A Realistic Licensed Practical Nurse Resume Sample That Stands Out

If you’re a licensed practical nurse (LPN) looking to update your resume or break into a new role, you’re in the right place. Whether you’ve just completed your nursing certification or have years of bedside experience, having a sharp and tailored resume is key to landing interviews.

LPNs are the heart of patient care—often juggling hands-on responsibilities, charting, monitoring vitals, and collaborating with RNs and doctors. But here’s the thing: all that amazing experience needs to come across clearly, professionally, and persuasively on paper. That’s exactly what this licensed practical nurse resume sample will help you achieve.

Below, you’ll find a real-world resume sample created just for LPNs—no filler, no templates, and no robotic formatting. Just a clean, well-written resume that hiring managers actually want to read.

LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE RESUME SAMPLE

Sarah M. Johnson
sarah.johnson@email.com | (555) 123-4567
123 Careway Drive, Springfield, IL 62701

Professional Summary
Compassionate and detail-oriented Licensed Practical Nurse with over 5 years of experience providing patient-centered care in fast-paced hospital and long-term care settings. Proven ability to manage medications, monitor patient conditions, and deliver effective bedside support. Recognized for strong communication with patients and medical teams, and a commitment to high standards of clinical care.

Core Skills

Patient Care & Safety

Vital Signs Monitoring

Wound Dressing & Management

Medication Administration

EHR Documentation (Epic, Cerner)

IV Therapy & Catheter Care

Geriatric & Post-Surgical Care

Team Collaboration

Patient Education

Work Experience

Licensed Practical Nurse
Springfield Medical Center – Springfield, IL
April 2020 – Present

Deliver compassionate bedside care for up to 20 patients per shift in a 45-bed post-surgical unit.

Administer IV medications and oral therapies with 99% error-free rate.

Collaborate with RNs and physicians to adjust treatment plans based on daily assessments.

Document patient progress using Epic; praised by management for accuracy and efficiency.

Trained and mentored two new LPN hires on clinical protocol and hospital systems.

Licensed Practical Nurse – Float Team
Greenview Nursing & Rehab – Springfield, IL
June 2017 – March 2020

Rotated between long-term care and rehabilitation units, providing tailored patient care.

Supported geriatric patients with daily activities, mobility, hygiene, and nutritional needs.

Assisted with wound care, feeding tubes, and end-of-life care in hospice cases.

Recognized with “Patient Care Excellence” award in 2019 for outstanding service.

Education
Licensed Practical Nurse Certificate
Midwest Nursing College – Springfield, IL
Graduated: 2017

Certifications

BLS (Basic Life Support) – American Heart Association

IV Therapy Certification – Illinois Board of Nursing

Resume Writing Tips for Licensed Practical Nurses

Lead with results – Don’t just list duties. Show outcomes. For example, “Reduced medication errors by 30%” speaks louder than “Administered medications.”

Tailor to the job – If you’re applying to a long-term care facility, highlight your experience with geriatric patients. Adjust your resume for every role.

Keep it clean – Use bullet points, consistent formatting, and no fancy fonts. A clean resume is easy to read and more likely to get noticed.

Use real keywords – Use job-specific phrases like "IV therapy," "EHR documentation," or "vital signs monitoring" to match recruiter searches.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What should a licensed practical nurse put on a resume?
Focus on hands-on skills like patient care, medication administration, charting, and teamwork. Don’t forget certifications and any specialties, such as geriatrics or pediatrics.

2. How long should an LPN resume be?
Keep it to one page if you have under 10 years of experience. Focus on relevance, not quantity. Hiring managers skim—make it easy for them.

3. Should I include soft skills on an LPN resume?
Yes, but don’t just say “team player” or “hardworking.” Instead, show how your communication or compassion helped in patient care. Real examples make a bigger impact.

4. How do I format an LPN resume with no experience?
Highlight clinical rotations, volunteer work, or externships. Use a strong objective and focus on transferable skills like organization, empathy, and adaptability.

Ready to create your own licensed practical nurse resume? Use the sample above as a reference and adapt it to your own story. With a bit of customization and attention to detail, your resume can open doors to the healthcare roles you’ve been aiming for.