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CNA Resume Examples: 5 Best Samples & Why They Work

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Does creating a CNA resume seem daunting for you? Well, it can be, especially if you have no references or guidelines to help you.

Luckily, we’ve written this guide to make it easy for you to create your next CNA resume.

In this post, we’ll provide you with five robust examples you can use to create an impactful CNA resume.

We’ll also provide you with the skills and action verbs you need to add to your resume, and all writing tips to consider.

What Should a CNA Resume Include?

Your CNA resume should include the following in order:

  • Your name and contact information
  • Objective statement or professional summary
  • Your most relevant professional experience
  • The most job-related skills
  • Education, certificates, and licenses
  • References, if listed in the job description

The 5 Best CNA Resume Examples

There are many ways to craft an outstanding CNA resume. However, there are zillions of methods that can lead to a lackluster one too.

Avoid any hassle and follow these examples to create your perfect resume:

CNA Resume Examples with No Experience

CNA Resume Examples with No Experience

Why We Suggest this Resume

As an entry-level CNA, employers don’t expect you to have broad professional experience. They only expect you to be a certified CNA. This resume does exactly this by highlighting CNA training experience.

  • Type of Resume: CNA Resume Examples with No Experience
  • Best For: Certified nurses looking for entry-level CNA jobs

As an entry-level CNA, employers don’t expect you to have broad professional experience. They only expect you to be a certified CNA.

Add your CNA certificate to the resume. You also need to include the few weeks of hands-on training you had at a healthcare property during the CNA program. Highlight your job-related skills as well.

Here’s a junior CNA resume example you can use:

graphic showing CNA resume examples with no experience

Work Experience 1

Nurse Aide (CNA) Certificate Training, Lone Star College, Dec. 2022–Jan. 2023

  • Assisted patients in their daily living activities (ADLs) in a compassionate way
  • Monitored patients’ body temperature, blood pressure, respiration rate, and all vital signs
  • Reported the patient’s vital signs to the registered nurse
  • Communicated consistently with the patients, their families, and the nurses to understand the needs of the patients and to meet them
  • Established connections with patients to promote a comfortable environment for them

Work Experience 2

Personal Assistant, Dr. John Bean, May 2020–Nov. 2022

  • Managed the doctor’s daily schedule, including meetings and appointments
  • Answered phone calls and handled requests
  • Provided office supplies and organized them
  • Organized travel schedule according to the upcoming events
  • Created and managed the filing system of the office

Skills

  • Attention to detail
  • Communication
  • Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
  • Knowledge of Medical Terminology
  • Electronic Medical Records

Volunteering Experience

  • American Red Cross, 2021–Present
  • Texas Health Resources, 2018–2020

Education

High School Diploma, Westwood High School, 2015–2019

Licenses & Accreditations

  • Nurse Aide (CNA) Certificate, Lone Star College, Houston, TX, 2023
  • Adult First Aid/CPR/AED, American Red Cross, 2022

Why This Resume Works

Taking care of patients and supporting them in performing their basic daily activities is the core responsibility of nursing assistants.

Given your limited professional experience, you need to demonstrate that you can provide residents with this basic care.

This resume does exactly this by highlighting the few responsibilities you had in the short period of training.

It starts with shedding light on the CNA’s two most demanded duties: ADLs and vital signs monitoring.

The resume also showcases your communicative personality and your empathic characteristics. These traits show the potential employer that you’re willing to help and care for patients.

Showing a good understanding of medical terminology is also a must in this role.

Your CNA and First Aid/CPR certificate support all the statements made in the resume and demonstrate your knowledge.

CNA Resume Example with Experience

CNA Resume Example with Experience

Why We Suggest this Resume

The work experience listed in this resume includes “helping patients with their ADLs” at the top of the responsibilities because it’s a priority for this role.

  • Type of Resume: CNA Resume Example with Experience
  • Best For: CNAs with experience applying for jobs

Having one year or more of experience indicates a solid understanding and mastery of your role.

Because you now have a broad comprehension of different patients’ requirements, you can collaborate with a registered nurse in mapping out the care plans.

You also have a significant role in observing and reporting health status to nurses.

