Information aspiring nurses can include on their résumés

LA 27 you will find the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge and Visitors Center. Incredibly life-like animatronics at the center speak to the area’s “living off the land” culture as well as the value of Louisiana’s coastal wetlands. There are also two overwater boardwalks where you can view a wide variety of wildlife and birds.

From Oak Grove, you may also opt to travel east on LA 82 to reach Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge and Price Lake Nature Drive. Be on the lookout for alligators while you’re there – this refuge boasts the highest alligator nesting concentration in the United States. Price Lake Nature Drive is also a wonderful place to bank fish, cast net for shrimp and crab or just view the wildlife. During your trip along Louisiana’s Outback, don’t miss the Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge on the LA 14 spur of the Creole Nature Trail, home to the Lacassine “Pool” – a 16,000 acre freshwater impoundment providing excellent bass fishing. The Nature Drive around The Pool is a great place to view wildlife including neo-tropical songbirds during migrations.

Lake Charles, Louisiana is the hub city for the Creole Nature Trail. Here, you can enjoy four fabulous casino resorts, numerous authentic local restaurants (yes, we are Cajun!), more than 75 annual festivals and events and accommodations of every variety.

Courtesy photos

Every season on the Creole Nature Trail dramatically changes the animal and plant life which may be viewed so you’ll want to visit often. For more information, visit CreoleNatureTrail.org or contact the Lake Visitors Bureau at 1-800-456-7592. 

Courtesy photos

Courtesy photos

Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention &

By Dawn Burleigh

Regardless of what they chose to study, many students look forward to graduation and the next step, which typically involves finding work in their chosen professions. Nursing students are no exception to this, and many, upon completion of their studies, are excited to begin their careers.

A well-crafted résumé is essential for nurses throughout their careers, but especially important for those starting out.

“It is important that your resume includes all the information your hiring manager is looking for. Your resume needs to present a complete picture of not only your educational background, but also your work experience,” Lamar State College Orange

Associate Dean of Nursing Leah Anne McGee, RN, MEd, MSN, FNP-BC said.

According to RegisteredNursing.org, nursing résumés typically include sections commonly found on résumés for professionals across all industries. These standard sections include objective, education and technical skills. But nurses also may want to expand their résumés to include information specific to the nursing profession.

Newly minted graduates with degrees in certain fields may not have much, if any, experience to list on their résumés. But some recent nursing school graduates may have relevant clinical experience that could help them land their first jobs. “Employers do not expect new graduates to have a lot of experience. Students can list clinical rotation experiences, but it is more important to match the skills they have mastered in their nursing program to the skills needed in the position they are applying for,” McGee said. “Graduates may also want to include other work experiences that they have had and the skills they have acquired at those positions. This could include customer service experiences, time management and communication skills acquired in a fast food establishment.”

When applicable, this section should include the company name (such as the name of the hospital or clinic), the location of the job, the job title, the dates of employment, and a description of the tasks the applicant performed.

RegisteredNursing.org advises aspiring nurses to include where they are now licensed as registered nurses as well as any information regarding certifications they earned during their nursing programs.

“A student should include any and all certifications, especially those related to the position that they are applying for,” McGee said. “ACLS, PALS would be significant to all specialty units, while Hearing Screening Certification would be significant to school nurse positions. These certifications may make them the best candidate for the position.”

Nurses who earned their Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification through their nursing program should notes that on their résumés, as the RegisteredNursing.org notes that could make candidates appear more desirable in the eyes of prospective employers.

“When applying for a position, the new nurse needs to realize that this is a very competitive market. The recruiter will likely scan dozens of resumes for each position. Their resume must catch the recruiter’s attention,” McGee said. “It must be a well-organized, easy-toread document that is free of spelling and grammatical errors. When describing their qualifications, new graduates should be reminded to use the keywords from the job posting. List your qualifications as bullet points. Use action works to describe your qualifications. If possible, provide evidence of your qualifications by Including numbers or percentages, such as ‘90% of my patients felt that I gave excellent nursing care.’”

Every résumé should include a section on an applicant’s education history. But recent graduates from nursing school should include any relevant information about nursing programs they may have participated in while pursuing their degrees.

Résumés are vital when looking for work. Recent graduates from nursing school can use their résumés to highlight any unique experiences they might have that can help them stand out among crowded applicant pools.

“In addition to a well written resume, I think the most important thing that new graduates should always include when applying for a new job is a cover letter. The cover letter lets the graduate introduce themselves, outline their qualifications, state where they saw the job posting and why they are applying for that specific position at that specific facility,” McGee said. “The cover letter lets the graduate customize their qualifications to those listed in the position posting. The cover letter should always end by stating that the graduate is available for an interview and that if they do not hear back, they will contact the company just to make sure they have received the application. And most important, thank them for taking the time to consider their application.” 