close

Licensed Vocational Nurse Resume Examples & Templates

Looking to stand out in your job search? Our licensed vocational nurse resume examples showcase essential skills like patient assessment and compassionate care, helping you catch the eye of employers.

Gabriela Hernandez
by Gabriela Hernandez CPRW, Career Advice Writer
Last Updated: December 5, 2025

Hired By:*

Endorsed by trusted media Endorsed by trusted media

Resume Template—Easy to Copy & Paste

Chris Chen

Northwood, OH 43620
(555)555-5555
Chris.Chen@example.com

Professional Summary

Experienced LVN with 5 years in patient care. Expertise in emergency response and team leadership. Proven track record in enhancing patient satisfaction and recovery outcomes. Bilingual in Spanish and French.

Work History

Licensed Vocational Nurse
Harmony Health Center - Northwood, OH
January 2023 - December 2025

  • Administered medications to 50+ patients daily
  • Implemented care plans improving recovery rates by 20%
  • Assisted in surgeries leading to 15% fewer complications

Registered Nurse
Riverside Medical Group - Cincinnati, OH
January 2021 - December 2022

  • Monitored 40 patients, ensuring 99% satisfaction rating
  • Trained 10 junior nurses, increasing team efficiency by 30%
  • Managed emergency cases reducing response time by 25%

Healthcare Assistant
Greenfield Hospital - Cincinnati, OH
January 2020 - December 2020

  • Supported patient care, increasing comfort by 35%
  • Maintained supplies inventory, reducing shortages by 50%
  • Helped develop protocols, enhancing patient safety by 40%

Languages

  • Spanish - Beginner (A1)
  • French - Beginner (A1)
  • Mandarin - Beginner (A1)

Skills

  • Patient Care
  • Medical Administration
  • Emergency Response
  • Team Leadership
  • Wound Management
  • Medication Management
  • First Aid Certified
  • Healthcare Technology

Certifications

  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) - American Heart Association
  • Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) - American Heart Association

Education

Master of Science Nursing
California State University Los Angeles, CA
December 2019

Bachelor of Science Nursing
University of California Irvine, CA
December 2017

Build Your Resume in Minutes

Creating a custom resume is easier than ever with our Resume Builder!

Make Your Resume

How to Write a Licensed Vocational Nurse Resume Summary

Your resume summary is the first impression potential employers have of you, so it’s important to make it count. It should effectively showcase your strengths and skills as a licensed vocational nurse to capture their attention right away.

In this role, you’ll want to highlight your clinical abilities, patient care experience, and any specialized training that sets you apart. This section should reflect not only your qualifications but also your dedication to providing quality healthcare.

To help clarify what makes an effective summary, we’ll look at some examples of successful licensed vocational nurse resume summaries:

Weak resume summary

I am a licensed vocational nurse with several years of experience in various healthcare settings. I hope to find a job that allows me to use my skills and helps patients recover. A supportive environment where I can grow professionally is what I’m looking for. I believe I can be a valuable asset to your team.

Why this summary misses the mark:
  • Uses general terms like "several years" without providing concrete details about experience or specialties
  • Concentrates on personal desires rather than articulating specific contributions to potential employers
  • Lacks compelling language and clear value propositions, making it less strong

Strong resume summary

Compassionate licensed vocational nurse with over 4 years of experience in long-term care and rehabilitation settings. Improved patient mobility by 25% through personalized care plans and regular therapeutic activities. Proficient in medication administration, wound care management, and using electronic medical records to streamline patient documentation.

Why this summary works:
  • Begins with clear indication of experience level and the specific area of nursing practice
  • Highlights a quantifiable achievement that shows direct impact on patient recovery and quality of life
  • Mentions relevant technical skills that align with the requirements of nursing positions
pro-tip icon

PRO TIP

If you're entering the job market without much formal experience, consider crafting a career objective. This approach can highlight your goals and enthusiasm for the role. There are plenty of resume objective examples available to guide you in the nursing field.

Showcasing Your Work Experience

The work experience section is important for your resume as a licensed vocational nurse, containing the bulk of your content. A well-structured resume template always emphasizes this important area.

In this section, list your previous positions in reverse-chronological order, detailing each role with three to four bullet points that highlight your achievements and skills. This makes it easy for hiring managers to assess your contributions at a glance.

To illustrate effective work history entries for licensed vocational nurses, we’ll provide examples that show what works and what doesn’t:

Weak work experience

Licensed Vocational Nurse

Care Health Services – Los Angeles, CA

  • Provided patient care
  • Documented patient information
  • Collaborated with healthcare staff
  • Administered medications as directed
Why this work experience section misses the mark:
  • Lacks specific details about responsibilities and achievements
  • Bullet points are overly generic without showcasing skills or impact
  • No measurable outcomes or examples of successful patient care
Strong work experience

Licensed Vocational Nurse

Sunrise Medical Center – Las Vegas, NV

March 2020 - Current

  • Administer medications and treatments to a diverse patient population in a fast-paced environment, improving patient satisfaction scores by 30%
  • Assist in developing care plans tailored to individual needs, contributing to a 15% decrease in hospital readmissions
  • Mentor new nursing staff, providing guidance that supports professional growth and adherence to high-quality care standards
Why this work experience section works:
  • Uses clear action verbs at the start of each bullet point to highlight achievements
  • Incorporates specific metrics that illustrate the job seeker’s impact on patient care and outcomes
  • Demonstrates relevant skills essential for the Licensed Vocational Nurse role while showing leadership qualities

While your resume summary and work experience are important, don't overlook the importance of other sections that contribute to a well-rounded presentation. For more detailed guidance on crafting an effective resume, be sure to explore our comprehensive guide on how to write a resume.

