Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Resume Example

Working as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) is a rewarding, stimulating, and steady career.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, CNAs earn a median annual salary of $30,830. Also, the industry is projected to experience average growth through 2030.

The CNA industry’s average growth indicates you’ll have stiff competition for the job you apply to, so you need an above-average resume to get an interview.

Fortunately, these CNA resume examples and writing tips will help you craft the perfect certified nursing assistant resume.

1. Highlight your hard & soft skills

A career as a certified nursing assistant requires you to use a combination of hard and soft skills on a daily basis. Hard skills (also known as technical skills) are the job-specific skills and knowledge that you learned during your training.

Soft skills are your natural interpersonal skills that help you work with others. Your resume should feature a combination of both technical and soft skills that are specific to nursing.

Hard skills

Show how the practical knowledge and hands-on training you received from your certified nursing assistant training program help you provide excellent patient care.

For instance, this bullet point from a CNA resume work experience section covers types of care the candidate provided, creating context with positive results:

Helped residents with daily hygiene, including showering; oral and peri care; incontinence care; and minimizing rashes, sores, and soiling.

Additionally, if you use specific hardware or software, include the names of the programs or tools on your resume. For example, this bullet neatly lists three tools the applicant uses:

Transferred patients using gait belts, Hoyer lifts, and EasyStands as needed, ensuring patient safety and comfort.

Here’s a list of software and equipment that certified nursing assistants commonly use to highlight their CNA skills:

• Microsoft Office
• Medical administration software (MEDITECH and Epic Systems)
• Telemedicine software (Amwell and Zoom)
• Stethoscope
• Gait belt
• Hoyer lift
• EasyStand
• Surgical scissors
• Bedpan
• Defibrillator
• Thermometer
• Scales
• Blood pressure meter
• Autoclave
• Hemoglobin machine
• Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Syringe
• Blood-glucose meter
• Otoscope

Soft skills

As a certified nursing assistant, you interact with other health care professionals, patients, and family members of patients every day. So you need a strong set of soft skills on your certified nursing assistant resume, including the following:

• Interpersonal skills
• Teamwork
• Conflict Management
• Active listening
• Adaptability
• Calmness
• Patience
• Empathy

2. Write a standout CNA resume objective or summary

Ensure the hiring manager sees your best qualifications by putting them in a CNA resume objective or summary at the top of your resume.

A resume objective is a short paragraph that highlights your relevant nursing skills and career goals. The focus on skill set and future plans makes a resume objective ideal if you’re a recent vocational school graduate or entry-level CNA.

A resume summary explains how your most impressive career achievements fit your target care facility’s goals. Use a resume summary if you have CNA experience on your resume.

Here’s an example of an objective for a resume with no CNA experience, followed by a resume summary written by the same candidate later in their career:

CNA resume objective

Recently graduated certified nursing assistant with CPR certification and clinical experience. Passionate about caring for the elderly, brightening their days by expressing genuine interest in their lives while assisting them with daily activities. Seeking to enhance the Shady Days Nursing Home environment with a positive attitude and skilled CNA care.

CNA resume summary

Reliable, caring certified nursing assistant with 6+ years of experience caring for elderly and vulnerable adults. Work well with bedridden, physically challenged, and memory-impaired residents. Friendly and compassionate, with excellent interpersonal communication skills. Discreet and confidential in all dealings with patients and staff.

3. Quantify your accomplishments with hard numbers

Adding data to your CNA resume adds depth to your accomplishments and demonstrates your ability to produce results that make your resume stand out.

For example, this candidate states the number of residents they cared for:

Assisted approximately 15 residents each shift with activities of daily living, ensuring they were on time for all meals and activities.

Also, if your actions resulted in a positive change in percentages, dollar amounts, or time, include that information on your resume. Here’s an example that’s sure to impress any hiring manager:

Reduced the number of daily patient calls by 10% by educating residents on proper call procedures and practices.

4. Draw attention to your certifications

As a certified nursing assistant, you’re responsible for the safety, health, and overall well-being of vulnerable individuals. To prove you have the necessary training for this position, you need to possess a valid Certified Nursing Assistant License as well as compliance training on OSHA and HIPPA regulations.

But just completing the certifications isn’t enough to get you a job. You also need to know how to list certifications on your resume properly. Failing to include the proper information could result in your application being rejected, but you can avoid that by:

• displaying your education and certifications in separate sections on your resume to make them easy for the hiring manager to find
• including the name of the certification, date of issue, the name of the organization that issued the certificate, and if necessary, the expiration date

If you’ve completed additional training or hold supplementary certifications relevant to a certified nursing assistant position, add them to your resume as well. The following are additional courses and certifications you may want to include on your resume:

• CPR/First Aid
• Caring for Seniors
• Disability Care Course