Licensed Practical Nurse Resume Example

How to write a licensed practical nurse resume that lands interviews

A great licensed practical nurse resume isn't a list of responsibilities — it's a tight stack of quantified outcomes, written in language an ATS scores and a human reader believes. Below: the 8 bullets a strong candidate uses, the 4 they avoid, the keywords the ATS expects, the pay figures to anchor your negotiation against, and the FAQs we hear most often.

Sample bullets — good vs weak

Each “good” bullet leads with the outcome, includes a measurable result, and shows scope. The “weak” versions describe activities without showing impact. Use these as templates; rewrite them in your own voice with your real numbers.

✅ Bullets that get the call

• Cared for 22 residents per day shift on a skilled nursing unit, passing medications, changing dressings and reporting changes to the RN supervisor.
• Administered scheduled and as-needed medications for a 30-bed unit with zero reportable medication errors across 18 months of audits.
• Treated stage 2 and 3 pressure wounds under the wound-care nurse's orders and photographed healing progress weekly in the chart.
• Inserted and maintained urinary catheters per protocol, with the unit's catheter-infection rate staying under the facility target for four quarters.
• Charted assessments and nursing notes in the electronic record before the end of each shift, so night staff started with complete handoffs.
• Taught new diabetic residents and their families to check glucose and recognize low blood sugar, using teach-back to confirm understanding.
• Directed 4 nursing assistants each shift, assigning bathing, repositioning and meal assistance and following up on the results.
• Precepted 3 newly licensed LPNs through their first 6 weeks, covering the medication cart, the admission process and family communication.

❌ Bullets to rewrite

• Provided nursing care to patients.
• Gave medications and took vital signs.
• Compassionate and hardworking nurse.
• Worked with doctors and other nurses.

ATS keywords to weave into your bullets

The four-component ATS rubric weights keyword density inside experience bullets more heavily than the keywords-only skills section. These are the 14+ keywords most often scored on a licensed practical nurse resume — fold them into your bullets where they're honestly applicable.

Licensed Practical Nurse salary

Annual pay across the United States, as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Half of these workers earn between the 25th and 75th percentile figures. Your offer will depend on the state, the employer and the shift.

Want a deeper salary breakdown by city + role + experience? See the full Licensed Practical Nurse salary guide →

Common mistakes (and how to fix them)

• License details missing or vague

  Fix: State the license type, the state and the expiration date in a labeled section.
• No patient load or setting

  Fix: Say residents or patients per shift and the type of unit.
• Listing tasks outside your scope

  Fix: Describe only what your state allows an LPN to do and what you did under RN or provider direction.
• Leaving out documentation systems

  Fix: Name the electronic record you chart in and what you recorded.

ATS tips specific to licensed practical nurse resumes

• Write 'Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)' once in full, and add 'Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)' if you work in a state that uses it.
• Put your license in its own section with the state, as postings often filter by state licensure.
• Use the posting's setting words, such as 'skilled nursing', 'long-term care' or 'outpatient clinic', where they are true.
• Spell out certifications such as BLS rather than using only abbreviations.

Frequently asked questions