Top Practical Nurse Skills to Include in Your Resume (With Examples)

Why Practical Nurse Skills Matter in a Resume

Your skills define your value to employers and distinguish you from other candidates. For Practical Nurses, resume skills examples not only demonstrate clinical proficiency but also reflect your ability to handle patient care challenges, collaborate with healthcare teams, and adapt to fast-paced environments. Including the right key skills for Practical Nurse resume ensures your application passes through applicant tracking systems (ATS) and captures the attention of recruiters looking for both hard skills for resume and soft skills for CV.

1. Hard Skills for Resume

Hard skills are the technical abilities and knowledge Practical Nurses acquire through education and clinical experience. These measurable skills are crucial for hands-on patient care and administrative tasks commonly encountered in healthcare settings.

Essential Hard Skills

• Patient Monitoring and Vital Signs Measurement
• Medication Administration and Management
• Wound Care and Dressing Application
• Intravenous (IV) Therapy
• Basic Life Support (BLS) and CPR Certification
• Infection Control Procedures
• Electronic Health Records (EHR) Management
• Phlebotomy and Specimen Collection
• Patient Education and Health Promotion
• Assisting with Diagnostic Tests and Exams

2. Soft Skills for CV

Soft skills complement your technical expertise by fostering effective communication, empathy, and teamwork—traits highly valued in nursing roles. These skills reflect your attitude, demeanor, and interpersonal capabilities that enhance patient experience and workplace dynamics.

Key Soft Skills

• Compassion and Empathy
• Communication and Active Listening
• Teamwork and Collaboration
• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Time Management and Organization
• Attention to Detail
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Stress Management and Emotional Resilience

3. List of Practical Nurse Skills

Combining both hard skills for resume and soft skills for CV, the list below covers critical competencies that make your Practical Nurse skills in resume more comprehensive and recruiter-friendly.

Analytical & Strategic

• Clinical Assessment and Observation
• Critical Decision Making
• Problem Identification and Resolution

Technical & Development

• Proficiency in Medical Equipment Use
• Knowledge of Pharmacology
• Ongoing Professional Development and Certification Maintenance

Product Delivery & Process

• Patient Care Plan Implementation
• Accurate Documentation and Reporting
• Compliance with Healthcare Regulations

Leadership & Communication

• Interdisciplinary Team Coordination
• Patient Advocacy
• Educational Support for Patients and Families

Emerging / Modern Skills

• Telehealth Nursing Techniques
• Use of Mobile Health Technologies
• Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Awareness in Healthcare

4. How to Showcase Practical Nurse Skills

a. Integrate Skills

Embed your skills naturally into various sections of your resume, such as the professional summary, work experience, and skills section. This helps recruiters quickly identify your expertise and how you apply your skills in real-world scenarios.

• Professional Summary: "Detail-oriented Practical Nurse with robust skills for resume in medication administration and patient education."
• Work Experience: "Administered IV therapy to 30+ patients weekly, ensuring adherence to infection control protocols."

b. Quantify Achievements

Use numbers to validate your skills, such as patient load, success rates in treatment, or improvements in patient satisfaction. Quantifying achievements adds credibility to your Practical Nurse skills for resume.

c. Tailor Skills

Customize the skills listed on your resume based on the job description—use keywords and phrases that match the employer’s needs to optimize your resume for applicant tracking systems.

d. Add “Key Skills” Section

e. Include Tools & Certifications

Mention relevant certifications such as CPR, BLS, or specialized nursing courses, along with proficiency in tools like electronic health record software to demonstrate your comprehensive skill set.

5. Skills in Resume Sample

6. Best Skills by Industry

• Healthcare Facilities: Patient Monitoring, Compliance with Healthcare Regulations, Effective Communication
• Home Healthcare: Patient Education, Flexibility, Remote Monitoring Skills
• Long-term Care: Compassion, Wound Care Expertise, Team Collaboration
• Hospitals: Emergency Care Skills, IV Therapy, EHR Proficiency

7. Emerging Practical Nurse Skills

As healthcare evolves, Practical Nurses must adapt by incorporating modern skills that meet new care delivery standards and technologies.

• Telehealth Patient Assessment
• Mobile Health Applications Proficiency
• Electronic Documentation and Data Entry Accuracy
• Cross-cultural Competency
• Cybersecurity Awareness in Patient Data Handling

Conclusion

Incorporating the right mix of hard skills for resume and soft skills for CV is key to creating a standout Practical Nurse resume. By strategically showcasing skills with resume skills examples, quantifying your accomplishments, and tailoring your content to the job description, you increase your chances of landing interviews and progressing your nursing career.