Best Certified Nursing Assistant Resume Examples for 2024 (Template & Guide)

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Certified Nursing Assistant Resume: Choose a Format

Choosing the right resume format is crucial when crafting your CNA resume. The best format depends on your work experience and career goals. Whether you’re new to the field or have years of experience, choosing a format that presents your qualifications in the best light is essential to your success.

There are three formats to consider for a CNA resume: chronological, functional or combination.

Chronological Resumes for Certified Nursing Assistants

A chronological resume is ideal if you have a consistent work history in healthcare. This format lists your jobs chronologically, starting with your most recent position. It’s the most popular format since it is easy for employers to understand your work experience.

A chronological format is also the most compatible with applicant tracking systems (ATS), which increases your chances of getting your resume in front of a hiring manager. However, if you’ve had significant employment gaps or are new to the field, this format may not be the best fit for you.

Functional Resumes for Certified Nursing Assistants

A functional resume format is excellent for highlighting your skills, especially if you’re new to the workforce or transitioning careers. This format focuses on your abilities and qualifications rather than your work history. It’s a good option to emphasize your caregiving skills and certifications without tying them to a specific job title or timeline.

However, a functional resume can raise concerns for hiring managers since it doesn’t include work experience. It is also incompatible with most ATS, which could hurt your chances. Use this format if your skills are your strongest selling point, but be cautious of its drawbacks.

Combination Resumes for Certified Nursing Assistants

A combination resume blends aspects of both the chronological and functional formats. It highlights your most relevant skills at the top of the resume, followed by a chronological list of your work history. This format works well if you want to showcase a strong skill set and have relevant nursing assistant experience.

However, a chronological format can be tricky to organize, which can cause your resume to be longer than ideal. When using this format, focus on the most relevant information for potential employers.

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Choosing a Resume Format

Choosing a resume format is a crucial first step in writing a resume for a certified nursing assistant. When in doubt, a chronological resume is always a safe choice, regardless of your experience level. This format is the most familiar to employers and ensures your resume will get through the applicant tracking systems (ATS) that screen resumes.

A chronological format can work well even if you don’t have much experience. You can tailor your resume to highlight any relevant experience you’ve gained through volunteer work, internships, or caregiving for family members.

For example, suppose you’ve cared for a family member or worked as a babysitter. In that case, you have valuable skills in compassion, communication and attention to detail, which are highly relevant for a CNA role. Or, if you worked in customer service, you learned patience and problem-solving, which are essential when working with patients.

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How to Write a Certified Nursing Assistant Resume

Once you choose a format, writing a resume for a CNA is pretty straightforward. The first step is to create a resume outline that includes the following essential sections:

• Contact Information
• Summary or Objective
• Work History
• Skills
• Education

Once you have the basics covered, you will consider some optional sections to enhance your resume and stand out as the perfect candidate!

Contact Information

First, provide your name and contact information at the top of your resume, making it easy for employers to schedule an interview. Include your full name, city and state, phone number, email address and LinkedIn profile (if you have one).

You can format your contact information like this:

Jessica Williams
San Antonio, TX
(555) 555-1234
jessica.williams@email.com
linkedin.com/in/jessica-williams

This information should be easy to find and easy to read. Use a standard font, and double-check for any typos. After all, you want employers to be able to reach you without a hassle.

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Summary or Objective

Next, you will write a brief introduction to grab the reader’s attention and make them want to learn more. Use a resume summary or objective to overview your key qualifications and career goals.

A resume summary is a concise two or three sentences that summarize your experience, skills and achievements. Use a summary if you’ve been working as a CNA for some time and want to highlight your career progression.

Here’s an example of a summary of a certified nursing assistant resume:

Compassionate certified nursing assistant with 5+ years of experience providing excellent patient care in long-term care facilities and hospitals. Skilled in patient hygiene, feeding, and mobility assistance with a passion for improving patient quality of life.

An objective statement, on the other hand, focuses on your career goals and what you hope to achieve in your next role. It’s ideal for recent graduates or those changing careers.

