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Licensed Practical Nurse interview questions and how to answer them

An LPN interview is mostly about one thing: can the manager trust you with a full med cart and a hallway of residents while they're in a meeting. You'll get questions on med passes, scope of practice, charting, and how you handle a patient who's going downhill. Here's what they're really asking and how to answer like someone who's done the shift.

12 questions8 minute read

Part 1

1.Walk me through how you run a morning med pass for a full hallway.

Why they ask

This is the core of the job in long-term care and a lot of clinics. They want to know you're safe and organized, and that you won't be finishing breakfast meds at lunch.

How to answer

  • Start with report and a quick look at the MAR for new orders, holds and time-critical meds like insulin or Parkinson's meds
  • Name the checks you do every time: right patient with two identifiers, right drug, dose, route, time, and a look at vitals or blood sugar before meds that need them
  • Explain how you order the hallway so time-sensitive residents come first
  • Say how you handle a refusal or a crushed-med order, and that you chart it right away rather than at the end
  • Mention how you keep aides in the loop about who needs help eating or sitting up

2.A resident's blood pressure is much lower than usual before you give their antihypertensive. What do you do?

Why they ask

They're testing whether you check parameters, hold when you should, and escalate instead of guessing.

How to answer

  • Recheck it manually and look at the resident: dizziness, color, how they're talking
  • Check the order for hold parameters and hold the dose if it's outside them
  • Notify the RN or provider with a clear SBAR report
  • Document the reading, the hold, who you told and what they said
  • Recheck later and pass it on at shift report

3.What's in your scope as an LPN here, and what isn't?

Why they ask

Scope rules differ by state and by facility policy. A manager needs to know you won't drift into RN work like initial assessments or certain IV pushes because the floor is short.

How to answer

  • Say plainly that you follow your state's nurse practice act and the facility's policy, and that you'd check both when unsure
  • Give a few examples of what you do routinely: focused assessments, meds, wound care, reporting changes
  • Name something you'd hand to the RN, such as an admission assessment or care plan sign-off, depending on the setting
  • Mention any IV certification you hold and that it only counts where the state and facility allow it
4.Tell me about a time you caught a change in a patient before anyone else did.

Why they ask

Early catches keep people out of the hospital. They want proof you notice small things and act on them.

How to answer

  • Pick a real case: new confusion, a resident who stopped eating, a subtle change in breathing
  • Say exactly what you noticed and what you checked next, like vitals, oxygen saturation or a urine dip if ordered
  • Explain how you reported it and to whom
  • Finish with the outcome and what you'd do the same way again
5.How do you delegate to CNAs, and what do you do when a task doesn't get done?

Why they ask

You'll often be the nurse over several aides. Poor delegation turns into missed turns, pressure injuries and a bad survey.

How to answer

  • Assign tasks at the start of shift with specifics, like who needs turning on a schedule or a weight today
  • Check back mid-shift instead of waiting for the end
  • When something's missed, ask what got in the way before you correct anyone
  • Help with the work when you can, and escalate a pattern to the unit manager

Part 2

6.You find a medication error you made yourself. Walk me through what happens next.

Why they ask

Every nurse makes a mistake at some point. They're checking honesty and whether you know the reporting process.

How to answer

  • Check on the patient first and get vitals
  • Notify the RN or provider right away and follow their orders
  • Fill out the incident report through the facility's system without delay
  • Tell the family or resident as policy directs
  • Say what you'd change in your own routine so it doesn't repeat
7.How do you handle wound care and document it so the next nurse can follow it?

Why they ask

Wound care is daily LPN work in long-term care and home health, and surveyors read the notes closely.

How to answer

  • Follow the treatment order and the wound nurse's plan exactly
  • Measure and describe the wound the same way each time: size, depth, drainage, the skin around it
  • Take photos only if facility policy allows it
  • Report any sign of infection or a wound getting worse the same shift
8.What charting system have you used, and how do you keep up with it on a busy shift?

Why they ask

Late or thin charting fails audits and leaves the next shift blind. They also want to know how much training you'll need on their EHR.

How to answer

  • Name the systems you've used, such as PointClickCare, MatrixCare or Epic
  • Explain that you chart meds and changes in condition as they happen and save routine notes for a quieter moment
  • Say you write notes that are factual, not opinions
  • Mention that you pick up a new system quickly and give an example
9.A family member is angry because their mother hasn't been bathed today. How do you respond?

Why they ask

Family complaints land on the nurse first. They want calm, honest follow-through.

How to answer

  • Listen without arguing and say you understand why they're upset
  • Find out what actually happened, whether it was a refusal or a missed task
  • Tell them what you'll do and when, then do it
  • Loop in the unit manager if it's part of a bigger pattern, and document the conversation
10.You're told to take a hallway that's way past a safe load. What do you do?

Why they ask

Short staffing happens. They want someone who speaks up through the right channel instead of walking out or quietly cutting corners.

How to answer

  • Raise the concern with the supervisor right then, clearly and without drama
  • Ask for specific help, like a med aide or someone to cover treatments
  • Prioritize the time-critical meds and the sickest residents if you take it
  • Document your concern the way the facility expects

Part 3

11.Why do you want to work in this setting instead of a hospital or a clinic?

Why they ask

Turnover is expensive. They want to know you picked this place for a reason.

How to answer

  • Name something specific about the setting you like, such as knowing residents over months
  • Be honest about what you find hard and how you handle it
  • Tie it to what you learned about this facility on the tour or in the job posting
12.Are you planning to go on to become an RN?

Why they ask

Plenty of LPNs bridge to RN, and managers want to know whether you'll stay, and whether they should plan for your school schedule.

How to answer

  • Answer honestly, yes or no
  • If yes, say roughly how school would fit with shifts and that you plan to stay while you study
  • If no, say what you want to get better at as an LPN, like wound care or leading a unit

Questions to ask them

Ask at least two. It shows you're picking them too.

  • How many residents or patients does an LPN usually have on this hallway on days, and on nights?
  • Who's the RN on the floor with me, and how easy are they to reach during a med pass?
  • How long is orientation, and will I shadow the same nurse the whole time?
  • Which EHR and med system do you use, and are the med carts and scanners reliable?
  • What made the last person in this role leave?
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