How to Write an Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Resume With Examples
Your resume has one purpose: to get you interviews for the LPN job you want. You can ensure your resume serves that purpose if you focus on your most relevant skills and display them as clearly as possible. The section-specific tips below will help you give your resume the focus and clarity it needs to move your LPN job search forward.
NOTE: For job seekers in Texas or California, employers refer to this role as Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN).
1. Write a dynamic profile summarizing your qualifications
A strong Profile section draws the hiring manager’s attention to your unique strengths. This paragraph should briefly describe your overall experience and record of success. It’s also a great place to mention your communication style or other soft skills. For instance, the role of LPN is often collaborative, working closely with RNs, CNAs, providers, and other healthcare professionals. If this describes your own LPN experience, consider developing collaboration as a key theme in your profile. Also, it’s usually easier to write your profile after you’ve finished the other sections of your resume.
Entry-level Profile Example
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 a results-driven professional experience section
Each of your job duties has some positive impact, helping your healthcare facility succeed in the short and long term. Speak to that broader impact in your job descriptions. You’ll strengthen your resume and give the hiring manager a more accurate account of your work’s depth and influence.
When describing your LPN work results, try to quantify them in terms of a specific number, ranking, or percentage. For instance, did you earn a high satisfaction rating from patients? Or help treat a certain number of patients per day or week? Or rank high on your team for efficient or accurate health documentation?
Even if you can’t recall examples or data to quantify a work area, that doesn’t mean you have to word it as a basic duty. Try simply adding the phrase “in order to” at the end of the duty statement, then jotting down whatever general purposes or outcomes you think of — then delete “in order” from your final resume for brevity.
Entry-level Professional Experience Example
— Collaborate with a cross-functional team [in order] to implement patient care strategies, drive positive outcomes, and enhance clinical operations
Mid-career Professional Experience Example
— Engage with residents [in order] to monitor their medication compliance and provide enrichment activities such as film screenings, workshops, and events
3. Include relevant education and certifications
Your degree, license, and any certifications are the basis for your LPN work experience, and so deserve a prominent spot on your resume. List each credential in a separate section right below your experience section. When adding your LPN education, consider including details about the hands-on clinical portion of your degree program. These details can be especially useful to feature if you’re just entering the field or have limited direct LPN experience.
Also, apply similar formatting between sections. For instance, if in your Experience section you’ve italicized employer names, also italicize the school names appearing in your Education section.
Below, you’ll find templates and examples to help you format your education and certification details:
Education
Template:
[Degree Name], [School Name], [City, ST] | [Year – optional]
— [Details on clinical experience – optional]
— [Details on clinical experience – optional]
Example:
Associate Degree — Nursing, Walla Walla Community College, Walla Walla, WA | 2014
Certification
Template:
[Certification Name], [Awarding Organization] | [Year – optional]
Example:
Long-Term Care, National Association of Practical Nurse Education
4. List relevant key skills and proficiencies
You can give your LPN resume a big boost by adding keywords. That’s because most hospitals and other healthcare employers now use an applicant tracking system (ATS), which scans each submitted resume for keywords relevant to the job opening at hand. When the ATS finds a resume with many relevant keywords, it flags the document for the hiring manager.
To make your resume ATS-friendly, add a keyword-rich Skills or Expertise section. Here are some common keywords for LPN resumes:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) | Acute Care |
| Case Management | Clinical Workflows |
| Cross-Functional Collaboration | Healthcare Documentation |
| Healthcare Team Leadership | Medication Administration |
| Patient & Family Relations | Patient Advocacy |
| Patient Health Assessment | Patient Safety & Security |
| Task Prioritization | Time Management |
| Vital Signs Monitoring | |
How to Pick the Best LPN Resume Template
For Licensed Practical Nurses and other healthcare professionals, a straightforward resume template is usually best. Choose a template that lets the hiring manager quickly and easily take in relevant information about you and your relevant background. Your resume template should highlight your career details only —
not call undue attention to itself with elaborate visual elements.
