Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) Job Description Template

Licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) provide essential patient care under the supervision of an RN, advanced practice nurse (APRN), or physician. They have the same scope of practice as LPNs, but are referred to as LVNs by the California and Texas state nursing boards. If you’re looking to hire a caring and compassionate employee to fill this role, writing a specific and well-executed LVN job description can help you find the right nursing professional for your team.

Enhance your talent search using the following tips and sample language to draft your search-optimized job postings. Referencing our current LVN job postings can help you identify the salary, benefits, and scheduling options candidates are looking for. Once you’ve narrowed down your top LVN prospects, use carefully vetted interview questions to find the best candidate for the position.

Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)

Tips: A job description for LVNs usually begins with a short introduction, providing potential applicants with their first glimpse into your organization. Use an engaging and positive tone when describing your mission, values, and work culture, while highlighting any special accreditations or achievements. Grab the reader’s attention by demonstrating why you’re an employer of choice in this field.

Also, briefly describe the position and define your ideal candidate. LVNs practice in multiple settings, including:

• Home health
• Nursing homes
• Long-term care facilities
• Ambulatory care clinics
• Hospitals

It’s important to specify your facility’s acuity and the patient population you serve to give candidates an idea of what it’s like to work with your team. Sustain their interest by telling them about your facility’s location and its surrounding community. Provide nearby areas of interest, restaurants, and available public transportation.

Template:

Looking to take the next step in your nursing career? At [facility name], we’re looking to hire an LVN to care for our post-surgical patients in our downtown ambulatory care clinic.

As the newest member of our multidisciplinary team, you would be responsible for collecting vital signs, providing wound care, and administering medications to patients after their surgery or procedure. Qualified applicants will have over three years of LVN or CNA experience at an ambulatory or acute care facility.

We offer a competitive salary and benefits package that is sure to place our LVN job at the top of your list. If this sounds like a position you’d be interested in, continue reading below as we outline our unique role responsibilities, license requirements, and scheduling expectations.

Benefits

Tips: Once your LVN job description has drawn in the potential applicant, they’ll want to know more about the benefits of working for your organization. Maintain their interest in the position by sharing your facility’s nursing perks without overselling them.

Template:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA) options
• Generous vacation/holiday/sick/family leave
• 401k matching
• Continuing education benefits
• Tuition assistance
• LVN to RN career ladder program

Duties and Responsibilities

Tips: In this section of your LVN job description, concentrate on the job particulars by outlining the details of the position. It’s essential to understand the nuances between nursing roles as the LVN scope of practice differs from that of an RN. It’s also important to note that LVN duties in hospitals vary greatly from those of LVNs working in ambulatory care or home health.

LVN job descriptions should accurately summarize the responsibilities of these clinicians in your organization. Begin each line with action verbs and prioritize the list by order of importance, with the most essential and frequent duties at the top of the list.

Template:

Our LVNs are expected to perform the following duties:

• Provide all nursing care within scope of practice to assigned residents or patients under the supervision of an RN, APP, or physician
• Administer medication, manage IVs, and provide wound care according to facility and state regulations
• Report abnormal changes in residents’ or patients’ health and mental status to the clinical supervisor
• Assist the healthcare team with tests or related medical procedures
• Update and educate residents, patients, and their families
• Perform administrative tasks such as relaying messages and scheduling appointments when required
• Document resident or patient vital signs, responses to treatment, education, and nursing care

Compensation and Schedule

Tips: You’ll likely receive a better response to your LVN job description by including a pay range in your posting. Potential applicants may assume your compensation is not competitive when this information is absent, prompting them to move on to the next posting. Use this section to include any travel stipends, shift differentials, or other incentives you may offer.

In addition to pay, nurses rate work-life balance as one of the most influential factors in their job satisfaction. Scheduling flexibility and staffing strategies attract highly-qualified applicants and keep your new hires happy, promoting job retention. By providing shift rotations, safe staffing ratios, and other details, LVNs better understand their potential work environment at your facility.

Template:

• LVN pay range: $53,000-$77,000, subject to education level and relevant clinical experience
• Night shift options with differentials available Sunday to Saturday
• 2 weekend shifts required per month
• Daily, bi-weekly, or weekly pay periods
• Nurse-to-patient/resident ratios between 1:4 (day/evening) and 1:6 (night)
• Overtime, holiday pay, and bonuses are available

LVN Qualifications and Skills

Tips: Dedicate a section of your LVN job description to the necessary background and experience needed. It’s best to be clear about your requirements as it will prompt the LVNs with the appropriate qualifications and skills to apply. Provide any license, education, or certification prerequisites. Be sure to note any optional requirements to avoid discouraging qualified LVNs who don’t meet them.

Template:

Required Qualifications:

• Graduation from a state-approved school of vocational nursing
• Passage of the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical (Vocational) Nursing (NCLEX-PN)
• Active and unrestricted LVN state license
• 2 years experience as a LVN in post-acute care
• American Heart Association (AHA) CPR certification
• Ability to safely lift or carry 50 pounds

Recommended Qualifications:

• IV certification
• Wound care certification
• Professional, empathic, with strong interpersonal skills
• Skilled at prioritizing tasks and receiving direction from others

Call to Action

Tips: You’ve successfully engaged the potential applicant throughout the posting. Now it’s time to cross the finish line by making it easy for them to immediately apply with a direct link to your job application site. Before publishing your LVN job description, have it reviewed and approved by a human resources (HR) representative.

Template:

Ready to become a valued member of our nursing staff? Apply to join our team today! Start by clicking the “apply now” button and submitting your application with us — the process takes less than 10 minutes. We look forward to hearing from you.

Need to Quickly Find Qualified Nursing Professionals?

Creating a well-written LVN job description is a great first step in hiring an exceptional employee. If you’re looking to save time and effort during the hiring process, consider posting your vacant nursing positions to our job board. We can help you reach qualified healthcare candidates ready to work in any role or specialty.