Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Job Description Template

Certified Nursing Assistant Job Overview

A Certified Nursing Assistant provides hands-on assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) for patients or residents who cannot complete them independently due to illness, disability, or age-related decline. In this role, you'll help with bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, mobility, and eating — not as tasks to check off, but as direct care interactions that affect your patients' comfort, dignity, and clinical status every single day.

The CNA role reports to the Charge LPN or RN on duty and operates within an interdisciplinary care team that includes nursing staff, dietary, therapy, and social services. You are the team member who spends the most time with patients. That proximity makes your observations — a change in appetite, a new skin discoloration, unusual confusion — some of the most clinically valuable data in the building.

Success in this role is about reliability, physical stamina, genuine compassion, and the professional discipline to document accurately and communicate observations through the right channels. In long-term care settings, a typical CNA assignment covers 8-12 residents per shift. In acute care hospital environments, the ratio is usually lower, with stronger RN oversight and a faster pace of patient turnover.

The best CNAs here aren't just completing care tasks — they're building trust with people at their most vulnerable.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist patients or residents with all activities of daily living (ADLs): bathing (bed bath, tub, shower), oral hygiene, grooming, dressing, and toileting according to individual care plans

• Provide safe mobility assistance including transfers from bed to wheelchair and ambulation, using proper body mechanics and mechanical lifts (Hoyer, Sara lift) per care plan specifications

• Measure and record vital signs — blood pressure, temperature, pulse, respirations, weight, and oxygen saturation — at scheduled intervals and report abnormal readings to the charge nurse immediately

• Monitor and document intake and output (I&O), meal consumption percentages, and fluid intake for residents on I&O orders

• Observe and report skin condition changes — redness, breakdown, new wounds, bruising, or rashes — at each care interaction and document per facility protocol

• Respond promptly to call lights, patient requests, and bedside alarms, maintaining response times within facility standards (typically under 5 minutes)

• Reposition bedbound patients at minimum every 2 hours per pressure injury prevention protocols, documenting repositioning in the care record

• Support dementia and cognitive impairment residents using person-centered, validation-based communication approaches

• Maintain clean, safe patient environments: make occupied and unoccupied beds, empty commodes and urinary drainage bags, and report equipment needs to appropriate staff

• Complete timely, accurate CNA documentation in the facility EHR or paper record before end of shift, capturing all ADL assistance, observations, and resident behavioral changes

Required Qualifications for a Certified Nursing Assistant

• Active CNA certification in the state of employment, listed in good standing on the state nurse aide registry

• Completion of a state-approved nursing assistant training program (minimum 75 federal clock hours; many states require 120+)

• Current BLS (CPR/AED) certification from AHA or Red Cross

• Ability to perform the full physical demands of the role: standing 8+ hours per shift, lifting up to 35 pounds unassisted (greater weights with mechanical assistance), bending, and kneeling repeatedly

• Demonstrated ability to provide direct personal care with sensitivity to patient dignity and cultural preferences

• Basic written communication skills for accurate documentation in resident records

• Ability to follow written and verbal instructions from supervising licensed nursing staff

• Willingness to work rotating shifts, nights, weekends, and holidays as required by staffing schedule

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior CNA experience (6+ months) in a long-term care, skilled nursing, memory care, or acute care setting

• Dementia-specific training or certification (CADDCT or facility-equivalent)

• Experience using long-term care EHR systems such as PointClickCare or MatrixCare

• Bilingual proficiency in Spanish or other languages prevalent in the resident population

• Current enrollment in an LPN or RN nursing program

• CPR instructor certification or willingness to cross-train for facility CPR program support

Essential Skills & Competencies for Certified Nursing Assistants

Technical Skills:

• ADL assistance: bathing, dressing, grooming, oral care, toileting, and feeding techniques

• Safe patient handling: manual transfer techniques and mechanical lift operation (Hoyer, ceiling, sit-to-stand)

• Vital signs measurement: manual blood pressure, pulse palpation, temperature (oral/axillary/tympanic), respirations, SpO2

• Intake and output measurement and documentation

• Skin inspection and pressure injury staging recognition for reporting purposes

• Proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE): gloves, gown, mask, eye protection per infection control standards

• Range-of-motion exercises: passive and active-assisted ROM per therapy plan

• Positioning techniques: supine, side-lying, Fowler's, semi-Fowler's, and prone positioning with appropriate padding

• Urinary catheter bag emptying and external catheter (condom catheter) management

• EHR or paper ADL documentation including behavioral observations and resident refusals

Soft Skills:

• Empathy that genuinely extends to residents at their lowest physical and emotional moments

• Patience for repetitive tasks and repetitive communication with residents who have dementia or behavioral health needs

• Composure during difficult interactions: residents who resist care, become agitated, or exhibit verbally challenging behavior

• Observational acuity — noticing the small change that signals something bigger brewing

• Dependability that your team can count on: showing up, on time, fully present, every assigned shift

• Respectful communication with residents, families, and colleagues regardless of cultural or personal differences

• Willingness to escalate concerns to licensed staff rather than managing situations alone beyond your scope

CNA Salary Range & Benefits

Salary Overview

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for Nursing Assistants (including CNAs) is $38,200. Compensation varies meaningfully by employer type, geographic market, shift, and years of experience.

Top-Paying Metropolitan Areas:

• San Francisco, CA: $52,400

• San Jose, CA: $51,700

• Napa, CA: $49,300

• Seattle, WA: $44,900

• Honolulu, HI: $43,500

Night and weekend shift differentials typically add $1-$3/hour. Travel CNA positions in high-demand markets pay 25-40% above standard staff rates.

Benefits Package

Competitive CNA offers in 2026 typically include:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance (employer contribution varies by facility type)

• 401(k) or 403(b) retirement savings with employer match where offered

• Paid time off: 5-15 days annually, increasing with tenure

• Paid sick leave and short-term disability coverage

• CNA certification renewal reimbursement and paid continuing education

• Tuition assistance or scholarship programs for LPN/RN program enrollment: $1,000-$5,000/year at many health systems

• