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You only have one chance to make the first impression that lasts a lifetime. Before even your initial interview, your nursing portfolio will be the first impression that hiring managers have of you. Whether you are a fresh graduate hunting your first job or you are shopping for greater opportunities elsewhere, you want that portfolio to be as good as it can possibly be. What does a “good” professional portfolio in nursing entail exactly? And how can you make one, with what you have? We will go over all these and more in this guide.
What exactly is a Nurse Portfolio?
Put simply, a nursing portfolio is a collection of relevant documents and materials that serves as credible evidence of previous nursing experience, employment history and education. Good portfolios waste no space whatsoever. Every document is organized and structured in such a way that captures the nurse’s professional journey, capabilities and character. Nursing portfolios for new grads shows employers why you deserve special consideration over applicants who are technically more qualified.
Why does my portfolio matter?
Most professionals know just how important a nurse practitioner portfolio is for a compelling and convincing application. More than just a compilation of credentials, portfolios are proof that you are invested in your continued growth. Healthcare is a dynamic and ever-shifting industry, so hospitals are looking for nurses who want to invest in a lifelong learning approach.
Even less talked about is how your portfolio benefits you, personally. It allows you to reflect and review your career plans. By laying out your entire work history and credentials, you can identify both strengths and deficiencies, note experience gaps you can work on and truly ponder on whether or not this career path is what you want.
Nursing portfolio items
What you can and should include in your professional nursing portfolio may depend on your circumstances, as well as the company you are applying to. Good nursing portfolio examples include the following:
Front Page and Table of Contents
Name, address, contact details
CV/Resume copy
Registered Nursing certification
Degree history and transcripts
Certification for Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and more
Certification from other specialty courses and training
CEU certification
Nursing work history
Proof of participation in community outreach and volunteer activities
“Thank yous” or other personal notes from patients and patient families
Character references
Posters for professional presentations
Evaluations from co-workers or managers
Performance evaluations and career development goals
Memberships in professional organizations
Medical writing samples (Research projects, professional articles, etc)
Organizing your portfolio
There is no “one size fits all” solution for new grad nursing portfolios. What matters is that you arrange items in an organized and professional manner. To get you started, collating your materials in a 3-ring binder is a common practice. Using labeled tabs makes finding specific documents easier for both you and your prospective employer. Finally, you want to break things down into sections. Keep similar documents like certifications or academic papers in one section, to make things organized. Six sections is the sweet spot, as more may leave readers overwhelmed. You can also arrange them in chronological order, to bring a sense of flow and progression to your portfolio.