How to Write a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Resume With Examples
You can write a great LPN resume by showing how you provide top-quality patient care and team support at a medical facility. The tips below will help you capture these skills in each section of your resume to get you interviews for your next LPN job.
NOTE: For job seekers in Texas or California, employers refer to this role as Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN).
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
1. Craft an outstanding profile summarizing your licensed practical nurse qualifications
Your resume Profile should catch hiring managers’ interest by giving the top reasons you excel at caring for patients and supporting RNs and other medical staff.
For example, maybe one reason is you’ve worked extensively as a CNA, so you know the importance of proactive daily care to patient outcomes and hospital operations. Or maybe you’ve been praised for noticing and flagging key changes in patients’ health status for RNs and physicians. Or you can quickly learn new skills to help clinics deal with fluctuating patient volume or staff coverage. Whatever your top strengths as an LPN are, cite them in your profile to show managers the value you’d generate for their healthcare organization.
Entry-Level Profile Example
Adaptable LPN with 2+ years of experience providing patient-centered care in large hospital settings. Skilled at collaborating with nursing teams to develop and execute treatment plans. Committed to continually gaining and applying new expertise.
Mid-Career Profile Example
Compassionate Nursing Professional (LPN) with 7 years’ experience treating diverse patients. Skilled communicator who builds productive relationships with team members and other healthcare professionals. Thrive in collaborative, service-oriented work settings. Bilingual: Fluent in English and Spanish.
2. Add your licensed practical nurse experience with compelling examples
With the Experience section, you can show you’re a great LPN by giving examples of your career success so far. Under each relevant job in your recent work history, add duties or highlights that show your building and applying key LPN traits like diligence, collaboration, and adaptability. Try to quantify these points with data that speaks to your current job goal. For example, if you collaborated on a team of 20 nurses and you’d like to work at a similar-size facility, include that number so hiring managers see the direct relevance of your background.
Mid-Career Experience Example
LPN, Whitman Place Assisted Living Community, Walla Walla, WA | June 2016 to Present
- Coordinate with a team of 25+ doctors, nurses, social workers, and other personnel to ensure a high quality of life for 75 residents
- Engage with residents to monitor their medication compliance and provide enrichment activities such as film screenings, workshops, and events
- Collect samples, prepare residents for treatments, and educate patients on care plans
- Achieved a patient satisfaction rating of 95%
Senior-Level Experience Example
LPN, St. Michael’s Heart Hospital of Miami – Cardiology Division, Miami, FL | October 2011 to Present
- Work with medical teams and LPNs to treat patients undergoing cardiac care and rehabilitation
- Administer medications, IV therapy, surgical preparations, and other treatments for patients in the cardiac ER
- Manage 4 nursing assistants in care of admitted cardiac patients
3. List any education and certifications relevant to licensed practical nurses
Use the Education and Certifications sections to show your LPN work has a strong knowledge base. Under your LPN degree, consider including details about specific courses or the hands-on clinical portion of the program. These details can be especially useful to feature if you’re entering the field or have limited experience.
Below, you’ll find templates and examples to help you format your education and certification details. Note, optional template areas appear in [brackets].
Education
Template
- Degree Name — [Major], School Name, City, ST | [Year]
- [Coursework on: Topic, Topic]
- [Details on clinical experience]
Example
- Associate Degree — Nursing, Walla Walla Community College, Walla Walla, WA | 2014
Certification
Template
- Certification Name or Title, [Awarding Organization] | [Year]
Example
- Long-Term Care, National Association of Practical Nurse Education
4. List key licensed practical nurse skills and proficiencies
Add a Key Skills section to show the many ways your LPN work benefits patients and healthcare colleagues. Make sure each term you choose overlaps with your target job, but otherwise, aim for variety in this section so employers see you have an LPN’s flexible skillset. Your Key Skills might include soft skills like teamwork, technical skills like Kareo EHR, patient age groups or demographics, or specific branches of medicine you’re drawn to. Below are just some of the LPN keywords to consider for your resume:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) | Acute Care |
| Basic Life Support (BLS) | Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) |
| Case Management | Clinical Workflows |
| Cross-Functional Collaboration | Electronic Health Records (EHR) |
| First Aid | Healthcare Documentation |
| Healthcare Safety Protocols | Medication Administration |
| Patient & Family Relations | Patient Care & Advocacy |
| Patient Data Gathering | Patient Mobilization |
| Patient Safety & Security | Phlebotomy |
| RN & Physician Support | Task Prioritization |
| Time Management | Vital Signs Monitoring |
How to Pick the Best LPN Resume Template
For LPNs, a clear and straightforward resume template is usually best. Opt for a visual design that lets the hiring manager quickly review your best career details. Select a traditional resume font, and avoid any template with a colorful or elaborate design. Also, make sure the template is compatible with applicant tracking systems (ATS) employers use to screen resumes.
