Licensed Practical Nurse Resume Examples: 5 Best Samples & Why They Work

Being a licensed practical nurse is a fantastic, stable, and rewarding career. But like other stable and rewarding careers, it’s becoming quite competitive.

If you’re ready to start applying for licensed practical nursing jobs but don’t know how to get started on your resume, you’re not alone. Luckily, we’ve hand-picked some of the licensed practical nurse resume examples to help you out.

In this article, we’ll detail what makes this type of resume stand out and share high-quality LPN resume examples so you’ll know what to include to be a strong candidate.

Writing LPN Resume Skills

Before leaning to the LPN job you should have a clear idea about the required skills and occupational hazards.

You’ll need to write down some skills that will definitely help your LPN resume to stand out of the crowd.

Basically, an LPN provides bedside care for bedridden patients, but the duties vary from basic care to help in delivery and preparing and pushing injections.

So, acquiring a wide range of skills will help you nail the job interview.

You should have good communication skills and patient handling skills.

Helping patients to bathe, dress, shave, clean, eat, etc. are included in a LPNs duty.

Tracking vital signs and filing and retrieving are also vital skills and you should enter these skills into your resume.

Having skills in the medical field like wound dressing and bandaging, giving injections, and helping physicians and senior nurses during delivery and care for newborn babies are also vital skills.

Writing LPN Resume Objectives

Here are some career objectives for licensed practical nursing resume.

• I am a certified nursing assistant (CNA) looking for higher responsibility and growth.
• Looking for a job in the healthcare industry utilizing my caring nature and medical knowledge.
• Desire a job as a licensed practical nurse to fulfil my dream of being a nurse.
• To obtain an LPN job and build a career in nursing field.

Licensed Practical Nurse Resume Examples

A licensed practical nurse is a nurse who works under a registered nurse and helps provide nursing care to patients. Below are five samples for specific types of licensed practical nurse resumes.

Entry-Level Licensed Practical Nurse Resume Example

Entry-level licensed practical nurses must demonstrate their skills and communicate their potential value, regardless of their relative lack of hands-on experience. They’ll also want to highlight any specific specializations or certifications they may have.

Objective

I am a board-certified licensed registered nurse who’s ready to serve. I’m looking to use my passion, education, and skills in the nursing field to provide exceptional patient care.

Clinical Rotation

• Observed, documented, and reported patient health conditions in a 150+ bed hospital.
• Answered questions from patients and families regarding treatments and at-home or follow-up care.
• Assisted with basic treatments such as attaching catheters and dressing wounds.
• Assisted with diagnostic tests.
• Worked with doctors and RNs on developing and incorporating patient care plans.

Home Health Aid

• Assisted with basic daily living.
• Helped older individuals with self-care and personal needs.
• Checked and recorded blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and respiration.
• Ensured patients took their medications at the prescribed times and in the correct dosages.
• Communicated patients’ healthcare status and changes to their healthcare team.

Project Experience

• Developed a brochure to inform older hospital patients about managing chronic pain.
• Developed and implemented a community health education program focused on promoting healthy lifestyle choices and disease prevention.

Skills

• Communicating to people of all ages
• Administering medication
• Ability to meet deadlines and pay attention to time-management
• Critical thinking and problem-solving to assist in patient care
• Having empathy for patients and their families
• Multitasking while remaining efficient and detail-oriented
• Willingness to learn new procedures and methods
• Ability to work as a team and collaborate with medical colleagues

Education

Greenfield Community College, Greenfield, Massachusetts – 2023

Associate’s Degree in Nursing

GPA: 3.7

Licenses & Accreditations

• Board Certified LPN
• Gerontology certification
• Wound Care certification
• Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (BLS)

Why This Resume Works

This resume for an entry-level LPN works because it details this candidate’s experience, even though they haven’t officially worked as an LPN yet.

It also highlights their helpful, relevant skills and certifications, which would indicate to a Nurse Manager or Director of Nursing that this person is qualified for an entry-level role.

Finally, including the GPA (if it’s a high one) conveys hard work, attention, commitment, and dedication to learning about the field.

Experienced Licensed Practical Nurse Resume Example

Experienced licensed practical nurses have much more than entry-level nurses can convey on a resume. But while this is certainly a benefit, it can also lead to challenges in choosing which experiences, tasks, and skills to include versus which ones to leave out.

