Nurse CV example and template (South Africa)

Public hospitals and clinics, private hospital groups such as Netcare, Mediclinic and Life Healthcare, nursing agencies, mines and old age homes all employ nurses in South Africa. Before anything else, a nursing manager checks your South African Nursing Council (SANC) registration: which category you are registered in, such as registered (professional) nurse, enrolled nurse or enrolled nursing auxiliary, and whether your annual practising certificate is up to date. Put this near the top of your CV, then show the wards you have worked in and the clinical skills you use every day.

The example below is for a registered nurse with a four-year Bachelor of Nursing (NQF level 8), a community service year in a public hospital and six years in a private hospital medical-surgical ward. If you have just qualified, lead with your qualification, your clinical placements during training and the hospital where you are doing or did community service. Newer nurses may hold the three-year Diploma in Nursing instead; write your qualification and SANC category exactly as they appear on your certificates.

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Nurse CV example

Zanele Ngcobo

Registered nurse with 7 years in medical-surgical nursing

074 555 0158 · zanele.ngcobo@example.co.za · Durban, KwaZulu-Natal

Profile

SANC-registered professional nurse and midwife with seven years' experience, including a community service year at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital and six years in a 32-bed medical-surgical ward at Netcare St Augustine's Hospital in Durban. Skilled in medication administration, wound care, IV therapy and accurate patient records, with current BLS and ACLS certificates. Experienced as shift leader for a team of six. Looking for a senior professional nurse or unit manager post in eThekwini.

Work experience

Registered Nurse (Medical-Surgical Ward)

Netcare St Augustine's Hospital, Durban | Feb 2020 – Present

Care for up to eight patients a shift in a 32-bed medical-surgical ward
Give oral, IV and injected medication and record every dose on the medication chart
Check the scheduled medicine register with a second nurse at every shift change
Lead night shifts, allocating patients to a team of six enrolled nurses and auxiliaries
Respond to ward emergencies as part of the resuscitation team
Mentor student nurses and sign off their clinical workbooks

Community Service Professional Nurse

Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital, Umlazi | Jan 2019 – Dec 2019

Rotated through medical, surgical and maternity wards in a busy public hospital
Assisted with normal deliveries and postnatal care in the maternity unit
Kept patient records, observation charts and handover notes up to date
Taught patients about HIV treatment, hypertension and diabetes before discharge

Education

Bachelor of Nursing

University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2018, NQF level 8

National Senior Certificate (Matric)

Ohlange High School, 2014, NQF level 4

Subjects: English Home Language, isiZulu First Additional Language, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Mathematics, Life Orientation

Skills

Medication administration and scheduled medicine control
IV therapy and blood transfusions
Wound care
Patient assessment and early warning scores
Patient records and handover
Shift leadership
Mentoring student nurses

Certificates

SANC registration, Registered Nurse and Midwife, South African Nursing Council, 2020
Basic Life Support (BLS), Resuscitation Council of Southern Africa accredited provider, 2025
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Resuscitation Council of Southern Africa accredited provider, 2024

Achievements

Nominated for the hospital's nursing excellence award in 2024
Helped the ward pass its 2025 infection prevention and control audit

Personal details

Driver’s licence:: Code B (Code 8)
Own transport:: Yes
Nationality:: South African
Languages:: isiZulu (Home language), English (Fluent)
Notice period:: One month
Availability:: Day and night shifts, weekends and public holidays

References

Sister Priya Naidoo

Unit Manager, Medical-Surgical Ward, Netcare St Augustine's Hospital

031 555 0142

Sister Thembi Mkhize

Operational Manager (community service supervisor), Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital

031 555 0189

Nurse CV summary you can copy

Change the details so they are true for you.

SANC-registered professional nurse and midwife with seven years' experience, including a community service year at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital and six years in a 32-bed medical-surgical ward at Netcare St Augustine's Hospital in Durban. Skilled in medication administration, wound care, IV therapy and accurate patient records, with current BLS and ACLS certificates. Experienced as shift leader for a team of six. Looking for a senior professional nurse or unit manager post in eThekwini.

Skills to list on your Nurse CV

Patient assessment and nursing care plans
Medication administration using the "five rights" (right patient, drug, dose, route and time)
Scheduled medicine control and drug register checks
IV therapy, drips and blood transfusions
Wound care and dressing changes
Recording observations and using early warning scores to spot patients getting worse
Accurate patient records and handover notes
Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
Infection prevention and control
Admitting, transferring and discharging patients
Pre- and post-operative care
Diabetes, hypertension and HIV education for patients
Leading a shift and allocating patients to nurses
Supervising enrolled nurses, auxiliaries and student nurses
Clear communication with patients and families in more than one language

Duties written as strong bullet points

Managed the nursing care of up to eight patients a shift in a 32-bed medical-surgical ward, from admission to discharge
Gave oral, IV and injected medication using the five rights and recorded every dose on the medication chart
Checked and signed the scheduled medicine register with a second nurse at every shift change, with no unexplained discrepancies
Recorded vital signs and early warning scores, and called the doctor or rapid response team when a patient's condition got worse
Responded to cardiac arrests on the ward as part of the resuscitation team, using BLS and ACLS protocols
Cleaned and dressed surgical and chronic wounds, and kept wound charts up to date
Led night shifts as shift leader, allocating patients to a team of six enrolled nurses and auxiliaries
Mentored student nurses during their clinical placements and signed off their practical workbooks
Taught patients and families about new medication, wound care and diabetes control before discharge

Tips for a stronger Nurse CV

Put your SANC details at the top

Write your SANC category, such as "Registered Nurse and Midwife", and the year you first registered just under your headline or in the certificates section. Nursing managers will not read further if they cannot see you are registered in the right category for the post.

Name your wards and units

Medical, surgical, maternity, paediatrics, theatre, ICU, casualty and psychiatric nursing all need different skills. Write the ward type and number of beds for each job. A manager filling an ICU post wants to see critical care experience straight away.

Keep BLS and ACLS current

Most hospitals ask for a valid Basic Life Support certificate, and critical care and casualty posts often ask for ACLS as well. List the year you last renewed each one. An expired resuscitation certificate is one of the most common reasons a nursing CV is put aside.

Show leadership if you want promotion

If you are applying for a senior professional nurse or unit manager post, show times you were in charge of a shift, ran ward audits, managed stock or mentored students. Put a number on it, such as "shift leader for a team of six on night duty".

Questions people ask

What are the SANC nursing categories?

The main categories are registered nurse (also called professional nurse), enrolled nurse and enrolled nursing auxiliary. A registered nurse can work more independently and supervise the other categories. Some nurses also hold extra registrations, such as midwife or a specialty like critical care. Use the exact title on your SANC certificate.

What is the nursing community service year?

Nurses who qualify as professional nurses do one year of paid community service, usually at a public hospital or clinic, before they can register to work independently in that category. List it as a job with the facility name, dates and the wards you rotated through, because it is real clinical experience.

Should I put my SANC registration number on my CV?

You can, but you do not have to. Many nurses write only their category and year of registration, and give the number when the employer asks for proof. Either way, keep your annual practising certificate up to date, because employers check it with SANC before they appoint you.

How do I list a nursing specialty or postgraduate diploma?

Put it at the top of your education section with the institution and year, such as a postgraduate diploma in critical care, operating theatre or primary health care nursing. Then show where you used it in your experience, for example the ICU or clinic where you work.

Can an enrolled nurse use this CV example?

Yes. Keep the same structure, but change the headline and summary to your SANC category, and list only duties within your scope of practice. Enrolled nurses usually work under the supervision of a registered nurse, so describe the patient care you gave and the teams you supported.