Licensed Practical Nurse Interview
Questions & Answers

Acuity-based prioritisation: assess or attend to the most unstable patient first. ABCs are always the first screen: is anyone having a respiratory, cardiac, or circulation emergency? For non-emergent patients, organise care by scheduled medication times and treatment needs. Communicate to the charge nurse early if your assignment is unsafe — a patient-to-nurse ratio that prevents safe care is a patient safety event, and it needs to be on record before something happens.

Five Rights, every time: right patient (two identifiers — name and date of birth or MRN), right drug, right dose, right route, right time. Scan the barcode at the bedside — do not scan in the medication room and carry to the bedside. If something about the order is unfamiliar or dosage looks unusual, check a drug reference before administering and call the prescriber if there is any doubt. Document immediately after administration, not at end of shift. A medication error made by an LPN is still a medication error — the five rights are not a formality.

SBAR: Situation (what is happening right now, specific behaviour change), Background (relevant medical history, current medications), Assessment (what you think is going on), Recommendation (what you believe should be done). Be direct — do not bury the concern in context. Call for emergencies; do not page and wait. The LPN's role includes assessment and reporting — a change in condition that is not communicated immediately is a patient safety failure regardless of who is most responsible for the outcome.

The therapeutic relationship is the working relationship — warmth, empathy, and genuine care are appropriate and expected. Dependency becomes a problem when it interferes with the patient's independence, their relationship with other care team members, or when the patient's emotional needs exceed what is appropriate within the nursing relationship. Set gentle, consistent limits. Discuss the boundary with the charge nurse or social worker when a patient's emotional needs exceed what nursing can appropriately address. Document interactions that test professional boundaries.

LPNs' close, continuous patient contact means they often notice subtle changes before anyone else — a patient who is "just not quite right," a vital sign trend that does not fit the diagnosis, or a patient complaint that was documented but not acted on. Describe what you noticed, how you communicated it (SBAR, direct escalation), and what happened as a result. Showing that you are both observant and confident enough to escalate a concern is the core competency of safe LPN practice.

Structure your answer as a 60-second professional narrative: where you have been (your background), what you have done (your strongest achievement), and where you are going (why this role). Lead with your most relevant experience, not your entire career history. End with why you are excited about this specific opportunity.

Choose a genuine weakness that you have actively worked to improve. The structure is: name the weakness → show self-awareness of its impact → describe the concrete step you took to address it → show the improvement. Never say "I work too hard" — interviewers recognise this as evasion and it damages your credibility.

Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) but add a fifth element: what you learned. Choose a real failure, not a disguised success. Show you can take responsibility without making excuses, and demonstrate that the lesson changed your behaviour in a specific, verifiable way.

Be honest but constructive. Acceptable reasons: seeking greater scope, new challenge, skills you can not develop in the current role, or company-level changes (restructuring, direction shift). Never speak negatively about your current employer or manager — it signals you will do the same to the prospective employer in future conversations.

Describe the conflict specifically, show that you sought to understand the other person's perspective, and explain the resolution approach you took. Interviewers are assessing your emotional intelligence and whether you escalate or resolve. Avoid stories where you were right and they were wrong — choose a story where both parties grew.

Describe your specific prioritisation system: impact × urgency matrix, stakeholder alignment, or a specific tool or process you use. Then give an example where you applied it under real pressure. Show that your system is systematic rather than reactive, and that you communicate proactively when priorities change.

Choose an achievement that is specific, measurable, and relevant to the role. Lead with the result ("I reduced our error rate by 40% in 90 days"), then explain the context, challenge, and what you specifically did that drove the result. Show your ownership and impact, not just your team's work.

Be honest about your ambitions while showing that this role is a genuine step in that direction — not a stopgap. Hiring managers want to invest in people who will grow with the organisation. Show that your 5-year goal requires the specific skills and experience this role provides, making your ambition an asset for both sides.

Research before the interview and make the answer specific: cite their product, a recent company development, something about their culture or team, or a professional aspect of this particular role that matches your goals. Generic answers ("I love your values") signal you did not do the research. Specific answers signal genuine interest.

Always have 3–5 questions prepared. Ask about the biggest challenge in this role, what success looks like in the first 90 days, how the team operates, and the interviewer's own experience at the company. Never ask about salary, benefits, or holidays in a first interview. Questions show interest, strategic thinking, and that you care enough to have done research.