How to Include Internships on a Nurse Resume

So many times, I witnessed nursing student , new grads, and career changers fumble about this question.

“I only have my internship experience… is that even worth putting on my resume?”

YES. A thousand times, yes.

If you feel like you don’t have “real” experience yet, please know you’re not alone. Every nurse starts somewhere. And guess what? Your internship is real experience. The key is just knowing how to show it the right way.

So in this guide, I’ll walk you through exactly how to include internships on a nurse resume so you look confident, capable, and ready to be hired—even if this is your very first nursing job.

Let’s do this step by step. Deep breath. You’ve got this.

How Do You Write a Resume With No Experience?

Use a skills-based format. Highlight your clinical rotations, certifications, and soft skills like empathy, attention to detail, and teamwork. Focus on your nursing education, volunteer work, and internships to show you’re ready.

Step 1: Choose the Right Format for a Nursing Resume With Internship Experience

If you’re a new grad or still in nursing school, a skills-first resume format (also called a hybrid format) usually works best.

Here’s a layout I recommend:

• Contact Information
• Professional Summary
• Core Nursing Skills
• Education
• Internship/Clinical Rotations
• Certifications

This keeps the focus on your strengths, not your job history.

Step 2: Write a Strong, Empathetic Summary

Start your resume with 2–3 sentences that show who you are, what you offer, and what you’re passionate about.

Example (new grad nurse resume with internship): “Compassionate nursing graduate with 140+ hours of clinical experience in med-surg, pediatrics, and long-term care. Skilled in patient communication, vitals monitoring, and EHR charting. Dedicated to providing high-quality, respectful care to diverse patient populations.”

Be honest. Be clear. Be you.

Step 3: List Your Core Skills (And Yes, You Have Plenty!)

Even if you’re entry-level, you’ve developed real nursing skills during school and internships.

Hard Skills:

• Vital signs monitoring
• Electronic Medical Records (EMR)
• Medication administration (observed or supervised)
• Patient bathing and hygiene support
• Infection control
• Catheter care

Soft Skills:

• Empathy and patience
• Time management
• Communication
• Team collaboration
• Problem-solving under pressure

Tip: Pull these from job descriptions to match keywords for ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems).

Step 4: How to Include Internships on a Nurse Resume (With Examples)

Let’s talk about where and how to include your internship experience.

Label the section clearly:
Clinical Internship Experience or Nursing Internship

Example:

Clinical Internship | Mercy General Hospital – Sacramento, CA
Jan 2024 – Mar 2024

• Completed 120+ hours of supervised clinical experience in medical-surgical unit
• Assisted in wound care, vital sign monitoring, and patient intake
• Collaborated with nurses and physicians to support patient care planning
• Documented all patient interactions in Epic EMR system

Don’t try to make it sound fancier than it was. Just be clear, honest, and confident.

Step 5: What If You Only Have Internship Experience?

That’s okay. That’s normal.

Most employers hiring new grads expect to see mostly clinicals and internships. The key is to:

• Focus on what you learned
• Mention any patient interaction or technical skills
• Emphasize teamwork and attention to detail

When I helped Jessica, a shy nursing student, with her resume, she was worried her internship at a local nursing home wouldn’t be “enough.” We added bullet points about how she supported fall-risk patients, practiced infection control, and communicated with families. She got 2 interviews the next week.

Step 6: Include Clinical Rotations (Yes, They Count!)

If you’re still in school or don’t have a formal internship, list your clinical rotations.

Example:

Clinical Rotation: Pediatrics | City Children’s Hospital

• Shadowed RNs and assisted with infant care and family education
• Recorded vitals, monitored feedings, and documented in EMR

List each rotation with the location, focus area (peds, ICU, OB, etc.), and 2–3 bullet points.

💡 Crafting your nursing resume for 2025? Whether you’re local or internationally trained, start with our Nurse Resume Guide 2025 to learn the best formats, skills, and mistakes to avoid — and don’t miss our Foreign-Trained Nurse Resume Tips for the U.S. to make your transition smooth and successful.

Step 7: Add Certifications Early

Certifications matter a lot. Especially as a new nurse.

List them right after your Education or in their own section.

Certifications:

• BLS (Basic Life Support) – American Heart Association
• CPR Certified – Red Cross
• HIPAA Training Completed
• In Progress: ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)

Bonus tip: Add expected completion dates if you’re still working on something.

Step 8: Education Section That Stands Out

Include your degree, school name, location, and expected graduation date.

Example: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
University of California, Davis – Expected May 2025

If you have a strong GPA (3.5+), feel free to include it. Also mention any leadership roles or honors.

Step 9: A Few Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Don’t list “Intern” under Work Experience. Create a separate Internship or Clinical section. It’s more honest and clear.
2. Don’t skip the soft stuff. Patient empathy, time management, and communication are huge in nursing.
3. Don’t write generic bullets. “Worked with patients” is too vague. Say how you helped, what you did, and what you learned.
4. Don’t forget the tech. If you used EMRs, include which system: Epic, Cerner, Meditech.

Real-Life Coaching Moment: Meet Sam

Sam was a nursing student I helped last fall. He felt super anxious about applying to jobs with only internship experience. When we looked at his clinicals, we discovered he had managed care for a patient on a trach, used Epic daily, and helped a non-verbal patient communicate using picture boards.

He thought that stuff didn’t matter.

It absolutely mattered. And when he added it to his resume?

Three callbacks. Two offers. One proud tear from yours truly.

Featured Snippet Q&A Section

Q: How do I add my nursing internship to my resume?
A: List it under a section called “Clinical Internship Experience.” Include the hospital/clinic name, dates, and bullet points describing what you did and learned.

Q: Should I include clinical rotations on a nurse resume?
A: Yes! Clinical rotations show hands-on learning. Break them down by specialty (e.g., Med-Surg, Pediatrics, OB) and add 2–3 accomplishments or experiences for each.

Q: Where should I list internships on my nursing resume?
A: If it’s your main experience, list it right after your Education section. Use a clear label like “Internship Experience” or “Clinical Experience.”

Q: What if I only have internship experience in nursing?
A: That’s totally fine. Focus on your clinical skills, certifications, and willingness to learn. Nursing recruiters expect this from new grads.

Q: How do I describe my nursing internship responsibilities?
A: Use action verbs and specific tasks. Example: “Monitored post-op patients and assisted with wound care under RN supervision.”

Q: Can internships count as work experience on a nursing resume?
A: Internships count as clinical experience. Don’t list them under “Employment” unless they were paid positions. Create a separate section.

Q: How can a nursing student make a resume stand out?
A: Be specific about what you did during clinicals, include soft skills, and write a strong, kind summary. Show personality and passion for patient care.

Finally

Let me be real with you:

You don’t need a long job history or 10 certifications to get hired.

You need a resume that shows your heart, your training, and your potential.

Your internship taught you more than you think—how to connect with patients, think on your feet, stay calm under pressure. That’s huge.

Want a head start? Build Your Free New Nurse Resume . It’s clean, simple, and built to help you feel confident applying.