emphasize specific experiences where you educated patients or contributed to written materials, such as internal protocols, training manuals, or discharge instructions. This will show that your communication skills were already a valuable part of your nursing role and translate well into a writing career.
Example:
ICU Nurse
Mercy General Hospital, Boston, MA
June 2015 – December 2020
- Delivered care to critically ill patients in a high-pressure environment, managing ventilators, central lines, and complex medication regimens.
- Served as preceptor for new nurses and contributed to internal educational materials, including protocol guides and onboarding checklists.
- Documented detailed patient records in EPIC EHR system, ensuring accuracy and continuity of care.
- Participated in interdisciplinary team meetings to develop individualized care plans and improve patient outcomes.
- Educated patients and families on post-ICU care and health management strategies, enhancing discharge readiness.
6. Emphasize key writing and research skills
Include a skills section with keywords relevant to nurse writing: this is a crucial part of your resume because it immediately highlights your core competencies to potential employers and applicant tracking systems (ATS). A clearly defined skills section can demonstrate that you possess the specialized abilities necessary to succeed in writing roles that require clinical knowledge, clear communication, and digital fluency. It also allows recruiters to quickly scan and match your expertise with the job requirements, especially in fast-paced hiring environments where time is limited.
When curating your skills, think about the types of content you've created, the audiences you've written for, and the tools and frameworks you're proficient in. Tailoring your skills list to each job description can significantly increase your visibility and likelihood of passing ATS filters.
Example Skills Section on a Resume:
Key Skills
- Medical and Health Writing
- Plain Language Communication
- SEO and Digital Content Writing
- Evidence-Based Research
- APA and AMA Formatting
- Audience Adaptation
This format makes your skill set stand out and allows hiring managers to quickly assess whether you meet their qualifications, especially when scanning multiple applications or using ATS filters.
7. Include education and certifications
List both your nursing credentials and writing-related training. Including your education and certifications is essential because it demonstrates your foundational knowledge, professional development, and commitment to excellence in both clinical practice and writing. For nurse writer roles, employers seek individuals who are not only experienced nurses but also trained communicators who understand healthcare language and ethical standards.
Educational background helps verify your eligibility and qualifications, while certifications in medical writing or communication reflect specialized training and expertise. These credentials can set you apart from other candidates by showing that you’ve invested in growing your skills beyond bedside care. It also assures hiring managers that you can produce content that is accurate, evidence-based, and aligned with industry standards.
Example:
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) – University of Washington, 2014
- Certificate in Medical Writing – American Medical Writers Association, 2022
- Certified Medical Writer (CMW) – Expected 2025
8. Tailor your resume for each application
Customize your resume based on the specific role. Carefully read each job posting and tailor your resume to reflect the language and priorities mentioned in the description. If the position is for a patient education writer, emphasize your experience in simplifying medical jargon for lay audiences, your work on educational materials, and any metrics that demonstrate success (e.g., improved patient comprehension scores).
For example, if the job calls for "experience writing for diverse patient populations," you might include a bullet like:
- "Developed multilingual patient education pamphlets for diabetes management, increasing accessibility for non-English speaking clients."
Use relevant keywords such as "health literacy," "content creation," "evidence-based writing," and "clinical communication" throughout your resume. These terms help your resume pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS) and signal to employers that you meet their specific criteria.
By following these steps, you'll be able to craft a professional nurse writer resume that communicates your unique value as a clinician and communicator.
Final thoughts
Transitioning from bedside care to a writing role may feel daunting, but your clinical background gives you a significant edge in creating accurate, relevant, and empathetic health content. As a nurse writer, your ability to bridge the gap between complex medical information and reader-friendly content is highly valued across healthcare industries. Keep refining your resume as you build your writing portfolio and gain new skills. With each project, your credibility and confidence will grow, opening more opportunities to influence healthcare through the power of your words.