How to Write a Reference Letter in Nursing

How to Write a Nursing Reference Letter
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Written by Ethan Hayes Published on September 17, 2024

Ethan is an experienced editor specializing in nursing and academic writing, with over eight years' expertise. He excels in refining complex medical content, research papers, and academic essays.

Table of contents

What Is a Nursing Reference Letter?

Reference letters are written recommendations for enhancing job or nursing school applications. Written by authority figures who know you and have something good to say about your personal and professional qualities, reference letters can fall under one of these categories:

  • Nursing school reference letter. Some BSN programs call for personal and academic references to boost your admission chances. 
  • Postgraduate nursing school application reference letter. Most MSN, DNP, and Ph.D. programs want to hear from your previous instructors and supervisors. 
  • Nursing internship reference letter. Highly sought-after positions welcome personal and academic reference letters.
  • Nursing letter of recommendation for a job application. The most common type of reference letter is written by your current or past employer to help you move up the career ladder.

The Difference Between a Recommendation and a Reference Letter in Nursing

The difference is so subtle that most use recommendation and reference letters interchangeably. Still, reference letters are usually less specific and comment on your personality rather than your professional skills or academic performance. Personal references from family members, friends, or patients are the most common for nurses. Recommendation letters are more direct and specific when commenting on your nursing skill set, and they are usually written by college professors, work supervisors, employers, or colleagues. 

The Difference Between an Experience and a Reference Letter in Nursing 

An experience letter is only useful when it comes with a resume or CV, as it serves to support the claims made by the job applicant. Instead of highlighting your suitability for a new job, like a reference letter, an experience letter emphasizes your duties and performance at one of your past positions. While references are often personal or academic, experience letters are written by employers or direct supervisors. They are a form of official paperwork, so they should be printed on hospital or company letterhead. Besides, experience letters may include your reason for leaving the job and looking for another.

Who Should Write My Nursing Reference Letter?

The person who writes your nurse reference letter should know you well and have something good to say about you. These are two non-negotiable requirements, while the rest are much more malleable. Anyone who checks these boxes can write your reference letter: your grandma, high school teacher, coach, or college professor. You can also ask your colleagues, patients, supervisors, or employers for a reference.

Types of References

Not all references are equal, and some may be unavailable for you. For example, if you’re graduating from nursing school, you are unlikely to have employment references, though academic ones should be within reach and more than enough to land your first job. At the same time, if you have a decade of professional experience, it’s time to retire your personal and academic references and focus on a professional nursing reference letter or two. 

  1. Personal reference. Friends, family members, patients, sports team or club members, fellow volunteers, etc. - anyone who can describe your behavior in a non-professional setting can give you a nursing character reference. 
  2. Academic references. Teachers, professors, instructors, counselors, advisors - everyone who deals with you in a school setting can prove your soft skills, like critical thinking, creativity, or attention to detail.
  3. Employment references. Employers, direct and indirect supervisors, and mentors - those who can evaluate your work and assess you as an employee can provide evidence of your performance.
  4. Professional references. Colleagues, coworkers, patients - anyone who crossed paths with you in a professional setting without being your employer or supervisor can share their opinion on your professional skills.

Tips for Asking for a Nursing Reference Letter

  • Come equipped with requirements. Give the person a copy of a job opening description of your nursing school admission requirements. These details will help make the reference letter more detailed and tailored to your needs.
  • Explain what made you choose a particular referencer. To help them complete the letter faster, specify what you expect them to write and which examples to give. 
  • Provide a sample reference letter for nurses given by a previous employer or professor. Email your referencer an example or a template to make their task easier.
  • Keep the reference letter short. A single page is more than enough to provide pertinent information about you, so don’t expect anyone to write a novel.

How to Write a Nursing Reference Letter

Use the Right Greeting

Dear Mr. or Dear Ms. is the best way to start a reference letter for a nursing job, as it’s respectful and shows you took the time to find the proper person to address. “To whom it may concern” is an acceptable alternative, though it makes your writing look stuffy and dated.

Start Strong

Introduce yourself and the person you’re giving a reference to in the introductory passage. Use their full name to avoid miscommunication and explain your professional or personal relationship in enough detail. For example, you can write, “Mark Nichols worked as a registered nurse in my department for three years and proved to be a knowledgeable and efficient professional.” 

Describe Hard and Soft Skills

Highlight the nurse’s duties and their biggest successes or examples of outstanding work ethics or performance. You should focus on the skills mentioned in the job or internship description and include both professional and interpersonal skills. For example, describe the nurse’s professional behavior during a code and their leadership capabilities while taking charge of nursing personnel.

Give Examples Highlighting Skills

Instead of listing desired traits of a nurse, think of one or two examples that demonstrate the hard and soft skills you want to prove. Summarize the situations in a few sentences, but be specific to make your examples more believable and memorable.

Conclude on a Positive Note

Before signing off, reiterate the positive qualities you’ve mentioned and state your belief that the nurse practitioner will be a right fit for the job or internship they are applying for. You can also include an invitation to contact you for additional information if you are willing to invest more time and answer some questions.  