Experienced licensed practical nurses should highlight the activities that make them stand out among their potential competitors and use language to demonstrate their personal and practical skills.

Objective

With over ten years of experience in the nursing field, I’m interested in further growing my practice, collaborating with other passionate medical professionals, and continuing to provide high-quality patient care.

More specifically, I’m seeking a challenging position where my extensive experience can be of service to a highly qualified team.

Licensed Practical Nurse

• Provided quality treatment for patients with acute medical conditions and concerns.
• Provided diagnostic tests and screened individuals for current concerns or preventative purposes.
• Made computer entries for each patient and created accurate, timely patient charts.
• Responded to patient and family questions regarding their procedures and self-care.
• Collaborated with doctors and nurses to help develop individualized care plans for patients.
• Monitored and documented patients’ symptoms, responses, concerns, and progress.

Nursing Assistant

• Supported patients by providing prescribed medications and personal care support
• Provided patients’ healthcare status and changes to their healthcare team (doctor and registered nurse).
• Provided basic care such as dressing wounds and giving enemas, alcohol rubs, douches, massages, etc.
• Used specialized equipment such as g-tubes, oxygen suppliers, and catheters.
• Ensured the highest level of safety by sterilizing supplies, equipment, and food trays.
• Disseminate information and educate patients and families about various topics, such as chronic pain, immunizations, wound care, and medication side effects.

Project Experience

• Developed and implemented a unique infection control program for a specialized care facility, resulting in a 30% reduction in infections over time.
• Led a quality improvement initiative to enhance patient care and safety within a healthcare facility.

Job-Specific Skills

• Stages I-IV pressure sore care
• Venipuncture
• CPR certified
• Wound care
• IV therapy
• Teaching
• Microsoft Office
• Computerized charting
• Data entry
• Emergency medical care
• Clinical experience

Tools

• Spirometers & Accessories
• Heart monitors
• Blood glucose meters
• Blood pressure cuffs
• Intravenous tubing
• Hypodermic needles
• Nebulizers
• PEG tube
• GI feeding tube
• Electronic health record (EHR) system
• Stethoscopes
• Defibulators
• Patient monitoring tools (e.g., telemetry monitoring, electrocardiography, and pulse oximetry)

Other Relevant Skills

• Interpersonal communication
• Medication administration
• Time-management
• Critical thinking
• Goal-oriented
• Detail-oriented
• Multitasking
• Adaptability
• Teamwork & collaboration
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment

Education

Northwest Mississippi Community College, Senatobia, Mississippi – 2013

Associate’s Degree in Nursing

GPA: 3.8

Licenses & Accreditations

• Board Certified LPN
• Wound Care certification
• Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (BLS)
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification
• Intravenous (IV) Therapy
• Medication Administration Certification

Why This Resume Works

This resume for an experienced LPN works well because it highlights the types of experience this LPN had in more detail.

Plus, it details their knowledge and use of various specialized tools that a newer nurse might not be as familiar with.

This person has more than a few certifications and conveys that they have over ten years of experience from the start of the resume, which would both work to capture the hiring manager’s attention.

Finally, this resume separates more specific job-based skills from other, more “soft” skills. While both types of skills are important, separating them prevents there from being an overwhelmingly long list of skills that might seem to over-inflate the candidate.

Licensed Practical Nurse Student Resume Example

If you’re currently a nursing student, it’s a good idea to start working to build your resume for future employment. You don’t have to wait until you have an LPN board certification and degree before building your experience, skills, and overall credibility.

Licensed practical nurse students should emphasize their completed tasks that demonstrate a working knowledge of the nursing field.

Objective

To apply the knowledge and clinical experience I’ve gained from my current nursing studies, projects, and clinical rotations. I hope to serve patients with warm, caring attention and skillful dedication to the practice and further advance as a healthcare professional.

Clinical LPN Student, St. Anne’s Hospital

• Cared for, monitored, and reported symptoms of seven patients.
• Scanned, supported, and created patient care plans for several patients.
• Supervised patients with wounds and received positive feedback from advisors for wound care outcomes.

