Onboarding plan
Licensed Practical Nurse Onboarding Plan (30-60-90 Days)
A practical, printable plan to take a new licensed practical nurse from first day to full productivity.
Licensed Practical Nurse onboarding at a glance
Week one covers orientation, safety and shadowing. Days 1–30 build vocabulary and supervised practice on core procedures; days 31–60 move to independent work with competency sign-offs; days 61–90 focus on full productivity, cross-training and a credential plan.
Before day one
- Confirm start date, schedule, pay and supervisor in writing
- Verify required credentials: NCLEX-PN license, IV therapy certification (as applicable)
- Prepare equipment and access: medication carts and eMAR systems; glucometers; wound care supplies and measuring guides; vital-signs monitors
- Assign a buddy or preceptor
- Enroll the new hire in Licensed Practical Nurse training so foundations are covered before or during week one
Week one: orient and protect
- Workplace tour, emergency procedures and incident reporting
- Follow the rights of medication administration on every pass
- Practice safe patient handling and use lift equipment
- Follow standard and transmission-based precautions
- Stay within your state’s LPN scope of practice and ask when unsure
- Shadow an experienced licensed practical nurse through a full shift
- Training modules 1–3: role foundations, a day on the job and essential vocabulary (15 terms)
Days 1–30: learn
Goal: perform core tasks safely under supervision.
- Supervised practice: complete a safe medication pass
- Supervised practice: perform a simple dressing change
- Supervised practice: report a change in condition with SBAR
- Training modules 4–7: duties, step-by-step tasks, tools and safety
- 30-day check-in: confidence, questions and early wins
Days 31–60: contribute
Goal: handle a regular workload independently.
- Monitor patients and record vital signs and changes in condition: independently
- Administer oral, topical and injectable medications as permitted by state law: independently
- Provide wound care, change dressings and care for catheters and ostomies: independently
- Collect specimens and perform routine tests such as blood glucose checks: independently
- Competency sign-offs completed (see checklist below)
- Training final knowledge check and certificate of completion
- 60-day check-in
Days 61–90: own
Goal: full productivity and a growth plan.
- Meet productivity and quality targets for the role
- Begin cross-training on a secondary task
- Agree on a credential goal (for example, NCLEX-PN license)
- Discuss the career path: Licensed Practical Nurse → Charge Nurse or Unit LPN Lead → MDS Coordinator or Specialty LPN
- 90-day review
Competency checklist
| Skill or task | Trained | Observed | Signed off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete a Safe Medication Pass | |||
| Perform a Simple Dressing Change | |||
| Report a Change in Condition with SBAR | |||
| Medication administration | |||
| Wound care | |||
| Vital signs and patient assessment data collection | |||
| Catheter and ostomy care |
How to measure onboarding success
- Days until the new hire works without a preceptor
- Competency sign-offs completed on time
- Documentation or charting error rate
- 90-day retention
How Licensed Practical Nurse training maps to this plan
- Introduction to the Licensed Practical Nurse Role
- A Day on the Job
- Essential Licensed Practical Nurse Vocabulary
- Core Duties and Responsibilities
- Common Tasks, Step by Step
- Tools, Equipment and Technology
- Safety, Compliance and Professional Standards
- Skills Employers Look For
- Launching Your Licensed Practical Nurse Career
- Final Knowledge Check