LPN Resume Example & LPN Skills for a Resume + Writing Tips

You always knew how priceless and irreplaceable licensed practical nurses are.

Just like masks, protective equipment, and antibacterial gel, a great LPN resume is essential. Lucky for you, a good LPN is not mass produced, they hone their skills and compassion for years. 

In this guide:

• An LPN resume example so on-fire, the nursing manager will want to administer Naproxen.
• The key to writing an LPN resume objective and summary.
• How to write your LPN job description for a resume.
• What are the top skills for an LPN resume. 

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Are you writing resumes for various jobs? See our other dedicated guides:

• Medical Assistant Resume
• Certified Nursing Assistant Resume
• Nursing Resume
• Student Nurse Resume
• Medical Resume
• Medical Student Resume
• Medical Scribe Resume
• Respiratory Therapist Resume
• Pharmacy Assistant Resume
• Nurse Practitioner Resume
• ER Nurse Resume
• New Grad Nursing Resume
• ICU Nurse Resume
• Pharmacist Resume
• Caregiver Resume
• Home Health Aide Resume
• EMT/Paramedic Resume
• Medical School Resume
• Doctor Resume
• Healthcare Resume
• Case Manager Resume
• Physician Assistant Resume
• Medical-Surgical Nurse Resume
• Nurse Manager Resume

Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our Resume Examples for Any Job.

 

LPN Resume Example

Here’s how to write your own healthy LPN resume:

1. Stabilize The LPN Resume Format with A+ Treatment

For a patient on the ward, or for you after a long day on your feet, there is nothing better than a fresh sheet. There is something even better—a well-formatted resume sheet. The look of your resume must show your penchant for organization and keeping things neat by getting it right. 

Here’s how to format your resume:

Licensed Practical Nurse Resume Format

• Go for the reverse-chronological resume sequence to list your most recent experience up front.
• Pick easy-to-read resume fonts like Calibri in a 10–12pt size.
• Set 1-inch margins for your resume and leave lines between sections.
• Limit the length of your resume to one page. A two-page resume is also OK, if you have lots of great achievements and experience.
• Save the resume in a PDF file to protect the formatting.

Not sure which sections are best for a licensed practical nurse application? Here’s what to include in your resume: Resume Header, Summary or Objective, Work History, Education, Skills, and Additional.

Let’s get your scrubs on and write the perfect resume.

Expert Hint: Wondering how to start your resume? If you’re feeling overwhelmed, try starting with a resume outline. It will help you get organized before frustration even has a chance of taking over.

2. Write a Sterile LPN Resume Objective or Summary

Start your LPN resume with a strong resume profile. It must be as concise as a patient condition report. Focus on the most vital information that will affect their decision. The responsibilities of LPNs can be rather typical, so focus on backing it up with numbers and statistics to show you think about the quality of your work.

If you have substantial experience, opt for a resume summary. Start with a strong adjective, your job title, include your years of experience (e.g. 4+), and two or three key achievements with numbers.

Use these examples to write a skin-piercing career summary:

LPN Resume Example: Summary

Licensed Practical Nurse with 7+ years of experience of providing daily care in a 30-bed Neurology unit. Helping prepare up to 8 patients a day for surgical procedures. Supervising and assigning the bathing, cleaning and changing schedules to be performed by 3 nursing assistants. Documenting changes in condition, commended 3 times for spotting minor symptoms early. Seeking to apply these outstanding organizational and nursing skills to a position at Green Hills Hospital. 

Experienced LPN—detail-oriented, organized, and tidy. Daily duties include monitoring vitals and condition, maintaining a sterile environment, cleaning, bathing patients and administering medication. Very compassionate and empathetic. Fully certified.

The bad example doesn’t do much for you. It lists obvious things and run-of-the-mill adjectives, which will have to be verified anyway. Also, nobody can work as an LPN without being certified, so it includes redundant information. 

If you’re writing a first time resume with no experience, it’sbetter to write a heart-stopping career objective that focuses on ambitions and goals, as well as transferable experience—such as volunteering or customer service roles.

LPN Objective for a Resume—Example

Compassionate LPN with volunteering and customer service experience seeking to learn the realities of the job at Santa Clara Hospital, and put my friendly and empathetic disposition into service. 100 hours of practical experience while obtaining an Associate’s Degree in Nursing at Northwest Mississippi College. 2+ years of experience in caring for elderly relatives with dementia and pancreas cancer.

Expert Hint: You should be in for a long and satisfying career. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that in 2028, there will be 78,000 more LPN positions to fill. Make sure you have a perfect resume. 