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
- Entry-Level
- Mid-Career
- Senior-Level
Anne Ricci
(123) 345-1295 | [email protected] | Waitsburg, WA 19876 | LinkedIn
Profile
Compassionate Nursing Professional (LPN) with 7 years’ experience treating diverse patients. Skilled communicator who builds productive relationships with team members and other healthcare professionals. Thrive in collaborative, service-oriented work settings. Bilingual: Fluent in English and Spanish.
Key Skills
- Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
- Case Management
- Clinical Workflows
- Medication Administration
- Patient Care & Advocacy
- Task Prioritization
- Team Collaboration
Professional Experience
LPN, Whitman Place Assisted Living Community, Walla Walla, WA | June 2016 to Present
- Coordinate with a team of 25+ doctors, nurses, social workers, and other personnel to ensure a high quality of life for 75 residents
- Engage with residents to monitor their medication compliance and provide enrichment activities such as film screenings, workshops, and events
- Collect samples, prepare residents for treatments, and educate patients on care plans
- Achieved a patient satisfaction rating of 95%
LPN, Private Practice of Dr. James Garcia, Walla Walla, WA | September 2014 to June 2016
- Helped provide holistic care for geriatric patients
- Maintained respectful relationships with patients, with focus on improving their quality of life
- Prepared patients for examination or treatment, providing explanations of procedures and medications as needed
- Measured and recorded vital statistics, such as blood pressure and respiration
Education
Associate Degree — Nursing, Walla Walla Community College, Walla Walla, WA | 2014
NCLEX-PN completed June 2014
Certification
Long-Term Care, National Association of Practical Nurse Education
Languages
Fluency in Spanish | Proficiency in Italian
Frequently Asked Questions: LPN Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for LPN resumes?-
For LPNs, the best resume verbs will relate to hands-on patient care and team collaboration. You can capture these themes on your resume by referring to the verbs list below:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Administer | Assist |
| Collaborate | Collect |
| Coordinate | Create |
| Deliver | Document |
| Engage | Ensure |
| Evaluate | Facilitate |
| Improve | Inform |
| Maintain | Manage |
| Measure | Monitor |
| Oversee | Prepare |
| Prevent | Provide |
| Relay | Report |
| Serve as | Support |
| Track | Update |
| Work with | |
How do you align your resume with a job posting? -
The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that jobs for LPNs and LVNs will increase by about six percent between 2021 and 2031. This growth rate is roughly the same as the average for all US vocations.
You can get more interviews in this growing field if you tailor your resume for each job application. For example, say the hiring facility has many ESL patients. You may want to highlight your foreign language skills both in your Profile and as a separate section farther down the document. With a small adjustment like this, you can make your resume that much more relevant to the opportunity.
What is the best LPN resume format?-
In nearly all cases, you should use a Combination (or Hybrid) resume, because it’s easiest for hiring managers to learn about your pertinent skills and experience – it’s also easiest for you to align with your job goals.
With the combination format, you highlight your most relevant skills and experience in your Experience or Work History section, as well as an intro section. (This combination of work history and intro content is where the format gets its name.) Your resume intro should include a Profile summary and Key Skills section, but you may also add a Career Highlights or Awards section. By choosing the details for these intro sections, you can (a) position yourself for your target job and (b) give hiring managers a clear, quick view of what you offer.
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To increase your chances of an interview, write and submit a strong cover letter. The key to an effective letter is customizing it based on each job opening. Read our LVN cover letter guide to learn how. For other related cover letter examples, see our CNA and nursing cover letter guides.