Things You Should Avoid When Writing Nursing Reference Letter

Now that you know how to go about writing a reference letter for a nursing student or a nurse let’s go over the common mistakes. These are the things you should avoid, if possible:

  1. Stock phrasing. Try to use strong verbs and adjectives to describe the nurse instead of settling for weak modifiers, like “good”, “professional”, or “knowledgeable”. 
  2. Generalizations. Examples filled with details should help you avoid standard phrases and highlight particular skills and qualities.
  3. Gaps and missing information. Your credentials and relationship with the nurse should be prominent and easily discernible, as they give weight to the recommendation.
  4. Poor formatting. If you’re unsure of the appropriate format style, use a standard font, like Times New Roman or Arial at 12 pt with double spacing. Everyone should be able to read your reference letter without straining their eyes.
  5. Wrong length. Ideally, a recommendation letter should fit on one page, around 250 words long. Any shorter, and your letter will demonstrate your lack of interest or anything good to say, but longer letters can turn dull and turn the reader off instead of making a good impression.

Professional courtesy lies in writing a recommendation for a person only if you know them well and have something good to say about them. Otherwise, apologize and refer them to a colleague better suited to give a good reference. 

Nursing Reference Letter Examples

If you need a sample professional reference letter for nurses to help your referencer, or you want some inspiration before crafting a recommendation for someone, check out the examples below:

sample reference letter for nurses given by previous employer

sample reference letter for nurses

sample professional reference letter for nurses

example of professional reference letter in nursing

 

Template for Nursing Reference Letter 

If you’re short on time or all out of inspiration for writing, use our nursing reference letter template. Remember to replace square parentheses with pertinent information.

Dear [Title and Name],

I’m happy to reach out and extend a reference letter for [name] for [position]. I am [summary of your relationship with the candidate]. I’m certain that [name] would demonstrate top performance as a [position]. 

[Name] has dependably showcased outstanding professional and interpersonal skills in [nursing skills or qualifications].

I became confident [name] would become a great nurse when [example highlighting outstanding nursing performance]. 

I feel secure recommending [name] for [position] because [why the nurse makes the best candidate for the role].

[Sign off] 

[Signature]

[Education level + Licensure]

FAQ

1. How do you start a reference letter?

After the greeting, introduce yourself and explain your relationship with the person for whom you’re writing a reference letter and include their full name. These two to three sentences should comprise the letter’s introductory passage.

2. How important is a reference letter?

It can be a decisive factor in your favor when you have lots of competition. In most cases, the hiring managers or admission boards will choose the application that came with a reference letter over a similar one that had none.

3. Can a nurse write a letter of recommendation for another nurse?

Yes, nursing staff can write letters for their peers when requested. Such letters are considered professional references and should highlight the writer’s experience working alongside the nurse.

4. Should I include a list of references on my application for a prospective nursing role?

You should only use references when the job posting calls for them. Even if they are not required on a resume or CV, they may come in handy at the following application stages, so keep the info and paperwork handy.

5. On a nursing reference letter, what is the correct way to list a candidate’s licensure?

Does BSN or the RN come first? The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) recommends listing the highest degree achieved before licensure, so BSN RN is the preferred choice.

6. How many letters of recommendation should I get to ensure my nursing application is as strong as possible?

You can get as many recommendations as you wish, but only send the best ones and follow the application requirements. One to three reference letters are sufficient for most nursing school, internship, and job applications. Sometimes, you may be able to include a fourth, but five or more recommendations are overkill.

7. What do you write in a reference letter?

Any reference letter is a written recommendation proving a person’s professionalism is suitable for a particular position. Therefore, it should include the traits, skills, or experience you have that make you a perfect candidate, preferably with vivid examples. Besides that, the letter should also explain your relationship to the person writing it to prove they are in a nursing position to be a credible reference.

8. How long should a reference letter be?

Unless specified otherwise, a reference letter should be one or two pages long (up to 500 words), as longer letters may seem redundant and take too much time to read. If there are word count limits for the reference letter, specify them to the person writing this letter for you.

9. Why would you need a reference letter?

Usually, a reference letter is designed to supplement an academic or a job application. For example, you may include reference letters in your nursing school admission package or a postgraduate nursing program application. Internships, scholarships, and job openings may also call for reference letters

10. How to end a reference letter?

The last part of the reference letter should summarize everything well mentioned in the previous parts and emphasize what makes the subject of the letter the perfect person for a nursing school (postgraduate school, internship, etc.). You can also include an invitation to contact you for further details or information if you are willing to provide it. After that, wrap the reference letter with a sign-off and your signature.

11. Who can write a reference letter for me?

Anyone who knows you well and can say something good about you can write a reference letter. You can get a personal reference from your friends or family members, but school teachers, sports team coaches, as well as college professors will do nicely. If you have nursing experience, you can request a patient, a coworker, or a manager to write you a reference letter.