Precept Nurse, Charlton Memorial Hospital

• Took patients’ vital signs and recorded patient history, with a 99% accuracy score from my preceptor’s spot checks.
• Assisted with patient mobilization, including walking, sitting, transfer, and bathroom visits, receiving positive feedback for my sympathetic care and patience.
• Adhered to HIPAA 100% of the time.
• Became more familiar with specialized tools, such as catheters, oxygen suppliers, and g-tubes, under my preceptor’s supervision.

Project Experience

• Developed a patient education plan for patients with asthma through rigorous research, identification of common symptoms, and modern educational materials that included information on behavior change.
• Designed and executed a health promotion campaign targeting a specific population to promote healthy lifestyle choices and prevent common health issues.

Job-Specific Skills

• Educating patients with relevant, timely, and helpful information
• Communicating with patients and families in a kind, compassionate, and clear manner
• Using Microsoft Office for various use cases
• Data entry
• Clinical experience

Other Relevant Skills

• People skills
• Time-management
• Goal-setting
• Critical thinking
• Detail-oriented
• Multitasking
• Adaptability
• Teamwork & collaboration
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment

Education

Bristol Community College, Fall River, Massachusetts – Current

Associate’s Degree in Nursing Student

Current GPA: 3.9

Licenses & Accreditations

• Medication Aide Certification
• Nursing Assistant Certification

Why This Resume Works

This LPN student resume works well because it highlights what this student will have to offer, even before attaining their upcoming LPN degree.

It demonstrates that while these students are still learning, they have proven to be promising in the field and dedicated to advancing their careers.

In the work experience section, this resume also emphasizes some specific marks this student has hit (e.g., a 99% accuracy score) and how they have received positive feedback.

At this point, receiving positive feedback indicates that you will do well in an environment that expects good work and positive outcomes from your efforts.

Finally, although the student has not yet graduated from their studies, it still indicates the school they are currently in and their current (high) GPA.

Non-Licensed Practical Nurse Resume Example

Perhaps you have just graduated from nursing school and are in the process of applying for the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN). In that case, you are not yet a licensed practical nurse, so you are not eligible to practice as an LPN just yet.

However, you can still get a job that will apply and advance the skills you’ve learned in your nursing program, such as becoming a patient care technician, healthcare coordinator, or medical assistant. The resume for this will look similar to an LPN student’s resume.

Objective

I want to apply the clinical experience, skills, and knowledge I’ve attained from my completed nursing studies, projects, and clinical rotations. I plan to serve patients with compassion and grace.

Clinical LPN Student, Bay Area Hospital

• Cared for, tracked, documented, and reported patient symptoms, concerns, and outcomes.
• Helped create individual patient care plans for 25+ patients.
• Advanced in my wound treatment specialty by supervising wounded patients, receiving positive feedback from advisors regarding wound care outcomes.

Precept Nurse, Southern Coos Hospital & Health Center

• Scanned and tracked vital signs and patient history, receiving a 99.9% accuracy score from my preceptor’s spot checks.
• Support patients with mobilization efforts, e.g., walking, sitting, bathroom transfer, room transfer, and more, receiving 95% positive client feedback for my sympathetic care and patience.
• 100% Compliant with HIPAA.
• Familiarized me with specialized tools, such as oxygen suppliers, catheters, and g-tubes, under supervision from my preceptor.

Project Experience

• Developed and implemented a patient education initiative to improve health literacy and promote patient self-care.
• Conducted thorough audits of medical records, procedures, and documentation to identify areas for improvement.

Job-Specific Skills

• Providing information to patients with relevant and timely information
• Maintaining a kind, compassionate, and clear tone with patients and families
• Microsoft Office
• Computer tracking and data entry
• Clinical experience

Other Relevant Skills

• Time-management
• Teamwork & collaboration
• Multitasking
• People skills
• Goal-setting
• Critical thinking
• Detail-oriented
• Adaptability

Education

Southwestern Oregon Community College, Coos Bay, Oregon – 2023

Associate’s Degree in Nursing

GPA: 3.5

Licenses & Accreditations

• Nursing Assistant Certification
• Medication Aide Certification

Why This Resume Works

This on-licensed practical nurse resume is good because it doesn’t emphasize the lack of licensure, which is suitable if you’re not directly applying for an LPN job. It emphasizes what this candidate has to offer while still working to receive their licensure by passing the NCLEX-PN.

It demonstrates that this student has the experience and potential capability to be a strong candidate for non-NLP but still nurse-related jobs, such as a medical assistant role.

