How to Write COVID-19 on Your Travel Nurse Resume
COVID-19 has left you feeling battered, somewhat beaten. If you cannot figure out how to convey to your friends and family what it is like to work on a COVID-19 unit, how could you ever find the words to put on your resume?
The truth is, you may not be able to write a quick blurb that will fully explain the depths of what you have gone through, and are going through as a healthcare worker amidst a global pandemic. However, the extent of what is felt by society as a whole is real. Word association will be different for everyone. What rushes to the mind of one individual, may be vastly different from what instantly populates in the mind of another individual seeing or hearing COVID-19. Scenarios may be divergent, but emotions attached each have their own gravity. It is with the knowledge that anyone looking at the illness written on a healthcare worker’s resume will be able to acknowledge the incalculable weight placed on your shoulders, backed by split-second decision-making skills, and the ability to adapt better and faster than imaginable.
COVID-19 has changed life as we know it. Whether that be a temporary change or long-term, the skillset you have adapted as a healthcare professional can be carried with you throughout your entire career.
So how do you write COVID-19 on your travel nurse resume?
There are two things to think about. What skills have you learned, and how has COVID-19 altered your professional work? Since these are listed in different areas on your resume, you will want to consider how each are written out. They will also help you be equipped with responses during interviews.
How to describe your role as a COVID-19 Travel Nurse
When writing the description of your role, consider what you want to convey for your specialty as well as shifts from the norm caused by the coronavirus. An example of experience listed for an ICU travel RN could be, “Provided inpatient nursing care to intensive care patients receiving treatment on a COVID-19 unit. Adaptation to new facility protocols paired with split-second decision-making skills ensured continuity in care.” Again, remember that even a subtle use of,the term will resonate with hiring managers who experienced the same situation. You may have been asked to float during your assignment, too. Many PACU and PCU RNs have found themselves receiving necessary training to take care of patients on ventilators and different medications, becoming ICU nurses for the short-term. While you will still list the specialty you were hired for on your resume, adding an additional bullet point under the job description to include your ICU experience is recommended.
How to describe COVID-19 skills on your travel nursing resume
Skills are another area where you can make mention of added professional traits. Examples of new skills to add may include adaptability, split-second decision-making, or critical care outside of normal specialty scope. The VASNHS Nursing Professional Services staff provided critical care training to several nurses outside of the ICU specialty, just to make sure emergency preparedness was top-of-mind. Collaboration is also an essential skill to add. It shows teamwork and the ability to problem-solve with colleagues while assessing patients under COVID-19 protocol.
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Additionally, do not hesitate to add a highlights and achievements area to make note of any professional awards you may have been nominated for during a COVID-19 assignment. If you were nominated for a DAISY Award while working on a COVID-19 unit, make note of that! Your ability to go the extra mile during an extremely stressful era deserves to be called out as many times as possible, including on your resume.
You may be feeling nurse burnout and professional fatigue right now, and rightfully so. While the healthcare profession has received long overdue recognition, it does not lessen the pain, sacrifice, mental and physical exhaustion exerted. With that said, what you do makes a difference. YOU make a difference. Just like you are prepared to cover yourself in full PPE and continue providing the best patient-care possible, your resume and your interview skills will now reflect the weight of the world 2020 has endured.
Noressa Kennedy is a Director of Marketing and Communications for Travel Nurse Across America, a healthcare staffing agency placing traveling healthcare professionals on assignments at facilities in all 50 states. Off the clock, she enjoys spending time with her dogs outdoors and discovering hidden gems in flea markets. Her dream superhero outing would be a day of fighting crime with the Ninja Turtles, followed by a pizza party. Find more of Noressa’s helpful travel nurse tips on the TNAA Facebook Page!