3. Write Pressure-Raising LPN Job Description and Skills Sections

This is the hardest part of getting a job as an LPN. Yes, even harder than the first day in a new clinical assignment. For most, not for you. Instead of rattling off a list of generic LPN responsibilities, focus on numbers and statistics, which shows you care about the quality of your work.

This is the best way to list professional experience on a resume:

1. Pick the right resume skills: find skills-related keywords in the job ad and transplant them into your resume. This way you're sure to have an ATS-friendly resume—remember that the hiring manager is likely to use ATS software!
2. Use those skills as your resume keywords.
3. Provide metrics and achievements: “Cared for 30 patients”, “Maintained 100% accuracy in documentation”.. 

See the difference between these two LPN resume examples:

LPN Job Description for Resume [Sample]

Experience

Licensed Practical Nurse

General Surgery, Holy Trinity Hospital

2017-present

• Providing daily care in a 30-bed Neurology unit, including monitoring vitals and symptoms, ordering tests, administering medication, and electronic charting.
• Preparing up to 8 patients a day for surgical procedures.
• Supervising and assigning the bathing, cleaning and changing schedules to be performed by 3 nursing assistants.
• Documenting changes in condition with 100% accuracy.
• Commended 3 times for spotting minor symptoms early.
• Maintained 97% patient satisfaction.
• Commended on 2 occasions for empathy and compassion after families contacted the unit to express gratitude for kindness extended to their loved ones.
• Performed 400+ venipunctures.
• Supervised the training of two nursing assistants.

• Scheduled and booked necessary appointments for patients. 
• Direct and indirect care to patients in preoperative nursing situations.
• Assisted with patient examination, taking vitals, bathing, cleaning, administering medication.
• Skilled at phlebotomy.

Remember add a skills section to bolster your LPN job description.

Use these skills to put on a resume to start:

LPN Skills for a Resume

Soft Skills

• Adaptability
• Attention to Detail
• Compassion
• Conflict Resolution
• Critical Thinking
• Decision Making 
• Dedication
• Excellent Communication Skills
• Interpersonal Skills
• Organizational Skills
• Patience
• Patient Assessment
• Problem Solving
• Stress Management
• Time Management

Hard Skills

• Administer and Monitor Medications
• Perform and Evaluate Diagnostic Tests
• Safe Patient Transfers
• Wound Care
• Taking Vital Signs
• Technical Skills
• Computer Skills

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4. Make Your Education Section Vital

In the case of LPN resumes, the education section is not going to differ much from one to another. Most likely you have an Associate’s Degree or equivalent qualification. Keep this section brief, and if needed, expand with relevant coursework or achievements sections.

This LPN resume sample passes the examination:

Licensed Practical Nurse Resume Example—Education

Education

Associate Degree in Nursing

Northwest Mississippi Community College

2015–2017

• 3.9 GPA, Dean’s List student.
• Volunteering in Retirement Home as part of Giving Back to the Community effort.

Expert Hint: The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) has published guidelines on displaying your credentials in the proper order: highest degree, licensure, state designations, national certifications, awards and honors, other recognitions. Structure your extra resume sections this way.

5. Add Extra Sections to Your LPN Resume

If your job description is as dilated as if you applied Tropicamide, and you still have some white space, you can try adding a few “other” sections. A Certifications & Licensure section will be mandatory for you to list your legal credentials.

You can also choose from:

• Association memberships
• Conferences
• Languages
• Groups
• Volunteer work
• Activities, Hobbies, and Interests
• Publications
• Professional References

This LPN resume example shows how:

LPN Resume Sample—Extra Sections

Certifications and Licensure

• Licensed Practical Nurse, Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
• First Aid, CPR, BLS (American Red Cross)
• Certified Phlebotomy Technician Certification (National Healthcareer Association)

Languages

• Spanish—Conversational

Additional Activities

• Fully licensed
• Zumba class 2x a week to keep fit
• Proud owner of 3 dogs

Whatever you do, don’t forget to write a cover letter. While it’s true that it’s not always required, it is also true that almost 50% of the time it is. Sending a nursing cover letter along with your resume can go a long way in seeing you employed. 

Expert Hint: You can look to bolster the chances of your resume with added certifications. The American Heart Association's Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) is in particularly high demand.

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Key Points

Follow these steps to get your LPN resume ready for operation:

• Stabilize the resume format—margins, fonts, reverse chronological
• Quantify the impact and achievements, instead of just listing responsibilities. 
• Limit the length of the education section, as most will be identical.
• Write an LPN cover letter. You can get some inspiration from our nursing cover letter guide or check out more specific cover letter guides like the new grad RN cover letter, the RN cover letter, or the CNA cover letter.

Did you find our LPN resume examples helpful? Did we help you get your own LPN resume right? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to hear from you.

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