This resume also highlights a few specific marks this student has hit (e.g., a 99% accuracy score) and how they’ve received positive client feedback.

Further, it highlights that the candidate has completed their education and has a relevant nursing degree, even if they don’t have the licensure yet.

Med Surg Licensed Practical Nurse Resume Example

This type of LPN resume is suitable for experienced nurses who wish to advance in their career and become a Med Surg (medical-surgeon) LPN specifically. This pathway is suitable for nurses with at least a few years of experience working in the med surg space.

Given the specificity of this application, it’s crucial for it to include particular skills that apply to the med surg space, such as medication administration and tube insertion.

Objective

To continue working as a Med Surg Licensed Practical Nurse to apply my supportive, detailed-oriented, and collaborative skills. I want to use these skills and work with a dedicated team to offer high-quality care to every patient.  

LPN, Med Surg, Baylor University Medical Center

• Administered intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, and oral medications based on instruction from the head physician.
• Checked vital signs (including height, weight, temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure).
• Scanned patients for oxygen levels, pain, and other assessments.
• Provided basic care such as dressing wounds and giving enemas, alcohol rubs, douches, massages, etc.
• Responded to patient questions surrounding their procedures and self-care.
• Made computer entries for each patient and create accurate, timely patient charts.
• Worked with doctors and other nurses to help develop individualized patient care plans.

Nursing Assistant, Brentwood Nursing and Rehabilitation

• Supported patients by providing prescribed oral medications and personal care support.
• Informed patients’ healthcare team of their health status and changes.
• Familiarized me with specialized equipment like g-tubes, oxygen suppliers, and catheters.
• Sterilized supplies, equipment, and food trays.
• Educate patients and families on relevant topics, such as immunizations, wound care, and side effects.

Project Experience

• Implemented a successful patient program, educating patients with pressure ulcers and decreasing patient wound scabbing and swelling by 35%.
• Led a medication safety initiative in a medical-surgical unit to enhance patient care and reduce medication errors.

Job-Specific Skills

• Medication administration
• Patient screening and assessments
• Wound care
• IV therapy
• CPR certified
• Microsoft Office and data entry
• Computerized charting

Tools

• Blood pressure cuffs
• Blood glucose test strips
• Intravenous tubing and pumps
• Stethoscopes
• Electronic health record (EHR) system
• Urinary catheterization equipment
• Wound care – dressings, ointments, gauze, etc.

Other Relevant Skills

• Teamwork and collaboration
• Interpersonal communication
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
• Quick and effective problem-solving
• Responsible time-management
• Responsible multitasking
• Goal-oriented task planning
• Detail-oriented task completion

Education

El Centro College, Dallas, Texas – 2015

Associate’s Degree in Nursing

GPA: 3.65

Licenses & Accreditations

• Board Certified LPN
• Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (BLS)
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification
• Medication Administration certification
• Intravenous (IV) Therapy and Blood Withdrawal certification
• Wound Care certification

Why This Resume Works

This Med Surg LPN resume sample is ideal for someone with experience in the med surg space and who wants to advance in their career or shift to a different hospital.

It demonstrates working knowledge of the specific space, activities, tools, and skills required for a Med Surg LPN.

Additionally, in the “Other Relevant Skills” section, this resume describes many of the skills with a qualifying adjective, giving more power to the list than a normal list of skills.

Common Skills & Action Verbs to Include On a Licensed Practical Nurse Resume

Certain skills and action verbs are powerful to use on any type of LPN resume. These words will help your resume stand out and further highlight your strengths.

Sometimes, less is more, so using powerful words instead of over-describing can be key to a well-crafted, engaging resume.

Common Skills for Licensed Practical Nurse Resumes

Here are 20 common skills for LPN resumes:

• Communicating to people of all ages
• Administering medication
• Ability to meet deadlines
• Critical thinking
• Problem-solving
• Goal-oriented
• Detail-oriented
• Empathy for patients and their families
• Team collaboration
• Microsoft Office
• Clinical experience
• Teaching
• Data entry
• Meditech documentation
• Multitasking
• Wound Care
• Stages I-IV pressure sore care
• IV Therapy
• Adaptability
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment

Common Action Verbs for Licensed Practical Nurse Resumes

Here are 15 common action verbs for LPN resumes:

• Assessed
• Evaluated
• Supported
• Helped
• Educated
• Managed
• Implemented
• Monitored
• Scanned
• Developed
• Integrated
• Documented
• Reported
• Assisted
• Responded

Tips for Writing a Better Licensed Practical Nurse Resume

Now that you better understand what some LPN resumes look like, you might still wonder how to make yours as competitive as possible. Here are some useful tips for writing a better licensed practical nurse resume.