Top Skills to Include on Your Resume

A skills section is important on your resume as it succinctly demonstrates your qualifications to potential employers. It highlights the specific abilities that make you a strong applicant for the licensed vocational nurse role.

For this position, highlight both technical skills and interpersonal abilities. Emphasize expertise in wound care management, IV therapy, and patient assessment, along with familiarity with electronic health record (EHR) systems like Epic or Cerner to demonstrate your readiness and competence in patient care.

To excel in the healthcare field, hard skills include essential technical abilities such as administering medications, performing patient assessments, and understanding care plans.

Equally important are soft skills, which encompass interpersonal qualities like empathy, active listening, and teamwork that foster trust and collaboration in delivering high-quality patient care.

When selecting skills for your resume, it is important to align them with what employers expect from applicants. Many organizations use automated systems to filter out applicants lacking essential resume skills, making it important to highlight relevant qualifications.

To ensure you're showcasing the right abilities, carefully review job postings in your field. These listings often provide insights into which skills are most valued by recruiters and necessary for passing ATS evaluations.

pro-tip icon

PRO TIP

Ensure your resume stands out to employers by using our ATS Resume Checker. This tool detects over 30 common mistakes, helping you easily navigate past applicant tracking software.

10 skills that appear on successful licensed vocational nurse resumes

Improving your resume with sought-after skills can significantly attract the attention of recruiters looking for licensed vocational nurses. You can see how these skills are effectively showcased in our resume examples, giving you a solid foundation to apply confidently.

Here are 10 essential skills to consider incorporating into your resume if they align with your experience and job requirements:

  • 1

    Patient care

  • 2

    Medication administration

  • 3

    Team collaboration

  • 4

    Compassionate communication

  • 5

    Time management

  • 6

    Basic life support (BLS)

  • 7

    Clinical assessment

  • 8

    Infection control

  • 9

    Record keeping

  • 10

    Patient education

Based on analysis of 5,000+ nursing professional resumes from 2023-2024

Resume Format Examples

Choosing the right resume format is important for licensed vocational nurses as it highlights key skills and experiences, showcasing your career development in a clear and compelling way.

Entry-Level 0 - 2 years

Functional

Focuses on skills rather than previous jobs

Functional

Best for:

Recent graduates and career changers with up to two years of experience

Mid-Career 3 - 7 years

Combination

Balances skills and work history equally

Combination

Best for:

Mid-career professionals focused on demonstrating their skills and pursuing growth opportunities

Experienced 8+ years

Chronological

Emphasizes work history in reverse order

Chronological

Best for:

Seasoned professionals excelling in patient care and team leadership

Licensed Vocational Nurse Salaries in the Highest-Paid States

Our licensed vocational nurse salary data is based on figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the authoritative source for employment trends and wage information nationwide.

Whether you're entering the workforce or considering a move to a new city or state, this data can help you gauge what fair compensation looks like for licensed vocational nurses in your desired area.

California
$79,090
Washington
$79,970
Oregon
$78,160
Alaska
$77,850
Rhode Island
$77,240
Massachusetts
$76,400
New Hampshire
$73,850
Arizona
$72,840
Maine
$72,600
Nevada
$71,460
New Jersey
$71,300
Connecticut
$70,240
$0$40K$80K

Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely, including a cover letter can significantly improve your application by showcasing your personality and enthusiasm for the role. It allows you to highlight relevant experiences that may not be evident in your resume. If you're unsure how to write a cover letter, consider checking our resource or use our Cover Letter Generator for quick assistance.

When applying for jobs outside the U.S., use a CV instead of a resume since many countries prefer this format. To create an effective CV, explore our CV examples for inspiration and refer to our guide on how to write a CV to ensure proper formatting and content that meets international expectations.

Soft skills such as compassion, communication, and teamwork are essential for licensed vocational nurses. These interpersonal skills foster trust with patients and ensure effective collaboration with healthcare teams, ultimately improving care quality and creating a positive work atmosphere.

When applying for licensed vocational nurse positions, highlight your transferable skills such as communication, teamwork, and adaptability. These attributes demonstrate your readiness to excel in patient care, even if you have limited clinical experience. Share specific instances from your past roles that illustrate how you’ve used these skills effectively in relevant situations.

To format a cover letter for licensed vocational nurse positions, begin with your contact information. Follow this with a professional greeting and an engaging opening paragraph that captures interest. Include a summary of your relevant qualifications and experiences specific to the job description. Always tailor the content to align with the requirements outlined in the job listing for maximum impact.

Using a cover letter template tailored for licensed vocational nurses can improve your letter's structure. It helps you clearly organize your patient care experiences and highlight specific skills like wound care management and medication administration that appeal directly to hiring managers.

About the Author

Gabriela Hernandez large profile photo

Gabriela Hernandez CPRW, Career Advice Writer

Gabriela is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers & Career Coaches. She focuses on helping job seekers improve their professional resumes to highlight their unique skills and experience. Gabriela holds a B.A. in journalism from the University of Puerto Rico and offers more than four years of specialized experience helping candidates navigate the complexities of today’s online job market, with a strong focus on resume optimization and effective self-presentation.

Get Hired Faster

Join millions who’ve built resumes that land the job!

Make Your Resume

Featured in:*

Media features graphic LiveCareer

*The names and logos of the companies referred to in this page are all trademarks of their respective holders. Unless specifically stated otherwise, such references are not intended to imply any affiliation or association with LiveCareer.

Build Your Resume

Build a resume with LiveCareer

Build My Resume
Build My Cover Letter

Craft a Winning Cover Letter

Build My Cover Letter