The Ultimate Home Health Nurse Resume Guide: Tips, Skills, and Templates That Work

Feeling Lost Writing Your Home Health Nurse Resume? You’re Not Alone.

Let’s be real — putting together a resume can feel… impossible. Especially when you’re trying to explain the kind of care you give in someone’s living room on a piece of paper.

I’ve sat across from so many nurses — fresh grads, career switchers, even seasoned CNAs stepping into new roles — and they all ask me the same thing:

“How do I even begin to write this?”

If that’s where you’re at too, take a breath. You don’t need to have all the answers today. You just need a little guidance, a few clear steps, and someone who gets it. That’s what this home health nurse resume writing guide is here for — to walk you through it like a coach who’s got your back.

How to Write a Home Health Nurse Resume (Even If You’re Stuck)

Let’s cut the fluff. Writing a resume isn’t about sounding fancy. It’s about telling a story employers actually care about.

Here’s what I tell my clients:

“You’re not just listing jobs. You’re painting a picture of trust, care, and adaptability.”

Especially in home health nursing, where you work one-on-one in people’s homes, employers want to see you’re reliable, flexible, and compassionate.

So how do you show that on paper?

Use a Clean, Simple Format

Don’t overthink the design. Just make it easy to read.

• Header with your name, phone, email, city
• Professional Summary (3–4 lines that show who you are + what you bring)
• Licenses & Certifications (RN, LPN, CPR, etc.)
• Work Experience (or clinicals if you’re new)
• Education
• Skills

How do you write a resume with no experience?

Use a skills-based format, highlight your education, clinicals, certifications, and any relevant training. Focus on soft skills, patient care, and your ability to adapt in home environments.

What to Include in a Home Health Nurse Resume

Let’s break it down.

1. A Warm but Professional Summary

Think of this as your elevator pitch. Just 3–4 lines answering:

• Who are you as a nurse?
• What’s your experience or passion?
• What can you bring to a home health agency?

Example:

“Licensed RN with 2+ years of in-home patient care experience, passionate about delivering personalized support to elderly and chronically ill clients. Known for building trust with patients and adapting care plans to fit unique household environments.”

2. Licenses, Certifications & Credentials

Don’t hide this stuff! Place it right after your summary.

Include:

• RN or LPN license (include your state)
• CPR/BLS certification
• Any home care-specific training (like wound care, hospice, dementia care)

💡 Pro Tip: If your license is pending or being transferred between states, say that clearly: “RN License – Pending Verification, CA Board of Nursing.”

3. Experience — And Yes, Clinicals Count

If you’ve worked in home health before, great! Use bullet points to show real results.

Example:

• Delivered one-on-one skilled nursing care to elderly patients across 5 counties.
• Managed wound care and pain assessments independently with minimal supervision.
• Trained families on mobility assistance and medication tracking.

But if you’re new?

Use clinicals or volunteer work — especially anything that shows independence, responsibility, or compassion in a home-like setting.

When I helped Ashley, a new grad from New York, we used her volunteer work visiting seniors through her church to highlight her communication and adaptability. She got 3 interview calls that same week.

4. Skills for Home Health Nurse Resume

Add a section just for skills. Keep it relevant. Here are some top ones:

• Patient assessment & documentation
• Mobility assistance
• Time management
• Care plan implementation
• Medication administration
• Wound care
• Infection control
• Family education
• Electronic Health Records (EHR)

Be honest. If you don’t know EHR systems yet, don’t fake it.

✅ Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills for a Home Health Nurse Resume

Hard Skills	Soft Skills
Patient assessment	Empathy
Medication administration	Communication
Wound care	Patience
Vital signs monitoring	Adaptability
Charting & EHR systems	Problem-solving
Infection control	Time management

Resume Tips Most Nurses Forget (But You Won’t)

✅ Tailor it for each job

Copy-pasting won’t work. Match the job description with your resume content. If they mention “dementia care,” and you’ve done that — mention it.

✅ Quantify when possible

Numbers catch the eye. “Served 30+ patients weekly” looks more concrete than “worked with patients.”

