Nursing Portfolio Examples

Professionals offer job-seeking tips for graduates

By Deborah J. Cook

The caps have been tossed and “Pomp and Circumstance” has faded into memory. Now it’s time for new graduates to put their education to work. But with unemployment at 9.1 percent, even seasoned workers are having trouble landing a job. How is someone with little experience — aside from a stint scooping ice cream or lifeguarding — going to stand out?

Kim Shriver, director of talent acquisition for Perrigo Company in Kalamazoo, recommends that new grads “provide information in detail on classroom work, project work, internships, summer jobs — things that they might not think are directly relevant to the full-time kind of post-college job they are applying for.”

What new grads may lack in experience, they make up for in their knowledge of new technologies and information systems, she added.

Volunteering, job shadowing or interning shows employers your level of interest. It is important to match activities to the desired career. Want a job in IT? Volunteer some data-entry time at a nonprofit. Interested in a medical career? Make yourself useful at a nursing home. Document your activities with pictures, samples of work and letters of reference. Also worth noting: Involvement in campus organizations and special projects grads may have worked on.

If a student is looking for a first job, they have to be able to talk to employers about what they are looking for.

“Things like enthusiasm and willingness to work hard count as much as having an A or B average, especially if you can prove it,” said Sue Maciak, owner of Cameo Career and Corporate Consulting LLC . How you prove it, she said, is by recommendations. She recommends bringing a portfolio with samples of work to interviews and presenting a few relevant pieces.

Presentation is important

Recent graduates also need to present themselves in the best possible light.

“The first thing is to smile,” Maciak said. Stand up straight, offer a firm — but not bone-crushing — handshake and banish “um” from your vocabulary. A mistake some new interviewees make is not dressing professionally.

“They think that because I’m young, it’s OK if I wear tennis shoes or I don’t need to have my fingernails manicured nicely,” she said.

Apply in the manner requested by the employer.

Nursing Portfolio | How to Create, Examples, and What is it?

Most nursing students and nurses create a nursing portfolio to help them keep track of their professional goals, accomplishments, competencies, and skills. For example, an artist creates a portfolio to show their work and accomplishments to future clients.

Nurses in a sense keep a portfolio to show future employers who they are and what they have done. A nursing portfolio is a tool used by nurses to help them secure a nursing job  .

When trying to wrap your mind around a nursing portfolio, think of it as a scrapbook that contains everything you have done up to that current moment in your nursing career.

A nursing portfolio does not need to be confused with a resume . A resume is a piece of paper that shows the employer a summary of the nurse’s education, other job experiences, references, and certifications. The portfolio is the supporting documentation of that information.

How to Create a Nursing Portfolio?

Most nursing schools require nursing students to create a nursing portfolio. This is a great way to help the new nurse get started with creating their portfolio. However, some nurses have never created one. Remember that if you are a new nurse your portfolio will not be as in depth when compared to a nurse who has been in the field for several years.

Before you start creating your nursing portfolio you need to compile supporting documents. There is no right or wrong way to compile your supporting documents. Also, keep in mind that you need to include information that highlights your competencies, educational achievements, and skills. Below are suggested documents to include in your portfolio.  

What type of information is included in a Nurse Portfolio? Resume College Transcripts 1 page essay on what your personal values and beliefs are on the nursing profession An outline of your plan for professional development with supporting documentation of activities and learning outcomes.

Teaching nursing, developing a student-centered learning environment

OVERVIEW Introduction Scholarship of Teaching in Nursing Teaching Portfolios in Nursing Course Portfolios in Nursing Sample Course Portfolio • Course ...

Contemporary nursing, issues, trends, & management

The portfolio introduces the professional nurse to recruiters, employers, ... Include samples of letters from grateful patients, congratulations from peers, ...

Genetics nursing portfolios, a new model for the profession

Examples of Uses of Portfolios in Nursing United States The Oklahoma Board of Nursing appointed a task force to conduct a statewide study to investigate the ...

Portfolio guidance for veterinary nurses

Contents History of veterinary nurse training and assessment; ... Portfolio submission and outcomes; Terminology; Example case log sheets for modules 1-4; ...

NURSE PRACTITIONER, BUSINESS PRACTICE AND LEGAL GUIDE

For example, if an NP in South Carolina is certified by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the NP should keep in his/her portfolio a one-page ...