Here’s an example of an objective for a certified nursing assistant resume:

Recent graduate with a passion for caregiving and a strong understanding of patient care. Eager to apply compassionate care and nursing assistant skills to support patients in a healthcare setting.

Whichever you choose, tailor this introductory statement to the specific job you’re applying for. Using keywords from the job listing will make your resume ATS-friendly and show potential employers you’re a good match for the position.

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Work History

The work history section of a CNA resume provides a detailed account of your professional experience, showing employers how your previous roles have prepared you for the job you’re applying for. It’s your opportunity to make your qualifications shine!

Start by listing your previous jobs chronologically, starting with the most recent and working backward. Include your job title, the employer’s name, the dates of employment, and three to five bullet points outlining your key responsibilities and achievements.

When listing your job responsibilities, focus on tasks that highlight your skills as a CNA — such as patient care or assisting with daily living activities. Use action verbs like “assisted,” “monitored,” or “provided” to make your responsibilities sound more engaging.

Quantify your achievements whenever possible, giving employers a clearer picture of your impact. For example, instead of saying you “assisted elderly residents,” say “assisted 15+ residents with daily activities.”

Focus on how you contributed to patient care and any improvements or positive outcomes that resulted from your efforts. Did you reduce patient wait times? Were you part of a team that improved patient outcomes? These achievements show that you’re not just doing the job but making a difference.

Here’s how to format a job entry for a CNA resume:

Certified Nursing Assistant
Greenfield Nursing Home — Boulder, CO
January 2020 – Present

• Assisted 20+ elderly residents with daily activities, including bathing, dressing, and feeding.
• Monitored vital signs and reported any changes to the nursing staff, ensuring quick response to health issues.
• Collaborated with a team to improve patient care plans, leading to a 15% increase in patient satisfaction scores.
• Provided emotional support and companionship to patients, improving their overall well-being.

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Skills

Your CNA resume should include a dedicated skills section highlighting your hard and soft skills. Hard skills are specific abilities and knowledge you’ve gained through training and work experience, like checking a patient’s vital signs or CPR. Soft skills are personal attributes that help you work well with patients and colleagues, like empathy and communication.

CNAs must have strong technical skills and the ability to work well with others to succeed. Including a balanced mix of skills will impress potential employers and demonstrate you are a well-rounded candidate.

Here are the top skills for a certified nursing assistant resume:

Top 5 Hard Skills for Certified Nursing Assistant Resumes

1. Vital Signs Monitoring: Accurate monitoring of vital signs like blood pressure and heart rate is critical for identifying patient health issues early and ensuring their safety.
2. Patient Mobility Assistance: Being skilled in helping patients move safely during transfers reduces the risk of injury and ensures patient comfort.
3. Basic Life Support (BLS): Having CPR and first aid certification enables you to respond quickly in emergencies, potentially saving lives.
4. Medical Terminology: A solid grasp of medical terminology helps you communicate effectively with other healthcare professionals and understand patient care plans.
5. Infection Control: Knowledge of proper hygiene practices minimizes infection risk, protecting patients and staff in healthcare settings.

Top 5 Soft Skills for Certified Nursing Assistant Resumes

1. Empathy: Demonstrating empathy helps build trust with patients, making them feel supported and comfortable in your care.
2. Communication: Clear communication ensures that patient needs are accurately conveyed to the healthcare team, improving overall care.
3. Patience: Patience is key when assisting patients who may be anxious or uncooperative, allowing you to provide calm and effective care.
4. Adaptability: Being adaptable helps you handle the varying demands of patient care in a fast-paced environment, ensuring smooth operations.
5. Teamwork: Strong teamwork skills enable you to work seamlessly with other healthcare professionals, ensuring patients receive the best possible care.

Here’s how to format a skills section on a certified nursing assistant resume:

Skills

• Vital Signs Monitoring
• Patient Mobility Assistance
• Basic Life Support (BLS)
• Communication
• Empathy
• Teamwork

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Education

A CNA job requires completing a state-approved training program, so your educational background is essential to your resume. List your highest level of education, including your nursing assistant certification and any relevant coursework.