✅ Use strong action verbs

Start bullets with words like: Delivered, Managed, Assisted, Coordinated, Supported.

Let’s Talk Format: What’s the Best Layout?

✅ 1. Resume Format Comparison Table

Resume Format	Best For	Pros	Cons
Chronological	Nurses with steady job history	Easy to follow, preferred by most employers	Highlights employment gaps
Functional	New grads, career changers	Focuses on skills over job history	May raise red flags if not done well
Hybrid (Combination)	Most nurses	Balances skills and experience	Slightly longer, needs careful formatting

Personally? I think the reverse chronological format works best — especially if you’ve had a few jobs or clinicals.

But if you’re brand new or switching careers, the functional resume format might help — it lets you lead with skills instead of job history.

Still unsure? Try combining both. I call it the “hybrid approach.” It’s helped dozens of my clients highlight their strengths without hiding their lack of formal experience.

How Long Should Your Resume Be?

One page is usually enough — especially if you’re early in your career.

If you’re an RN with 10+ years, a second page is okay. But don’t ramble.

Ask yourself: “Would I read this if I were tired and overworked and had 20 resumes to scan?”
If not, trim it down.

Real-Life Example: The Time Maria Landed Her First Home Health Job

Maria came to me crying. Literally. She was a CNA for 5 years but had just gotten her LPN license and felt “too old to compete.”

She kept saying, “They’ll never hire me for home health. I don’t have the experience.”

So we rewrote her resume.

We pulled up her caregiving experience. Highlighted her ability to work without supervision. Focused on her reliability and warmth with seniors.

She sent out 7 applications. Got 4 calls. Landed one job within 10 days.

What changed?

Not her qualifications. Just how she told her story.

Must-Have Certifications for Home Health Nurses

• BLS (Basic Life Support)
• CPR Certification
• First Aid
• State RN/LPN License
• Home Health Aide Training (if applicable)
• Dementia or Alzheimer’s Care Training (huge bonus!)

You don’t need all of these — but having 2–3 can help you stand out.

(And hey — you can always add “Currently completing XYZ certification” if you’re mid-course.)

Where to Find Real Resume Templates That Work

If you’re staring at a blank page, start with a template. But not a generic one. Look for layouts tailored for nurses or healthcare.

Try:

• Indeed’s nursing resume templates and Tips
• Canva’s simple resume designs
• Or use our free, clean home health nurse resume builder— built for clarity and confidence.

✅ Required vs. Bonus Certifications for Home Health Nurses

Certification	Required	Bonus	Notes
RN or LPN License	✅	❌	Must be active and state-approved
BLS / CPR Certification	✅	❌	Often required by agencies
First Aid	✅	❌	Basic requirement for most roles
Home Health Aide Training	❌	✅	Increases job flexibility
Alzheimer’s/Dementia Care	❌	✅	Highly valued for elderly care
Wound Care Certification	❌	✅	Boosts appeal for skilled nursing cases

FAQs

How do I write a resume for a home health nurse?
Focus on your clinical experience, certifications, soft skills, and ability to work independently in home settings.

What should I include in a home health nurse resume?
Include your license, CPR/BLS, patient care experience, and soft skills like communication and adaptability.

How can I make my home health nurse resume stand out?
Tailor it for each job, use keywords from the job description, and show impact with numbers or results.

What is the career outlook for home health nurses?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for registered nurses is projected to grow 6% from 2022 to 2032, with increased demand in home healthcare settings. As the population ages, more patients prefer receiving care at home — making home health nurses essential and highly employable.

Finally

Look — writing your resume can feel scary. But it doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be real.

You’re not “just a nurse.” You’re someone who shows up, listens, heals, comforts, and adapts — often in someone else’s home.

Ready to feel confident about your resume?
Start building your professional home health nurse resume today — completely free. Our tool is simple, clean, and made to help you feel proud of what you’re applying with.

👉 Click here to build your resume now — no sign-ups, no hassle, just support.
You’ve already got the heart — now let’s show it on paper.