A strong nurse grad cover letter can bolster your chances of landing interviews as a recent nursing graduate. It serves as a compliment to your resume, emphasizing who you are as a health care professional and the value you can bring to patients and clinical teams. This guide provides cover letter examples and expert tips to help you capture the most compelling aspects of your clinical expertise.
Nurse Grad Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Entry-Level
- Mid-career
- Senior-Level
How To Write a Nurse Grad Cover Letter
Writing a great nurse grad cover letter can be difficult, as you need to find ways to compensate for your limited hands-on experience. The best way to generate interest from potential employers is to focus on the strongest aspects of your nurse externship and academic career. This helps to create a connection in the reader’s mind for how your clinical expertise will enable you to deliver high-quality patient care in hospital environments. Below, we’ll walk you through each section of your nurse grad cover letter:
1. Contact information and salutation
List all essential contact information at the top of your nurse grad 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.” This is preferable to salutations such as “To Whom It May Concern,” as this language is more direct and personal.
2. Introduction
Start your nurse grad cover letter with a strong opening paragraph to introduce yourself and convey your interest in the job. Provide a specific achievement from your nursing externship or highlight a key clinical skill that the hospital is looking for. Despite having limited hands-on experience treating patients, you can still use the introduction to hook the reader with the right approach. In the example below, the candidate notes they completed a nursing program at an Ivy League school, which can help them stand out from other candidates during the job hunt.
Example
I’m reaching out to apply for the licensed vocational nurse position with St. John’s Medical Center. My experiences as both a nursing student at Columbia University and a certified nursing assistant at Campbell Hospital have allowed me to cultivate a unique understanding of clinical operations and patient care. I can provide value to both your teams and patients in acute care settings.
3. Body paragraphs
Include one paragraph and a list of bullet points that describe your nursing experience. Start by mentioning something specific about the hospital’s culture, reputation, or mission statement and why this draws you to apply for the role. In your bullet points, feature any relevant clinical experience you’ve garnered while completing your nursing program.
For instance, notice how this nursing grad leverages their externship to their advantage. Instead of only listing vague job responsibilities, they draw attention to the hospital’s patient ratio. This additional context makes their patient satisfaction all the more impressive, as it’s difficult to maintain this kind of score in high-volume clinical environments.
Example:
Hockessin Medical Center’s reputation for delivering high-quality, holistic care to patients is what draws me to apply for this opportunity. One of my passions is identifying clinical enhancements to care delivery and improving quality of life. I can provide value to both your team and patients based on my previous achievements:
- Delivered patient-centered care in acute care environments under the supervision of registered nurses and preceptors in a 300-bed hospital with a 1-to-5 ratio
- Educated patients on illnesses, medications, and treatment options with empathy and compassion, resulting in a 94% patient satisfaction rating
- Coordinated effectively with nurses, medical staff, physicians, and multi-disciplinary teams
4. Nurse grad skills and qualifications
Instead of providing a list of clinical skills as you would on a resume, carefully integrate these terms into the paragraphs of your nurse grad cover letter. This paints a picture of how you’ve effectively utilized your nursing skills to provide quality care to patients during your externship. Below, you’ll find a variety of skills to consider featuring on your document:
| Key Skills and Qualifications | |
|---|---|
| Acute care | ADLS |
| Case management | Clinical operations |
| Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) | EHR |
| HIPAA | Infectious disease protocols |
| IV therapy | 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
End your nurse grad cover letter on a strong note with a call to action (CTA) inviting the hiring manager to interview you. Emphasize how your clinical expertise will allow you to drive positive patient outcomes for the hospital you’re applying to. Be sure to thank the hiring manager for their time and consideration in the last sentence.
Example:
I’d like to schedule an interview to provide more insights on how my health care background aligns with your organization’s goals and needs. Feel free to contact me via phone or email at your convenience. I appreciate your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Anthony Gentile
Nurse Grad Cover Letter Tips
1. Leverage your nurse externship or other medical experience
As a recent nurse graduate, you likely won’t have a robust work history to draw from as you build your cover letter. To maximize your chances of landing the interview, leverage any relevant clinical experience you’ve garnered in your nursing program. In particular, emphasize your externship, as this is likely the highest level of care you’ve provided thus far in your career.
2. Emphasize your commitment to patient-centered care
Patient-centered care is an important trend in health care delivery, as it helps maintain the patient’s voice throughout treatment. It also helps to align the treatment planning process according to the patient’s physical, emotional, and cultural needs. Branding yourself as a patient advocate also shows hiring managers more about who you are as a person and as a health care professional.
3. Align your cover letter with the organization you’re applying to
Before crafting your cover letter, carefully research the hospital or health care organization you’re applying to. Hiring managers aren’t impressed by generic cover letters that could be sent to any job. Mention something specific about the hospital’s reputation or mission and how this aligns with your professional values and experience. This shows prospective employers you’ve taken the time to research and have a genuine interest in joining their team.
Nurse Grad Text-Only Cover Letter Templates and Examples
- Example #1
- Example #2
- Example #3
Anthony Gentile
Registered Nurse | [email protected] | (123) 456-7890 | New York, NY 12345 | LinkedIn
January 1, 2024
Cynthia Roberts
Talent Specialist
St. John’s Medical Center
(987) 654-3210
[email protected]
Dear Ms. Roberts,
I’m reaching out to apply for the licensed vocational nurse position with St. John’s Medical Center. My experiences as both a nursing student at Columbia University and a certified nursing assistant at Campbell Hospital have allowed me to cultivate a unique understanding of clinical operations and patient care. I can provide value to both your teams and patients in acute care settings.
St. John’s Medical Center’s commitment to health equity is what draws me to apply for this position. As health care providers, we have a duty to provide the highest quality care to patients across all backgrounds. Some examples of my prior patient care delivery experience include:
- Provided high-quality care to diverse patient populations in coordination with registered nurses and clinical teams and achieved patient satisfaction scores of 93%
- Communicated diagnosis and treatment options to patients and families with compassion and served as a patient advocate
- Monitored updates to resident nurses on changes in patient medical status and symptoms
I’d like to schedule an interview to provide more insights on how my health care background aligns with your organization’s goals and needs. Feel free to contact me via phone or email at your convenience. I appreciate your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Anthony Gentile
Nurse Grad Cover Letter FAQs
Why should I include a nurse grad cover letter?-
Although a cover letter won’t always be required for every job posting, it can be a helpful way to further differentiate yourself from the applicant pool in some situations. In the cover letter, you can speak more directly about the hospital you’re applying to. It also allows you to provide other insights into who you are as a medical professional, such as your commitment to health equity and patient advocacy.
What types of skills should I emphasize on a nurse grad cover letter?-
Featuring clinical specializations and major health care terms is an essential part of building a strong cover letter, but it’s also important to achieve a balance by demonstrating your interpersonal skills. Hospitals want to see you can interface effectively with diverse patient populations and medical staff, so be sure to provide examples of this in your content.
What are some common mistakes people make when writing a nurse grad cover letter?-
The biggest mistake job seekers make when writing cover letters is focusing too much on their excitement for the opportunity rather than emphasizing the value they can bring to patients and health care organizations. Crafting a well-written cover letter that is carefully tailored to the hospital’s needs is a much better way to show your genuine interest in the role.
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