Healthcare
Licensed Practical Nurse Resume Example (2026)
A strong Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) resume has to clear two gates: the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) that scans for the right keywords, and the recruiter who decides in seconds whether to keep reading. The Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) example below does both — it scores 92/100 on our ATS checker and reads like it was written by a hiring manager, not a template. It leads with the exact terms employers search for (basic nursing care, vital signs monitoring, medication administration, wound dressing, patient hygiene, patient mobility, clinical documentation) and backs every claim with a measurable result. Use it as a blueprint: copy the structure, then swap in your own numbers. Pay attention to how certifications and credentials are surfaced near the top — for a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), that placement matters. Below the example you'll find the 20 keywords ATS systems expect for this role, achievement-style bullet points you can adapt, and a short writing guide.
This example's score on our real ATS checker — not a guess
Licensed Practical Nurse Resume Sample
Maria Santos
Tampa, FL • (555) 456-7890 • maria.santos.lpn@email.com
Professional Summary
Dedicated Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) with BLS certification and 9+ years providing basic nursing care in long-term care and post-acute care settings. Skilled in vital signs monitoring, medication administration, wound dressing, and patient hygiene assistance. Proficient in EMR/EHR clinical documentation and patient observation with strict HIPAA compliance. Strong patient communication and team collaboration ensuring quality patient mobility support and infection control practices.
Work Experience
- Led basic nursing care team of 8 CNAs across 45-bed long-term care facility achieving 96% resident satisfaction scores and maintaining zero pressure ulcers through excellent wound dressing and patient mobility protocols
- Spearheaded medication administration safety initiative training 12 staff members on proper dosing procedures reducing medication errors by 92% from 8 to 0.6 per 1,000 doses across skilled nursing unit
- Managed post-acute care operations for 32-bed rehabilitation unit coordinating patient observation vital signs monitoring and therapy schedules achieving 18-day average length of stay compared to 24-day facility average
- Orchestrated infection control committee implementing hand hygiene protocols isolation procedures and environmental cleaning standards reducing facility infection rates by 74% and achieving zero regulatory citations
- Championed resident-centered patient communication initiative training staff on dementia care techniques de-escalation strategies and family engagement improving behavior incident reports from 28 to 7 monthly
- Directed wound dressing program for 45-bed skilled nursing facility implementing evidence-based protocols for pressure injuries diabetic ulcers and surgical wounds achieving 89% healing rate within 6 weeks
- Established patient mobility enhancement program incorporating ambulation schedules positioning protocols and fall prevention strategies reducing resident falls by 68% from 34 to 11 annually
- Administered oral IM and subcutaneous medication administration for 45 residents including insulin warfarin and controlled substances maintaining perfect accuracy record over 28-month period with zero medication errors
- Performed comprehensive vital signs monitoring including blood pressure pulse respirations temperature and oxygen saturation for 180+ daily assessments identifying 24 critical changes requiring RN notification over 12 months
Education
Skills
Basic Nursing Care • Vital Signs Monitoring • Medication Administration • Wound Dressing • Patient Hygiene • Patient Mobility • Clinical Documentation • EMR/EHR • Patient Observation • Infection Control • BLS • HIPAA Compliance • Long-Term Care • Post-Acute Care • Patient Communication • Team Collaboration
Certifications & Licenses
- Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) License — Florida Board of Nursing (June 2015)
- Basic Life Support (BLS) — American Heart Association (January 2024)
- IV Therapy Certification — Florida Board of Nursing (August 2019)
20 ATS Keywords for a Licensed Practical Nurse Resume
Applicant Tracking Systems rank your resume on keyword match. These are the terms recruiters and ATS filters look for in licensed practical nurse applications — use the ones that genuinely fit your experience, inside your bullet points, not just in a list.
Achievement Bullet Points You Can Adapt
Every bullet starts with an action verb and ends with a measurable result — the structure ATS parsers and recruiters both reward. Swap in your own numbers.
- Led basic nursing care team of 8 CNAs across 45-bed long-term care facility achieving 96% resident satisfaction scores and maintaining zero pressure ulcers through excellent wound dressing and patient mobility protocols
- Spearheaded medication administration safety initiative training 12 staff members on proper dosing procedures reducing medication errors by 92% from 8 to 0.6 per 1,000 doses across skilled nursing unit
- Managed post-acute care operations for 32-bed rehabilitation unit coordinating patient observation vital signs monitoring and therapy schedules achieving 18-day average length of stay compared to 24-day facility average
- Orchestrated infection control committee implementing hand hygiene protocols isolation procedures and environmental cleaning standards reducing facility infection rates by 74% and achieving zero regulatory citations
- Championed resident-centered patient communication initiative training staff on dementia care techniques de-escalation strategies and family engagement improving behavior incident reports from 28 to 7 monthly
- Directed wound dressing program for 45-bed skilled nursing facility implementing evidence-based protocols for pressure injuries diabetic ulcers and surgical wounds achieving 89% healing rate within 6 weeks
- Established patient mobility enhancement program incorporating ambulation schedules positioning protocols and fall prevention strategies reducing resident falls by 68% from 34 to 11 annually
- Administered oral IM and subcutaneous medication administration for 45 residents including insulin warfarin and controlled substances maintaining perfect accuracy record over 28-month period with zero medication errors
How to Write a Licensed Practical Nurse Resume (5 Steps)
- 1
Lead with a keyword-rich professional summary
Open with 2-3 sentences that state your title, years of experience, and 2-3 signature strengths. Work in terms like basic nursing care, vital signs monitoring, medication administration so the ATS registers them immediately.
- 2
Make every experience bullet an achievement, not a duty
Start with an action verb and end with a number. "Led basic nursing care team of 8 CNAs across 45-bed long-term care facility achieving 96% …" beats "Responsible for…" every time.
- 3
Mirror the job description
Before you apply, paste the posting into the ResumeWalk builder. It surfaces the exact licensed practical nurse keywords that posting uses so you can match them honestly.
- 4
List role-relevant skills
Prioritize Basic Nursing Care, Vital Signs Monitoring, Medication Administration, Wound Dressing, Patient Hygiene. Put the most job-critical ones first and demonstrate the top few inside your experience section.
- 5
Keep the format ATS-safe
Single column, standard headings (Summary, Experience, Education, Skills), no tables, columns, headshots or graphics. The example above follows all of these rules.
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Build my Licensed Practical Nurse resume freeLicensed Practical Nurse Resume FAQ
What keywords should a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) resume include?
Prioritize the terms ATS systems and recruiters actually search for in this field: basic nursing care, vital signs monitoring, medication administration, wound dressing, patient hygiene, patient mobility, clinical documentation, EMR/EHR. Weave them naturally into your summary and bullet points rather than listing them in isolation — ATS parsers reward keywords that appear in context, and recruiters distrust keyword stuffing.
How long should a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) resume be?
One page if you have under ~10 years of experience, two pages for senior or highly technical profiles. The Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) example here keeps every bullet to one or two lines and leads with quantified results, which lets you say more in less space.
What skills do employers look for in a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Basic Nursing Care, Vital Signs Monitoring, Medication Administration, Wound Dressing, Patient Hygiene, Patient Mobility. List the ones you genuinely have, ordered by relevance to the specific job you're applying for, and demonstrate the most important ones inside your experience bullets instead of only naming them.
Is this Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) resume example ATS-friendly?
Yes. It scores 92/100 on our ATS checker: single-column layout, standard section headings, no tables or graphics, parseable dates, and role-specific keywords used in context. You can build the same structure for free with the ResumeWalk builder.