Here’s how an experienced certified nursing assistant’s resume should be:

graphic showing CNA resume example with experience

Work Experience 1

Certified Nursing Assistant, 3Y Hospital: Mar. 2022–Present

  • Assisted an average of 12 patients per shift in their daily living activities. This includes bathing, dressing, grooming, and feeding.
  • Monitored patients’ vital signs and reported them to the registered nurse
  • Collaborated with the registered nurse to create individualized care plans for each patient
  • Maintained accurate information about the patient’s activities and mental health then delivered it to the healthcare team
  • Adhered to HIPAA standards in all interactions with patients

Work Experience 2

Certified Nursing Assistant, SS Healthcare: Aug. 2021–Feb. 2022

  • Aided patients in navigating the healthcare property, pulling their beds and wheelchairs carefully
  • Administering medications to patients as prescribed, ensuring the correct dosage and schedule are followed
  • Assisted patients in their daily life activities and helped them maintain healthy night and morning routines
  • Monitored any change in patients’ behavior and reported it to the healthcare team
  • Established strong connections with patients to put them at ease when asking for a service

Skills

  • Electronic Medical Records
  • Administrative Skills
  • Vital Signs Monitoring
  • Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
  • Communication

Education

High School Diploma, Madison High School, 2016–2020

Licenses & Accreditations

  • Nursing Assistant Certificate, Virginia Highlands Community College, 2021
  • CPR and First Aid, Virginia Health & Safety Institute, 2022

Why This Resume Works

The work experience listed on the resume included “helping patients with their ADLs” at the top of the responsibilities because it’s a priority for this role.

Since monitoring vital signs is also a must-have for any CNA, it’s the second responsibility on the list.

Your ability to build and establish trust with patients is a competitive edge. That’s why the resume highlights it as well.

The same goes for assisting patients with transportation. This ability is sought after by many employers.

As for the skills section, it included the essential competencies any CNA should have. It starts with the skill for computing electronic medical records, which is a requirement for this job.

Communication skills conclude the skill set list since a significant part of your role is to keep close communication with the residents.

CNA Supervisor Resume Example

CNA Supervisor Resume Example

Why We Suggest this Resume

This resume is great because it highlights leadership and coordination abilities. This is achieved by listing experience in creating schedules and organizing work between the team members.

  • Type of Resume: CNA Supervisor Resume Example
  • Best For: CNAs with experience applying for supervisor roles

Leading a team of CNAs can be challenging. You’re overseeing a team responsible for tens of patients’ care per shift.

This role requires exceptional organizational skills to be able to keep a seamless working process. You should also possess strong leadership and communication skills to fit the role.

Having a solid understanding of medical records is necessary to review your team’s reports. Your resume should prove you have all these requirements.

Here’s what a CNA supervisor’s Resume needs to be:

graphic showing CNA supervisor resume example

Work Experience 1

CNA Supervisor, Sun Healthcare, Nov. 2021–Present

  • Led and coordinated the teamwork of 12 CNA members
  • Ensured the team provided the required care for each patient
  • Set the daily schedule for nursing assistant tasks based on patients’ caring plans
  • Guided the CNA’s team and provided them with feedback and suggestions to improve their performance
  • Participated with the registered nurse in training the new CNA staff

Work Experience 2

Certified Nursing Assistant, MMM Healthcare, July 2019–Oct. 2021

  • Primed the examination room and ensured its sterilization and cleaning
  • Prepared surgical patients for operations and provided them with post-surgery care
  • Monitored patients’ vital signs, from blood pressure to sugar and body temperature
  • Cleaned and disinfected the patients’ wounds to maintain their hygiene and facilitate recovery
  • Helped residents in their daily activities. This includes feeding, bathing, and personal care.

Skills

  • Knowledge of Medical Terminology
  • Electronic Medical Records
  • Leadership
  • Coordination
  • Communication

Education

High School Diploma, Millburn High School, 2013–2017

Licenses & Accreditations

  • Nursing Assistant Certificate, AMG Medical Institute, 2019
  • CPR and First Aid, NJ Red Cross, 2019

Why This Resume Works

The resume portrays you as a dependable leader. It shows that you can manage the work while supporting your team.

It highlights your leadership and coordination abilities. This is achieved by listing your experience in creating schedules and organizing work between the team members.

