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224 unit 3 | Professional Issues CikguOnline
responsibilities of each position. Emphasize your A new graduate’s objective might read: “Position as
accomplishments,any special techniques you learned, staff nurse on a pediatric unit” or “Graduate nurse
or changes you implemented. Use action verbs, such position on a pediatric unit.”Do not include phras-
as those listed in Table 14-1, to describe your accom- es such as “advancing to neonatal intensive care
plishments. Also cite any special awards or commit- unit.” Employers are trying to fill current openings
tee chairs.If a previous position was not in the health and do not want be considered a stepping stone in
field,try to relate your duties and accomplishments to your career.
the position you are seeking.
Skills and Experience
Education
Relevant skills and experience are included in your
Next, focus on your education. Include the name résumé not to describe your past but to present a
and location of every educational institution you “word picture of you in your proposed new job, cre-
attended; the dates you attended; and the degree, ated out of the best of your past experience”(Parker,
diploma, or certification attained. Start with your 1989, p. 13; Impollonia, 2004). Begin by jotting
most recent degree. It is not necessary to include down the major skills required for the position you
your license number because you will give a copy of are seeking. Include five or six major skills such as:
the license when you begin employment. If you are
■ Administration/management
still waiting to take the NCLEX, you need to indi-
■ Teamwork/problem solving
cate when you are scheduled for the examination. If
■ Patient relations
you are seeking additional training, such as for
■ Specialty proficiency
intravenous certification, include only what is rele-
■ Technical skills
vant to your job objective.
Your Objective Other
It is now time to write your job objective. Write a Academic honors, publications, research, and mem-
clear, brief job objective. To accomplish this, ask bership in professional organizations may be
yourself: what do I want to do? for or with whom? included. Were you active in your school’s student
when? at what level of responsibility? For example nurses association? A church or community orga-
(Parker, 1989): nization? Were you on the dean’s list? What if you
were “just a housewife” for many years? First, do an
■ What: RN attitude adjustment: you were not “just a housewife”
■ For whom: Pediatric patients but a family manager. Explore your role in work-
■ Where: Large metropolitan hospital related terms such as community volunteer, personal
■ At what level: Staff relations, fund raising, counseling, or teaching. A

table 14-1
Action Verbs
Management Skills Communication Skills Accomplishments Helping Skills
Attained Collaborated Achieved Assessed
Developed Convinced Adapted Assisted
Improved Developed Coordinated Clarified
Increased Enlisted Developed Demonstrated
Organized Formulated Expanded Diagnosed
Planned Negotiated Facilitated Expedited
Recommended Promoted Implemented Facilitated
Strengthened Reconciled Improved Motivated
Supervised Recruited Instructed Represented
Reduced (losses)
Resolved (problems)
Restored
Adapted from Parker, Y. (1989). The Damn Good Résumé Guide. Berkeley, Calif.: Ten Speed Press.