Perioperative registered nurse with 9 years as circulator and scrub in a 24-OR hospital, specializing in cardiac and orthopedic surgery. CNOR-certified service-line lead who cut first-case delays by 42%. Brings surgical safety leadership, instrument expertise and strong partnership with anesthesia and surgeons.
Experience
Perioperative RN, Cardiac Service Line Lead, Cumberland Heart & Vascular Hospital (Knoxville, TN)
Jan 2021 – Present
Circulate and scrub 6–10 cardiac and vascular cases a week, including CABG, valve and TAVR procedures
Lead a team of 11 RNs and surgical techs on the cardiac service, managing case carts and preference cards
Reduced first-case on-time start delays by 42% through pre-op huddles and standardized room setups
Audit WHO surgical safety checklist and time-out compliance at 100% for 2 years
Operating Room Registered Nurse, Smoky Mountain Medical Center (Maryville, TN)
Jun 2017 – Dec 2020
Circulated orthopedic, general and trauma cases in a 14-OR department, including on-call coverage
Completed a 6-month perioperative residency using AORN Periop 101
Sterile Processing Technician, Knoxville Surgery Center (Knoxville, TN)
Jun 2014 – May 2017
Assembled 60 instrument trays a shift for orthopedic and ENT cases
Education
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, University of Tennessee, Knoxville (Aug 2013 – May 2017)
A strong Operating Room Nurse resume shows patient outcomes, safety and the clinical or operational standards you upheld. Put your most relevant recent role first and make every bullet show a result, not a duty.
Sections, in order
Summary
Licenses and certifications
Experience
Education
Skills
Length: One page for most candidates; move to two only if every line is relevant.
Summary: Write two or three lines: your role, your strongest skills, and one result that proves them.
Skills to feature
Patient care
Clinical documentation
EHR systems (Epic, Cerner)
Infection control
Care coordination
Patient education
Regulatory compliance (HIPAA)
Triage
Interdisciplinary collaboration
Quality improvement
Example bullet points
Cared for 5 to 6 patients per shift on a 32-bed cardiac unit with a 98% documentation audit score
Led a falls-prevention initiative that reduced unit falls by 40% over 12 months
Trained 14 new nurses on Epic workflows, shortening their orientation by two weeks
Tips from recruiters
Put licences and certifications (RN, BLS, ACLS) with their state or body near the top.
Name the setting and specialty for each role: unit type, patient population and bed count.
Use a clean single-column layout; hospital applicant systems parse them most reliably.
Recommended templates
Vital (ATS-friendly): Clean clinical layout with a credentials block
Classic (ATS-friendly): Jake's-style LaTeX classic: small caps and hairline rules
Modern (ATS-friendly): Clean single column with accent headings and rules
Operating Room Nurse resume FAQ
What should a Operating Room Nurse resume include?
A Operating Room Nurse resume should show patient outcomes, safety and the clinical or operational standards you upheld. Use these sections in this order: Summary, Licenses and certifications, Experience, Education and Skills. Put your most relevant recent role first and make every bullet show a result, not a duty.
What is the best resume template for a Operating Room Nurse?
Vital, Classic and Modern work well for Operating Room Nurse roles. They are single-column with standard headings, so applicant tracking systems (ATS) parse them reliably.
How long should a Operating Room Nurse resume be?
One page for most candidates; move to two only if every line is relevant.
Which skills should a Operating Room Nurse put on a resume?
Prioritize the skills named in the job posting. Common ones for Operating Room Nurse roles are Patient care, Clinical documentation, EHR systems (Epic, Cerner), Infection control, Care coordination and Patient education.
How do I write strong Operating Room Nurse resume bullet points?
Start with an action verb, say what you did, and end with a measurable result such as patients per shift, readmission rate and patient satisfaction. For example: "Cared for 5 to 6 patients per shift on a 32-bed cardiac unit with a 98% documentation audit score."