When writing your nursing cover letter, focus on how you can support patients’ health and recovery at the hospital or facility that posted the job. Also, emphasize your related skills like problem-solving, family relations, or medication administration.
This guide will help you write a cover letter that gets you interviews for your next job in nursing.
Nursing Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
How To Write a Nursing Cover Letter
To write a great nursing cover letter that separates you from other candidates during the job search, it’s important to tell your unique story within the health care field. Emphasize the positive impact you’ve had on patient outcomes and clinical operations throughout your work history. Feature tangible accomplishments that paint a compelling picture of your experience as a registered nurse. Below, we’ll provide useful tips and insights to help you craft a powerful nursing cover letter:
1. Contact information and salutation
List all essential contact information at the top of your nursing cover letter, including your name, phone number, email, and LinkedIn URL. Be sure to address the hiring manager by name — Mr. or Ms. [Last Name]. If you can’t find the hiring manager’s name, use a variation of “Dear Hiring Manager.” Avoid using outdated greetings such as “To Whom It May Concern,” as your salutation should be direct and personalized.
2. Introduction
To maximize the impact of your nursing cover letter, lead with a strong opening paragraph to draw the reader in. Convey your years of experience within the medical field and key clinical specializations that align with the role you’re applying for. Feature one of your most notable achievements as a registered nurse to immediately show the hiring manager your proven track record of success.
In the example below, the candidate details how they successfully reduced an operating budget while maintaining high patient care standards. By providing deeper insights into your medical background, you can bolster the strength of your nursing cover letter.
Example
As a nursing manager, I successfully modified my unit’s budget by cutting 15% of costs without sacrificing patient care. I hope to bring the same level of success to a position at Mount Sinai Medical Center.
3. Body paragraphs
Continue to illustrate your clinical experience, qualifications, and accomplishments in the body paragraphs of your nursing cover letter. Start by mentioning the hospital’s reputation, culture, and mission statement and why you’re interested in joining their team. Draw attention to aspects of your experience as a registered nurse that help you stand out from other applicants during the hiring process. In the example below, the candidate features their background providing care to elderly patients in residential facilities, which paints a clearer picture for the hiring manager.
Example
Since acquiring my nursing degree and LPN license in 2017, I have set my career path toward caring for individuals living in residential facilities. As a part of your team, I can bring:
- Efficiency: I can perform many tasks, such as medication administration, injections, and catheters independently.
- Communication: My current management has commended me for excellent bedside manners and teamwork.
- Dependability: I’ve maintained a perfect attendance record at my current position.
4. Nursing skills and qualifications
Although it’s unnecessary to feature a list of skills on your nursing cover letter, incorporate key clinical terms that align with the position you’re targeting. Integrate these terms where they fit naturally to avoid negatively impacting the flow of your sentences. Below, we’ve compiled a range of clinical skills you can highlight on your nursing cover letter:
| Key Skills and Qualifications | |
|---|---|
| Activities of daily living (ADLs) | Acute care |
| Case management | Clinical operations |
| Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) | Electronic Health Records (EHR) |
| HIPAA | Infectious disease protocols |
| Medication administration | Oncology |
| Patient advocacy | Patient centered-care |
| Patient education | Patient management |
| Pediatric advanced life support (PALS) | Telemetry |
| Treatment planning | Vital sign monitoring |
| Wound care | |
5. Closing section
Close out your nurse cover letter with a call to action (CTA) inviting the hiring manager to interview you. Further emphasize how your clinical background can benefit the hospital you’re targeting. Be sure to thank the hiring manager for their time and consideration in the last sentence.
Example
I look forward to meeting with you to discuss how my patient care skills and plan-of-care knowledge would benefit the team at San Diego West Medical. Please contact me at your earliest convenience to discuss a meeting time that would suit your schedule.
