We read 119 UK nurse job adverts. Here's what NHS Trusts actually want.
The same question keeps coming from nurses who use Sausage Dog: “What do hospitals actually look for in a CV? Everyone says something different.”
So we stopped guessing. We pulled 119 real Staff Nurse adverts from NHS Jobs, read every one, and counted what NHS Trusts genuinely ask for.
If you are a Band 5 aiming for Band 6, or a newly-qualified nurse writing your first CV, here is the cheat sheet.
The headline finding: NHS Trusts care about who you are more than what you have done
This was the most surprising result. We expected nurse adverts to read like clinical checklists: IV therapy, NEWS2 assessments, Cerner EPR, wound care.
They did not.
Clinical skills appeared in under 15% of adverts. Specific EPR systems like Cerner, EMIS, and SystmOne appeared in fewer than 1%. The technical detail lives in a downloadable person specification PDF that recruiters open later.
The advert is the vibe check. Your CV needs to pass it first.
The top 7 things NHS Trusts actually ask for
Ranked by how often each appeared across 119 adverts:
1. NMC registration — 65%
The single most-mentioned requirement. If you are NMC-registered, your PIN should be visible in the top third of your CV — in the summary, not buried at the bottom.
Format: NMC PIN: 19A1234E — Registered Adult Nurse (RGN)
2. MDT working — 55%
The most-asked soft signal. More common than communication. More common than NMC.
Trusts want to know you do not work in a bubble. At least one bullet should explicitly evidence MDT working: handovers, ward rounds, joint decisions with doctors, pharmacists, physios, discharge coordinators.
“Worked daily alongside doctors, pharmacists, physiotherapists and discharge coordinators as part of the MDT, with regular handover to ambulance crews.”
3. Communication — 50%
Half of all adverts ask for this explicitly. “Good communication skills” does not cut it. Show it:
“De-escalated agitated patients on a busy admissions unit, contributing to a 30% reduction in restraint incidents.”
“Led shift handovers and communicated with next-of-kin across a 24-bed ward, ensuring continuity of care.”
4. Evidence-based practice — 41%
This is the academic flag. Trusts want to know you follow NICE guidelines and apply current research, not just “do what you've always done.” Any of these count:
- Contributed to a clinical audit or quality improvement project
- Updated a ward protocol based on new guidance
- Presented findings to colleagues
- Applied current NICE wound-care or medication guidance in practice
5. Compassion — 41%
This is the one most candidates miss. “Compassion” or “compassionate” appears in 41% of adverts. Not “kind.” Not “caring.” Compassion.
It is the most NHS-coded word in recruitment. It maps directly to the NHS Constitution. Use it once, naturally, in your summary.
“Compassionate, person-centred care across acute and surgical settings…”
6. Leadership — 37% (yes, even at Band 5)
This surprised us. Leadership was expected to be a Band 6 ask. It was not. Over a third of Band 5 adverts mention it. Trusts use adverts to signal future expectations.
If you have ever coordinated a shift, mentored a student, or stepped up when the senior nurse was off — say so explicitly. Informal leadership counts.
7. Mentorship and preceptorship — 46% combined
Mentorship (27%) and preceptorship (19%) together appear in nearly half of adverts. If you have supported a student nurse, a newly-qualified colleague, or completed any mentorship training — it belongs on your CV. Trusts genuinely need senior nurses who can grow the workforce.
What NHS Trusts barely mention
A few things we expected to see everywhere — and did not:
- Life support certs (ALS, ILS, BLS): under 5% in advert text. They are in the person spec, not the headline. Do not lead with them.
- Specific EPR systems (Cerner, SystmOne, EMIS): under 1%. A single line is enough. Do not pad your CV with a systems checklist.
- Specific clinical skills (wound care 12%, cannulation 8%, NEWS2 3%): the advert does not quiz you on these — your interview will. Evidence clinical competence through real examples, not a skills inventory.
Do not write a clinical skills inventory. Write a story about who you are as a nurse, evidenced through real examples.
Before and after
A Band 5 nurse who tested Sausage Dog had this in her summary:
“Hardworking and compassionate registered nurse with several years of experience working across busy hospital wards. I enjoy looking after patients and working as part of a team.”
Tailored against a Band 6 A&E role, with the patterns from 119 real adverts applied:
“Registered adult nurse (NMC PIN: 19A1234E) with nearly five years of post-registration experience across acute assessment and surgical settings. Currently triaging and coordinating shifts on a busy admissions unit. Comfortable working at pace within the MDT, contributing to quality improvement and ready to step into a Band 6 role.”
Same nurse. Same experience. The difference: every signal the advert was looking for lands in the first two sentences.
What this means for your CV
The advert is not a technical spec. It is a list of signals. The most common signals from 119 real adverts are: NMC PIN visible, MDT explicitly evidenced, compassion used by name, leadership even at junior grades, and mentorship if you have it.
Sausage Dog now weaves all seven patterns into nurse CVs automatically. Try it free at sausagedog.io. No card needed.
Next in this series: care workers (105 adverts), teachers (113 adverts), and office admin (102 adverts).
Frequently asked
What is the single most important thing to include in a nurse CV?+
Your NMC PIN, in the top third of the page. 65% of adverts mention NMC registration explicitly. Recruiters need to verify it before shortlisting. Put it in your summary: "NMC PIN: 12A3456B — Registered Adult Nurse (RGN)" — do not leave it to be found at the bottom.
Do I need to list every clinical skill on my CV?+
No. Clinical skills like wound care, cannulation, and NEWS2 appear in fewer than 15% of NHS adverts, because the detailed checklist lives in the downloadable person specification. Your CV needs to win the initial scan, which is about who you are as a nurse, not what procedures you can perform. Show clinical competence through real examples in your bullets, not a skills inventory.
Should I mention specific EPR systems like Cerner or SystmOne?+
You can mention what you have used, but do not pad your CV with a long systems list. Fewer than 1% of adverts mention specific EPR systems by name. A single line ("Experienced with SystmOne and Cerner") is enough. Trusts train you on their systems — they are not screening on this.
What is the difference between a Band 5 and a Band 6 nurse CV?+
Leadership signals. Over a third of Band 5 adverts already mention leadership, which means Trusts are looking for evidence of future potential, not just current grade performance. For Band 6, lead with shift coordination, mentorship, audit contributions, and any quality improvement work. For Band 5, the same evidence still matters — it shows you are ready to grow.
Why does "compassion" matter more than "caring" in a nurse CV?+
"Compassion" appears in 41% of NHS nurse adverts. "Caring" does not score the same way. The NHS Constitution uses "compassion" as one of its six core values, so the word carries specific weight in NHS recruitment. Use it once, naturally, in your summary. Save "caring" for informal contexts.
How long should a nurse CV be?+
Two pages for most nurses. Three pages is acceptable for a Band 7 or above with extensive experience, publications, or audit history. One page is rarely enough to evidence MDT working, leadership, and clinical breadth. The NHS Jobs system requires you to upload a full CV alongside a supporting statement — do not try to squeeze everything into one page.
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