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
Years of Experience
- Entry-level
- Mid-career
- Senior-level
Alex Bohannian
(212) 948-4781 | [email protected] | New York, NY 12022 | LinkedIn
Profile
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.
Key Skills
- Acute Care
- Clinical Workflows
- Patient Advocacy
- Team Collaboration
- Vital Signs Monitoring
Professional Experience
LPN, Bellevue Hospital Center – Primary Stroke Center, New York, NY | August 2020 to Present
- Collaborate with a cross-functional team to implement patient care strategies, drive positive outcomes, and enhance clinical operations
- Administer medications under guidance of charge nurses or other medical personnel
- Evaluate patient responses to care, monitor symptoms daily, document changes in condition, and provide treatment in alignment with care protocols
Nurse Extern, Northwell Health Urgent Care, New York, NY | June 2019 to August 2020
- Helped RNs and physicians diagnose and treat 30+ patients per day
- Provided administrative support to office personnel to ensure accurate documentation in EHR system
Education
Associate of Science in Vocational Nursing, Medgar Evers College, City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY | 2019
NCLEX-PN completed July 2020
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
Sebastian Torres
(649) 495-2953 | [email protected] | Miami, FL 12345 | LinkedIn
Profile
Professional LPN with 10+ years of experience delivering patient-centered care in fast-paced hospitals, private institutions, and clinics. Strong background developing and leading nursing teams to enhance healthcare equity and quality. Adapt readily to new work challenges and conditions.
Key Skills
- Case Management
- Clinical Workflows
- Medication Administration
- Patient Care & Advocacy
- Team Leadership
Professional Experience
LPN, St. Michael’s Heart Hospital of Miami – Cardiology Division, Miami, FL | October 2011 to Present
- Collaborate 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
- Serve as primary liaison to family members and patients, providing information on available care and treatment options
LPN, Miami Regional Clinic, Miami, FL | December 2006 to June 2011
- Member of dynamic healthcare team providing physicals, health assessments, symptom monitoring, and quality treatment to walk-in patients
- Administered medicine under doctor’s guidance; educated patients on wound care, treatments, and medications; and input data into Kareo EHR system
Education
Vocational Nursing Certificate, Kingsborough Community College, New York, NY | 2006
NCLEX-PN passed: June 2006
Certifications
National Association of Practical Nurse Education (NAPNE)
- Pharmacology | April 2019
- IV Therapy | June 2012
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support | December 2011
Frequently Asked Questions: LPN Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for LPN resumes?+
The LPN role typically focuses on monitoring and helping patients while working closely with other members of the healthcare team. You can capture these themes and your other key duties on your resume by referring to the list below:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Administer | Assist |
| Collaborate | Collect |
| Coordinate | Create |
| Deliver | Document |
| Engage | Ensure |
| Evaluate | Facilitate |
| Improve | Maintain |
| Manage | Measure |
| Monitor | Oversee |
| Prepare | Prevent |
| Provide | Relay |
| Serve as | Support |
| Track | Update |
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 you send out. For example, if the healthcare facility is seeking an LPN with a strong collaborative streak, you may want to call out that aspect of your experience more prominently in your Profile and Experience sections. Or say the 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 (see the mid-career resume sample above).
With adjustments like these, you can make your resume that much more relevant to each opportunity in your job search.
What is the best LPN resume format?+
In nearly all cases, you should opt for a Combination or Hybrid resume, because they are the easiest for hiring managers to learn about your pertinent skills and experience — it’s also easiest for you to modify based on your job goals too.
With the Combination format, you highlight your most relevant skills and experience in your Experience or Work History section, and an intro section. (This combination of work history and intro content is where the format gets its name.) Your resume intro may take the form of a Profile summary, Key Skills section, and/or Career Highlights section. By carefully choosing the details for these sections, you can (a) position yourself for your target job, and (b) give hiring managers a clear, quick view of what you offer them.
Expert Advice: Include a cover letter with your resume
You can increase your chances of landing an interview if you craft a strong cover letter. The key to optimizing your cover letter is to customize it based on each employer you apply to. Read our LVN cover letter guide to learn how. For other related cover letter examples, see our CNA and nursing cover letter guides.