The ability to evaluate and give feedback to CNAs is another essential competency mentioned in the resume.

It also showcased several CNA supervisors’ other vital responsibilities, like training the new staff and suggesting improvements.

The resume listed a must-have skill set for this role—on top of them: communication and leadership. The same goes for electronic medical records.

Your previous experience as a CNA team member demonstrates your comprehensive understanding of patient care tasks and functions.

STNAs Resume Example

STNAs Resume Example

Why We Suggest this Resume

STNAs should have CNA skills, from patient support to medical record keeping. This resume highlights the ability to monitor vital signs and support patients physically and emotionally which is a positive indicator of competency to the employer.

  • Type of Resume: STNAs Resume Example
  • Best For: Nurse assistants applying for STNA jobs

STNA stands for state-tested nursing assistant, which is another name for the CNA job used only in Ohio.

A state-tested nursing assistant needs to have the same CNA skills, from patient support to medical record keeping. Still, the resume of an STNA has some differences from that of a CNA.

Here’s how a STNAs resume should be:

graphic showing STNAs resume example

Work Experience 1

Certified Nursing Assistant, ABC Hospital, Apr. 2022–Present

  • Provided, on average, ten patients per shift with the necessary care and helped them in their daily living activities
  • Monitored vital signs of the patients and reported them to the healthcare team
  • Helped patients with getting in and out of their wheelchairs
  • Observed the stability of patients’ health after surgeries and reported any change in their behavior
  • Cleaned, tidied, and sanitized patients’ rooms and beds

Work Experience 2

Customer Service Representative, A2A Online Healthcare, Aug. 2021–Mar. 2022

  • Answered over 20 client calls per hour and provided information on how to use certain platform features
  • Provided detailed instructions to solve connection issues for patients during online calls with doctors
  • Recorded frequent clients complaints and questions to report them to the team lead
  • Collaborated with other departments to turn the reports of clients’ feedback into actionable plans for improvement
  • Updated clients’ information in the database  

Skills

  • Vital Signs Monitoring
  • ADLs
  • Knowledge of Medical Terminology
  • Electronic Medical Records
  • Communication

Education

High School Diploma, Geneva High School, 2014–2018

Licenses & Accreditations

  • Certified State Tested Nursing Assistant, Ohio State Board of Nursing. 2022
  • CPR and First Aid, CPR First Aid Training of Ohio, 2021

Why This Resume Works

Although one of the work experiences listed isn’t a direct healthcare role, it requires excellent communication and reporting skills.

These competencies are valuable in the nursing assistant career. Your ability to handle complaints and support clients will help you in your STNA role.

Your work experience as a CNA also demonstrates you have the skills needed to work as an STNA.

Additionally, emphasizing your ability to monitor vital signs and support patients physically and emotionally is a positive indicator of your competency for the employer.

Your physical stamina and the ability to transport patients are other valuable additions.

Plus, you need to add your license to the resume. The resume included the State Tested Nursing Assistant Certificate to fulfill this requirement.

Travel CNA Resume Example

Travel CNA Resume Example

Why We Suggest this Resume

This resume lists the applicant's decent experience in travel and on-site CNA responsibilities. This illustrates to the employer that you’re a trustworthy applicant.

  • Type of Resume: Travel CNA Resume Example
  • Best For: Nurse assistants applying for travel CNA jobs

A traveling CNA is a nurse assistant, but they don’t work in healthcare facilities. Instead, they travel to patients’ homes to take care of them.

As such, you need to demonstrate high proficiency in handling patients and dealing with urgent cases before working as a travel CNA.

The reason is that when in a patient’s home, you don’t have the support of an on-site healthcare team as in a hospital.

List at least a few months of experience as a certified nurse aide to showcase you can be a dependable travel nurse assistant.