1. Highlight the Right Set of Skills

You’ll have gained many skills after completing an LPN program and passing the licensure test, and choosing which ones to highlight might be difficult. So, tailoring your resume to the specific type of job you are applying for is important.

For example, if you’re applying to be a Med Surg LPN, including specific med surg skills, such as the various ways to administer medication, will be key to creating a relevant and competitive application.

2. Don’t Shy Away From Adjectives

While you don’t want your resume flooded with adjectives or seeming too “fluffy,” adjectives can be helpful for describing what type of nurse you are and what type of atmosphere you’ll contribute to the medical facility you’re applying to.

For example, calling yourself a “nurse” just tells the Hiring Manager what they already know. But calling yourself a “friendly” or “compassionate” nurse indicates that you have a positive, caring, and kind energy that patients tend to admire.

3. Don’t Over-Stuff Your Resume

While you want to include all your relevant skills and add some helpful adjectives, you’ll want to avoid cramming too much into your resume.

A resume that has intentional white space, a clear and concise objective, and an aesthetically-appealing layout tends to work best because hiring managers actually want to read them.

On the other hand, a cramped, over-stuffed resume is hard to read, making the manager less inclined to go through it or more inclined to simply skim it (thus likely missing important info).

4. Include Brief Examples of Your Experience

Another helpful tip is to provide brief examples when listing your experience and activities. For example, instead of saying, “Delivered post-op care for patients,” you can say, “Developed post-op care for patients, e.g., pain management, wound treatment, and infection prevention.”

Anyone can write that they provided basic medical support, but providing examples paints a better picture of not only what you’re capable of but of what type of support matters most to you.

5. Highlight Teamwork & Collaboration

Often, the roles and responsibilities of an LPN seem very individualized, as in, up to an individual to complete on their own (e.g., taking vital signs or caring for a wound).

But in reality, an LPN is working in a team with doctors and other nurses, so they must be able to collaborate well with others.

That said, it’s important for the hiring manager who’s reviewing your application to see that you would be a good teammate. You can highlight this on your resume with phrases such as:

• “Worked with a doctor on….”
• “Collaborated with the team to….”
• “Participated in a collaborative project for….”

Frequently Asked Questions

You’ve now learned a lot about what it takes to write the best LPN resume possible, but you might have a few more questions. Here are our answers to two commonly asked questions on this subject.

What is the most important skill for a licensed practical nurse?

Some of the top skills you’d want to highlight on an LPN resume include:

• The ability to provide safe, skilled, effective, and compassionate patient care
• Ability to complete basic treatment such as taking vital signs and caring for wounds
• Ability to record patient records consistently and accurately  

What is a good example of a licensed practical nurse’s resume objective?

Depending on the type of LPN nurse resume (entry-level, experienced, student, surg-med, or else), a good objective speaks to the candidate’s overall goal. Something like “To apply my skills and provide effective patient care” makes for a good resume objective.

Similar Resume Types to Reference

If you’re unsure whether writing an LPN resume is right for you, you can check out similar resumes.

• RN Resume Sample: A registered nurse (RN) assesses, plans, evaluates, and implements various forms of patient care and support.
• CNA Resume Sample: A Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) implements patient care, assists with daily living activities, and supports the facility’s nurses.
• Nursing Student Resume Sample: It’s important to have a detailed, thoughtful resume even if you are still a student and don’t have a long list of experience.

Wrapping Up

All in all, if you can write a thoughtfully crafted LPN resume, your chances of finding the perfect LPN job can increase significantly, which is crucial in the competitive world of nursing.

All it takes is including relevant skills, conveying your passion and qualifications, and demonstrating why you’d be an invaluable part of the team.

Were these licensed practical nurse resume samples helpful? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments below. Additionally, don’t hesitate to share this article with other prospective LPN nurses if you find it valuable!