Best regards,
Zoey Logan
Nursing Cover Letter Tips
1. Show you can support and advocate for patients
Start your letter with a clear example of your success in your field. As the American Nurses Association puts it, nurses are “the glue that holds a patient’s health care journey together.” View your work experience from that perspective. How have you coordinated with doctors and other health care personnel? And how have you guided or supported patients’ progress to new stages of treatment or recovery? Your answers to these questions can help you find a powerful work highlight to open your letter.
Example
At San Diego Bay Hospital, I have been named employee of the year twice (2016 and 2018) and received numerous accolades and commendations for my excellent patient care skills. I would be proud to replicate this success at San Diego West Medical.
2. Explain why you’re drawn to the opportunity
On a separate document or sheet of paper, take 10 minutes to brainstorm why this nursing job or employer interests you. For instance, maybe the role is in pediatrics, a patient age group you’d be eager to work with again. Or perhaps the hospital or clinic has a stated mission or patient care philosophy that resonates with you.
When you’re done brainstorming, review your notes: Do any stand out as important or persuasive? Take another 10 minutes to brainstorm and elaborate on them. Repeat this process until you have two or three concise sentences that speak to the job opening. By adding these to your cover letter, you can show nurse managers you read their job posting and are responding to it directly.
Example
In addition to a master’s degree in nursing, I have over five years of proven experience providing high levels of care to all my patients. Due to my extensive medical knowledge, management experience, and patient-centered focus, I would be a valuable addition to your nursing staff.
3. Highlight your other work strengths
Add a short list of bullet points to cover your success in other key areas of nursing. With each bullet point, show the skill in action by giving an example of how you improved clinical operations or patient outcomes. For instance, you could display leadership by describing how you helped train nurse assistants on new department practices.
Example
Some of my past successes include:
- Training new nurses and staff members in electronic medical record (EMR) and EHR protocols and system updates, resulting in better patient health records
- Created new scheduling systems that cut 17% of scheduling waste from the unit
- Designing and implementing a new nursing career development program that assisted nurses wanting to further their training, reducing the unit’s turnover by 23%
Nursing Text-Only Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
Zoey Logan
Registered Nurse | [email protected] | (123) 456-7890 | 123 South St., San Diego, 12345
January 7, 2024
Jessica Stanley
Senior Hiring Manager
San Diego West Medical
(987) 654-3210
[email protected]
Dear Ms. Stanley,
At San Diego Bay Hospital, I have been named employee of the year twice (2016 and 2018) and received numerous accolades and commendations for my excellent patient care skills. I would be proud to replicate this success at San Diego West Medical.
In addition to a master’s degree in nursing, I have over five years of proven experience providing high levels of care to all my patients. Due to my extensive medical knowledge, management experience, and patient-centered focus, I would be a valuable addition to your nursing staff. Some of my notable accomplishments include:
- Assisted in creating nursing schedules that helped to create a 5% reduction in scheduling waste from my unit
- Extensive experience in working in the trauma and ICU wards
- Trained seven new nursing staff in the EMR systems and best practices.
- Educated patients in post-operative care and medication before discharge
I look forward to meeting with you to discuss how my patient care skills and plan-of-care knowledge would benefit the team at San Diego West Medical. Please contact me at your earliest convenience to discuss a meeting time that would suit your schedule.
Best Regards,
Zoey Logan
Nursing Cover Letter Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best way to start a cover letter?-
With a clear example of your success in the role you’re pursuing. The concept of “show, don’t tell” absolutely applies to your cover letter’s first paragraph. For instance, don’t just tell the hiring manager you’re a “proactive nurse professional.” Demonstrate you’re proactive by citing a time you exceeded expectations or found a new way to support and advocate for patients.
Should I say “My name is…” on a cover letter?-
No. As long as your name appears in the letter’s closing section, you don’t need to state it otherwise.
What traits are useful to highlight in my cover letter?-
Desired qualities in nursing professionals include empathy, precision, dedication, collaboration, and emotional resilience. Consider which of these traits best describe you, then give an example or two of how you’ve shown them in a work setting.
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