Nursing Cover Letter Examples

Be clear about your cover letter’s purpose. Don’t just write a cookie-cutter, generic letter that repeats what’s on your resume. Ensure your cover letter adds value to your application by providing information or context you couldn’t fit into your resume. Some topics to discuss can be your educational background, a deep dive into your career progression and growth, or your personal values and work ethic as a healthcare provider.

Focus on patient-centered accomplishments. Your cover letter can be the place where you share a uniquely impressive accomplishment in your nursing career. If you opt for this approach, try to use an example of an achievement where you made a significant impact on a patient. Better yet, if that patient expressed gratitude for your care, include those details as well.

Balance clinical skills with soft skills. Show you’re a well-rounded nursing professional by listing hard skills for nurses like wound care or EHR system handling alongside soft skills like patient advocacy and collaboration.

Show how well you work with others. Nursing is a highly collaborative profession. Although many misconstrue nursing as an “assistant” role to doctors, nurses have their own departments and are a fundamental part of hospitals and clinics. Demonstrate how you use interpersonal skills to navigate a complex network of professionals with varying priorities.

Ensure you apply the proper cover letter formatting. Your cover letter should include core sections like the header, intro paragraph, letter body, and closing. Be sure to include the employer’s details and address along with yours in the letterhead. Address the letter’s recipient by name, and close with a polite signature. Learn more about formatting your cover letter in our cover letter formats page.

Pinpoint your niche. There are so many areas of expertise and specialties for nurses. In addition, the demands for nurses vary greatly by state, county, and even all the way down to the hospital or department. Research your area, talk to colleagues and professors, or browse nursing online forums to get a better idea of where nurses with your qualifications are in demand.

Research employers thoroughly. As you apply to multiple jobs, ensure that you take time to research each hospital, clinic, or other employer. Check out reviews in Glassdoor, LinkedIn, or even Facebook groups. Comments from past employees will tell you a lot about fair compensation and work culture.

Be flexible about shifts and units. Popular units like Labor & Delivery or ICU are highly competitive, so be open to night shifts, weekends, or float pool roles to get your foot in the door. Many nurses start this way and transfer to their preferred unit once they’ve gained experience and proved themselves. Hospitals often prefer to hire internally, so flexibility now can help you land your dream role later. Plus, working different shifts builds valuable skills and resilience.

Consider different employment settings. Hospitals are not the only place where nurses can work. Nurses are needed in almost all areas of society. Some potential employers to consider are schools, doctors’ offices, rehabilitation centers, hospice care, the military, correctional facilities, home health care, and more.

Prepare for common nursing interview questions. Once you’ve perfected your resume and cover letter, you’ll likely receive interview requests from your job applications. Before you head into an interview, review the job description to keep in mind the role’s needs and required qualifications, prepare an “elevator pitch” outlining what unique characteristics make you the best fit for the job, and practice common interview questions like “Why did you pursue nursing?” or “How do you handle a difficult patient?”.