Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Resume Example (2026)

What recruiters look for

License and state: LPN (or LVN in California and Texas), the state board, and whether it is a multistate license.
Med pass size and accuracy: how many residents and how reliably on time. This is the heart of the job.
Treatments you can do: wound care, IV therapy where your state allows it, tube feedings, trach care.
Communication with RNs and providers: SBAR calls, change-of-condition reporting, fewer avoidable hospital transfers.
Supervising aides: most LPNs in long-term care direct CNAs or STNAs each shift.

Writing the summary

State your license, setting and years, and the size of your assignment. Add your strongest clinical area (wound care, IV therapy, dementia care) and, if you are working toward RN, say so.

The summary in this example

Licensed practical nurse with two years in skilled nursing and short-term rehab, and two years as an STNA before that. I run accurate, on-time med passes for 22 to 28 residents, handle wounds and IV therapy, and catch changes before they turn into hospital transfers.

LPN moving into a clinic or physician office

Licensed practical nurse with three years in skilled nursing, moving into outpatient care. Skilled in injections, wound care, medication reconciliation and patient teaching, and used to managing a busy schedule with many handoffs.

LPN in an LPN-to-RN bridge program

Licensed practical nurse with four years in long-term care, now in an LPN-to-RN bridge program (graduating May 2027). I run med passes for 25 residents and lead the facility’s skin team.

Bullet points that work

Strong lines for this role, beyond the ones in the example. Borrow the shape and put in your own numbers.

Passed medications for 30 residents on a long-term care hall with zero medication errors in 18 months.
Cut late medication doses on night shift from 9% to 2% by reorganizing the med pass route.
Led weekly skin rounds for 60 residents, cutting facility-acquired pressure injuries by 40% in a year.
Completed 15 admission data collections a month, with medication reconciliation reviewed by the RN.
Managed tube feedings and medications for 6 residents with G-tubes, with no aspiration events.
Trained 12 new nurse aides on safe transfers and the facility’s charting.
Served as charge nurse on a 40-bed long-term care unit on weekends, supervising 5 aides.
Kept controlled substance counts accurate on every shift change for 2 years.
Gave 300 flu vaccines during the facility’s annual campaign and logged each in the state registry.

Skills to list

Hard skills

Medication administration and eMAR
Insulin and blood glucose management
Wound care and wound vacs
IV therapy (where your state permits)
Tube feeding and G-tube care
Tracheostomy care
Admission data collection
Change-of-condition reporting (SBAR, INTERACT)
EHR (PointClickCare, MatrixCare)
Directing nurse aides

Soft skills

Calm with a heavy assignment
Clear reporting to RNs and providers
Kindness with residents and families
Leading aides fairly

Certifications and licenses worth listing

LPN or LVN license from your state board of nursing: required. Mention a multistate license if you have one.
IV therapy certification: some states (Ohio, for example) require LPNs to complete an approved IV therapy course before giving certain IV medications.
Basic Life Support (BLS): required.
Wound care certification (for example, WCC from the National Alliance of Wound Care and Ostomy): a strong extra for long-term care and home health.
NCLEX-PN: you passed it to be licensed; list it only if your license is still pending.

Length and format

One page. License and certifications go high or in a clear section, since every employer checks them. Earlier aide work belongs on the resume in one line: it shows how you know the floor.

Common mistakes

Not saying which state you are licensed in, or whether the license is multistate.
Listing tasks your state does not allow LPNs to do. Directors of nursing know the scope of practice.
Leaving out the number of residents in your med pass.
Forgetting IV or wound care certifications that open more jobs.
Leaving out an RN program you are enrolled in. Employers often support it with tuition and scheduling.

Questions and answers

What is the difference between an LPN and an LVN?

They are the same role. California and Texas use “licensed vocational nurse”; other states use “licensed practical nurse”. Use the title of the state where you are licensed.

Should an LPN resume include CNA experience?

Yes, briefly. It shows you know the unit and the aides you now supervise. One line is enough once you have LPN experience.

Can I list IV therapy if my state does not certify it?

List the IV tasks you are trained and allowed to do in your state. Scope of practice for LPNs varies a lot, so be precise.

Licensed practical nurse (LPN) resume example