Certified nursing assistant (CNA) resume
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Key skills for a CNA resume
Terms that job ads ask for and ATS filters look for. Only include the ones you master.
- Activities of daily living (ADLs)
- Vital signs
- Patient transfers
- Bathing and grooming
- Feeding assistance
- Fall prevention
- Infection control
- Charting
- Dementia care
- CPR and BLS
Tips for your CNA resume
- Put your certification and the state registry you are listed on near the top.
- Say where you have worked: nursing home, hospital, assisted living or home care.
- List your daily tasks: ADLs, vital signs, transfers, feeding and charting.
- Add the number of residents or patients you care for per shift.
- Include CPR, BLS or dementia care training.
- Mention your availability for nights, weekends or rotating shifts.
CNA resume summary examples
Adapt these examples with your real details: years of experience, industry, tools and certifications.
Certified nursing assistant with 5 years of experience in a 120-bed skilled nursing facility. I help 10 to 12 residents per shift with ADLs, take vital signs, use mechanical lifts and report changes to the nurse. Listed on the state registry, CPR certified.
Newly certified nursing assistant who completed a state-approved program with clinical hours in long-term care. Trained in vital signs, transfers and infection control. I cared for a family member for two years and I'm looking for my first CNA role.
Other job titles
Search for them too and use the one in the job ad on your resume.
- Nursing assistant
- Nurse aide
- Patient care technician
- Healthcare assistant (UK)
- State tested nursing assistant (STNA)
- Orderly
How to write a CNA resume step by step
Write a short summary
Three or four lines with your certification, years of experience, care setting and main tasks.
Detail your experience
In “Experience”, add the facility, type of residents or patients, ratio per shift and your tasks.
Add your certifications
In “Certificates”, list your CNA certification, state registry and CPR or BLS cards.
Highlight your skills
In “Skills”, include patient care tasks and the way you work with residents and families.
Tailor your resume to the job ad and download it
Paste the job ad into Beatjob: the AI improves the wording with the keywords your experience backs up. Then download the PDF.
More resume examples
Frequently asked questions about a CNA resume
How do you become a CNA?
Nursing assistants typically complete a state-approved education program and pass their state's competency exam. Then they are placed on the state registry, which is required to work in a nursing home.
What should an entry-level CNA resume include?
Your training program, clinical hours, certification, CPR card and any experience caring for others, even unpaid.
Is a CNA the same as a nursing assistant?
Yes. The title changes by state, so use the one in the job ad and mention your state certification.
Sources
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