Build a Nursing Portfolio: The Record of Your Career

Reviewed by Winona Suzanne Ball, RN, MHS• Updated: May 31st, 2024

As you prepare to start your career as a professional licensed nurse, it’s important to take time to create a nursing portfolio. It’s easy to do -- just a few minutes will get you started. From there, you will keep it updated as your career continues. It will become a record of your growth, as well as a valuable tool for your future.

What is a nursing portfolio?

Your nursing portfolio is documentation of your professional life. It’s a visual and comprehensive record of your education, skills, and achievements. It represents your growth and accomplishments as a nurse. You’ll maintain it throughout your entire career.

Every item in the portfolio has a purpose. When you sort and organize the content into sections, you’ll be able to locate documents for employers; prove competency for promotions; and establish a career path. It can also provide defense in the event of litigation.

It’s not the same as a resume or curriculum vitae (CV), which provide demographic details, as well as summaries of your schools, employment, certifications, and some background. Either one is an overview of your qualifications. You’ll need a resume or CV when you apply for a job: often, it’s accompanied by a specific cover letter.

What goes in?

In a binder or folder with dividers, include copies of the following documents:

Personal information: name, address, health records, proof of immunization
Statement with your philosophy of nursing and future goals
Education: transcripts, copy of diploma(s)
Professional license(s)
Specialty certification(s)
Proof of current BLS, ACLS, PALS, etc. with expiration dates
CE/CEU credits, with certificates and dates
Professional organization memberships
Committees and job-related projects
Professional awards
All employment performance appraisals
Publications, posters, presentations
Letters of thanks/appreciation from patients, peers, or supervisors
Letters of recommendation from peers or supervisors
Patient satisfaction surveys
Community volunteer work, professional or personal
Envelopes from important mailings

What do I do with all of these things?

You’re going to maintain your portfolio throughout your ENTIRE career. Don’t throw away any documents, just keep adding to them. This is crucial to show that you have been diligent in keeping up-to-date with education; active in your profession; and have received positive performance reviews. You want proof that your practice always reflects the latest evidence-based standards.

It’s important to keep everything safe. Edie Brous, RN, BSN, MS, MPH, JD, is a nurse attorney, practicing in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. She specializes in representing nurses facing litigation. She makes the following recommendations for a nursing portfolio:

Make copies of everything for the portfolio. Keep the originals in a safe place.
Store everything on a flash drive or in the cloud.
ONLY write on copies!
Keep envelopes from important mailings. Write on them what was in the envelope, and the date it was received.

Although you’ll ideally start your nursing portfolio after graduation from school, it’s never too late to create one. Gather as many of the documents as possible and go forward. One of the best ways to protect your license is to show that you have practiced safe patient care and continued to learn during your career. Along with carrying your own professional liability insurance, you’ll be prepared to protect your livelihood.

Why do you need one?

Great question! Your nursing portfolio is more than a collection of papers. Having professional documents in a single place will help you in several important ways:

Licensure protection: We said it above, but it bears repeating. If you’re ever named in a lawsuit, showing that you have always followed your state’s Nurse Practice Act will be your best defense.
Performance evaluations: Bring your portfolio to your performance reviews. You can show how you’ve met job standards, and even request assistance for requirements you haven’t been able to meet, such as specific training for your position.
Evidence of competence: States can audit your claim that you completed the required number of CE/CEU hours. If your state requires proof of continuing education for license renewal, you have it at your fingertips, along with previous certificates.
Job interviews: When you get the chance to interview for a promotion or a new position, your nursing portfolio provides proof that you’ve kept up with the profession, sought out learning opportunities, and have had solid performance evaluations. Bring it along, and don’t be shy about sharing your achievements.
Career planning: Look at the topics you’ve studied, whether in formal classes, workshops, or CE/CEU hours. What has emerged regarding your interests? Your skills? What are your strengths and what could be improved? It’s all there, in your nursing portfolio.

How to create an awesome nursing portfolio

Gathering, organizing, and making your portfolio may seem overwhelming. Break the process into steps will make it easy. Your goal is to have evidence that you understand and follow standards of practice, with supporting documents for all aspects of your clinical experience.

1
Decide on a structure.
Using categories to organize your documents makes sense: Education, licenses, CE/CEU, employment, extra work/volunteer, achievements, etc.
2
Gather the documents.
If you’re missing items such as transcripts, now’s the time to request them. Make a copy of each document for a physical portfolio. Scan each document for electronic or cloud storage.
3
Sort everything by category.
If you’ve had your portfolio for a few years, you may want to subdivide or archive some documents, keeping recent years more accessible, in case you need them for job interviews or promotion applications.
4
Make titles.
If you’re using a binder, make a title page. If you’re using an expandable file, create a label. Either way, make it look professional, with a business font and attractive border. Don’t use graphics or “nurse” icons.
5
Add everything.
Every time you get new document, add it to the portfolio. Keep it current and organized. Update the digital copy. You want it to be ready for presentation or to prove you’ve complied with all Board or Nursing requirements.
6
Keep it organized.
Every six months go through your portfolio and make sure it’s still organized. Take time to reflect on the contents. Does the portfolio show you in a positive light? Do you need to add anything? Is there an education gap? Could you show it to someone today?

Think of it as a tool, not a task

It’s an honor and a privilege to be a nurse. Although the need for nurses is ongoing, the market is competitive. To get the position you want, you must be strategic. This means proving your competency to potential employers.

In an article for the Journal for Nurses in Staff Development, Joyce A. Johnson, PhD, RN-BC, states, “Think of it as a showcase for your talents… The portfolio serves as a record of your contributions to the profession and your employer. It is a record of your competencies, skills, and abilities, and evidence of your growth and achievements over time.”

No matter if you’re a new graduate or a seasoned nurse, a professional portfolio is essential. It will be gratifying to watch how it grows, along with your nursing career.