Here’s how to create a winning travel-certified nursing assistant resume:

graphic showing Travel CNA resume example

Work Experience 1

Travel CNA, Beyond Care, Dec.2021–Present

  • Assisted patient with ADLs, including personal hygiene, bathing, dressing
  • Administered a detailed medication schedule for the patients
  • Provided patients with their daily nutrition by shopping for and preparing their meals
  • Aided the patients in transporting around the house and between rooms as needed
  • Offered psychological and mental support to the patients

Work Experience 2

Certified Nursing Assistant, THA Healthcare, Aug. 2020–Nov. 2021

  • Monitored patients’ health status and vital signs and reported them to the medical team
  • Maintained the cleanliness of the patients’ environment
  • Aided residents with the basic daily tasks, from dressing to bathing and feeding
  • Established trust with patients to promote a safe environment and support them psychologically
  • Provided post-surgery care and monitored wounds condition to alert the registered nurse of any changes

Skills

  • ADLs
  • Vital Signs Monitoring
  • Electronic Medical Records
  • Communication
  • Interpersonal

Education

High School Diploma, Excel Academy Charter School, 2015–2019

Licenses & Accreditations

  • Certified Nursing Assistant, MassBay Community College, 2020
  • First Aid and CPR, Boston University, 2021

Why This Resume Works

The resume listed your decent experience and responsibility in travel and on-site CNA. This illustrates to the employer that you’re a trustworthy applicant.

Because ADLs are the first skills employers look at, they’re on the top of the skills list.

Electronic medical records are a must for this role as well. You need to record vital signs and any change in health status and report them to remote doctors.

Additionally, being with patients for long hours requires excellent interpersonal skills to ensure understanding and support. The resume included this ability to emphasize it.

Common Skills & Action Verbs to Include on a CNA Resume

Every word in your resume can either work for or against you. You should pick your words attentively to convey a positive image of yourself.

This section is a writing guide to help you choose the ideal words to strengthen your resume and boost your acceptance chances.

That’s because using the following two lists when writing your resume will help you pass the automatic ATS filtration. More importantly, your resume will capture the attention of hiring managers.

Here are the best skills and action verbs to use in your resume:

Common Skills for CNA Resumes

CNA’s skill set should combine communication competencies and medical knowledge. They should also reflect a giving personality committed to helping and supporting patients.

 Here are the ideal skills to describe your core competencies:

  • Patient Monitoring
  • Common Disorders
  • Vital Signs Monitoring
  • Verbal Communication
  • Written Communication
  • Interpersonal
  • Attention to Detail
  • Consistency
  • Patient Care
  • Patient Safety
  • Medication Administration
  • Electronic Medical Records
  • Knowledge of Medical Terminology
  • Proper Hygiene
  • Diagnostic Testing
  • Patient Support
  • Privacy / HIPAA Regulations
  • Infection Control
  • Administrative Skills
  • Surgery Preparation
  • Postoperative Care
  • Moving Patients
  • Medical Emergency Equipment
  • Empathy

Common Action Verbs for CNA Resumes

As a CNA, most of your work is with seniors or people with disabilities. You need to be a supporter, helper, and dependable patient companion.

Use the following action verbs to tell the employer that you’re the nursing assistant they can count on:

  • Assessed
  • Guided
  • Provided
  • Helped
  • Documented
  • Bathed
  • Transferred
  • Measured
  • Reviewed
  • Exceeded
  • Monitored
  • Observed
  • Dressed
  • Volunteered
  • Fed
  • Aided
  • Coordinated
  • Led
  • Cared
  • Trained

Tips for Writing a Better CNA Resume

Using the right tips and tricks when writing your resume can skyrocket your acceptance chances.

Here’s how to write a winning certified nursing assistant resume:

1. Include CNA and CPR Certificates

Kicking off your CNA career necessitates having a CNA certificate. The role also requires a CPR and first aid certificate.

Add these two certificates to your resume, as they prove you have medical knowledge. You should add your high school diploma or equivalent as well.

However, if you have a college degree, it’s not necessary to list your high school diploma or equivalent.

Adding your college degree proves that you passed high school, which is what the recruiter wants to know.

Despite being not required, if you have a high GPA you can add it as an indication of superior performance. Here’s where to list GPA.

2. Highlight Any Healthcare Experience

If you’re a CNA with no experience, mention the few weeks of practice you had while in the CNA program in the resume. This is the best way to prove you have nursing assistant skills.

You can also include any work experience in healthcare, even if it’s not in a CNA role.

For instance, if you volunteered at the Red Cross or attended training programs there, mentioning these activities increases your resume value.

