LVN Resume Samples & How to Write (2024 Update)

LVN Resume Samples

The role of a licensed vocational nurse or LVN is demanding; the hours are long, and many difficult situations can arise. This is why recruiters are looking for specific kinds of people to take this kind of job title. Here’s what you need to know about writing a great LVN resume.

Resources for Your Next Career Move

Explore our complete resume examples selection for tips and resources tailored to every career path.

What Should I Highlight in an LVN Resume?

Professional certifications are important when it comes to a professional resume for an LVN position, of course, but this kind of job is also about who you are. This means that soft skills like stress management and conflict resolution can be just as important as relevant technical knowledge and hard skills. In order to get this kind of role, focus on showing that you are capable of providing appropriate nursing care even in difficult situations.

The Structure of an LVN Resume

Before you begin your job search, you need to decide precisely what job you are aiming for; do you want an entry-level role as a medical assistant, for example, or are you working towards a role as a charge nurse? Your level of experience and skills will determine which format you use for your resume. But regardless of your structure, your resume will contain all of these basic elements:

Header

Your resume header should include your full name and contact information so that the hiring manager can contact you if they want to arrange a job interview.

Resume summary or objective

Directly below your resume header, you should include either a resume summary or an objective statement. If you have a lot of professional experience, then a resume summary statement will be the best choice as it showcases your best skills and achievements. If you have little to no experience, then a resume objective statement will be best; this should be a statement of intent and goals, as well as the skills you already have.

Skills

This section should contain all of the skills that are most relevant to your LVN job application. Some examples of nursing skills include:

Work history

You should include up to ten years of work experience, presented in reverse-chronological order (most recent job first). Provide your job title, who you worked for, and your employment dates, as well as three to five bullet points containing details of your main duties and achievements.

Education

Your education section should contain information about your most relevant and advanced academic achievements. Do not include your high school GPA unless you have no other qualifications to list.  Remember, you should provide all of the relevant information that can aid your job application. You can also add additional sections for certifications, relevant coursework, or volunteer work. Make use of the ResumeHelp resume builder to make the process of creating your resume easier.

Do’s and Don’ts for an LVN Resume

These resume writing tips will help you to create a resume that stands out from the crowd on a hiring manager’s desk.

DO

• Focus on patient care.

Give examples of how you cared for and monitored patient conditions successfully (but do not give any identifying details). Give examples of diagnostic tests you were involved in, as well as the quality of care you provided after the doctors’ official diagnoses.

• Be specific.

When talking about your responsibilities and successes, be as specific as possible; use timescales, numbers, and rates of improvement to show the results of your actions. You can even give specific examples of how you helped or soothed family members in certain cases.

• Use active language.

Passive language like “I was tasked with” can make recruiters feel that you are not passionate or involved with your work. Instead, use active phrases like “I created”, “I cared for”, or “I managed”.

DON’T

• Be overmodest.

Be your own biggest cheerleader; talk about your successes and competencies in confident terms. Self-awareness is important, but humility will not get you the job you are after.

• Use flashy designs.

If you want to get a new job, then you will need your resume to pass through applicant tracking systems and rank well. Complicated or flashy design features can prevent this by making your resume harder to scan.

• Write too much.

The ideal resume should be no more than a page in length, so try to include only the most relevant information. You should limit your work experience section to around ten years of experience, for example.