Here’s an example:

Certified Nursing Assistant Program
Red Rocks Community College — Lakewood, CO

• Completed 120 hours of training in patient care, safety and infection control
• Passed the Colorado State CNA certification exam

You can also include any additional certifications or licenses here. Or, create a separate section to highlight your unique qualifications.

Additional Sections

Including additional sections on your resume can help set you apart from other candidates by highlighting any additional qualifications or experiences you’ve gained. Consider adding sections like:

• Certifications: If you have additional certifications like CPR or first aid, list them here.
• Volunteer Work: Experience volunteering in healthcare can demonstrate your commitment to patient care.
• Languages: Speaking a second language is a valuable asset in healthcare.
• Professional Affiliations: Membership in professional organizations shows dedication to ongoing learning and development.

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Top Certifications for Certified Nursing Assistants

Certifications can give you a competitive edge and show employers you’re serious about your career. Here are some of the top certifications for certified nursing assistants:

1. Basic Life Support (BLS): This certification ensures you can respond quickly to cardiac and breathing emergencies.
2. CPR Certification: Being CPR certified is a valuable skill that all CNAs should have.
3. First Aid Certification: This certification shows you can handle minor injuries and emergencies.
4. Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP): This certification is essential if you work with patients with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.
5. Certified Hospice and Palliative Nursing Assistant (CHPNA): This certification shows expertise in providing care to terminally ill patients.

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10 Tips for Writing a Certified Nursing Assistant Resume

1. Tailor your resume to the job description: When applying for a CNA position, look closely at the job description and pick out key phrases or skills the employer seeks. For example, if the job emphasizes patient mobility assistance or monitoring vital signs, highlight those skills in your resume. This approach helps your resume stand out to applicant tracking systems (ATS) — the software many employers use to filter resumes based on relevant keywords.
2. Highlight your CNA certification: Your CNA certification is one of your most vital assets, so make sure it’s listed on your resume. You want hiring managers to see that you have the proper nursing assistant credentials. Include the name of the certifying body and the date you received your certification.
3. Focus on relevant experience: Even if your work history isn’t entirely in healthcare, you can emphasize the most relevant details to stand out. For instance, if you’ve worked in a caregiving role, volunteered at a nursing home, or even assisted family members with medical care, highlight these experiences to show how your past work aligns with CNA duties.
4. Use action verbs: Make your work history section come to life by starting each bullet point with a strong action verb. Instead of saying “Responsible for patient care,” say “provided patient care” or “monitored vital signs.” Action verbs make your responsibilities sound more active and help the employer visualize you in the role.
5. Quantify your achievements: Numbers can make your accomplishments more tangible. For example, if you’ve worked as a CNA, mention how many patients you assisted daily or how quickly you responded to patient requests. Instead of saying, “Cared for patients,” you could say, “Assisted 10+ patients daily with personal hygiene, mobility, and feeding.” Numbers provide a clearer picture of your impact.
6. Include hard and soft skills: A successful CNA needs technical and interpersonal skills. Make sure your resume reflects both. Include skills like infection control, basic life support and patient mobility assistance, and soft skills like empathy, communication and teamwork. Employers want a CNA with the technical knowledge and emotional intelligence to be successful.
7. Keep it concise: When writing your CNA resume, less is more. Aim for a one-page resume that focuses on your most relevant qualifications. Don’t feel the need to include every job you’ve ever had — only list the experience that directly applies to the CNA position you’re targeting.
8. Use a professional format: Your resume format matters more than you might think. Choose a clean, visually appealing design that makes it easy for hiring managers to read. Stick to traditional fonts, bullet points, and clear section headings. Avoid fancy fonts or excessive design elements that can distract from your content and may be incompatible with applicant tracking systems. A well-organized format reflects your professionalism.
9. Proofread carefully: CNAs need strong attention to detail, so a typo or grammatical mistake can make a poor impression. Take the time to proofread your resume — or ask a friend to review it — before submitting it. Check for consistency in formatting, proper grammar, and clear language to ensure your resume is error-free.
10. Use keywords from the job description: Customize your resume for each job application to include keywords and phrases from the job description. This approach makes your resume feel more personal and targeted to the job and makes your resume more ATS-friendly.