3. Convey a Dependable, Supportive Character

Besides showing you’re a certified CNA, you should center the resume around one key goal: showcase your supporting character.

Your description of previous roles, the verbs you use, and your skills should work in this direction. That way, your resume will outperform others.

Showcase your physical stamina in the roles you’ve performed to demonstrate you’re dependable.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, physical stamina is a highly demanded skill for CNA professionals.

If you have this trait, you can include it in your section to help you land this job. Having high endurance and fitness helps the nursing assistant to move and lift patients.

It also showcases the nurse assistant can walk and spend a long time standing on their feet. This can help him perform tasks more quickly and effectively.

4. Break the Chronological Order If Needed

Listing your work experience chronologically from the latest job to the first is the standard advice for organizing resumes. However, there’s an exception to this rule.

If you’ve worked as a CNA prior to your current job that doesn’t relate to the medical field, you can list your CNA experience first. After that, add your current irrelevant job below it.

5. Mention Awards, Second Language

Some resume sections aren’t required for CNAs, but adding them can strengthen the resume. Here are the most important two of them:

  • Awards: if you’re an experienced CNA and earned a specific reward related to the field, include the award in the resume. This can be a high-performance certificate or reward for a vital role in a successful project or initiative.
  • Second language: mastering a second language like Spanish, for example, can be an edge if you’re applying for a job at a healthcare agency that serves foreigners.

6. List References If Required

It’s known that you shouldn’t list references at any career level unless the employer asks for them.

For junior CNA positions, some employers request resumes with references. Add one or two references at the bottom of your resume if this is the case.

To add references, choose a previous team lead or an employer you’ve worked with during training or volunteering.

Select someone you directly collaborated with, so they can give genuine feedback about you. Remember to ask for the referenced person’s permission before listing them.

7. Proofread and Review the Resume Format

Review your resume multiple times after finishing it to spot any errors or confusing and unclear words. Ensure it’s easy to read and reflects your professionalism.

You can use proofreading and style enhancement tools to help you with that. Ask a friend also to read it and see if everything is understandable.

Check the format of the document as well. The font should be simple and clear. Make sure there’s appropriate white space to help recruiters’ eyes quickly navigate the document.

Once you’ve been invited to an interview, here’s how to prepare for CNA interview questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Does a CNA Make an Hour?

On average, a CNA gets paid $14.6 per hour. Still, the average hourly pay for a CNA varies from state to state and from one city to another.

It also differs based on the agency or the hospital you work for and your specific CNA role.

What is a Good Example of a CNA Resume Objective?

To write an ideal objective, list years of experience, if applicable. Add your most relevant skill or characteristic. It should also showcase how you’ll use these skills to help patients.

An example: a compassionate CNA with two years of experience seeks an opportunity at APC Hospital to apply expertise and support patients in comfortable recovery.

What Is the Most Important Function of the CNA?

The primary function of nurse assistants is to provide patients with the required support to perform basic daily tasks they might have problems doing independently.

However, monitoring vital signs and reporting to the medical team are also indispensable parts of this role.

How Long Should My CNA Resume Be?

A CNA resume should be only one page. For a senior CNA with over five years of experience, it can be two pages.

In all cases, use these one or two pages to include the most relevant and up-to-date information. Avoid including any information that doesn’t add value to the document.

Similar Resume Types to Reference

If you want to shift to another nursing role or even a pharma-related one, here are helpful resources to help you write your resume or CV:

  • Nursing Resume: Use this guide when creating your next nursing resume. The post will teach you the tips and tricks that you need.
  • Pharmacy Technician Resume: If a pharmacy technician position is your next destination, consider this resume example. Use it to create an attention-capturing resume.
  • Academic Resume: Use these examples for any position requiring a CV rather than a resume. The post explains step-by-step how to write your CV.

Wrapping Up

This CNA resume examples list is an excellent starting point to craft your next killer resume. Pick the one that matches your desired role and experience level then personalize it.

Use powerful action verbs and highly related skills to emphasize your supportive, dependable personality. These keywords will help you pass ATS filters and make a strong impression on the hiring manager.

Remember to include your CNA and CPR certificate and the highest education degree you achieved too.

Feel free to share your questions and thoughts about this topic in the comments. If you know someone who seeks a CNA position, share this post with them.

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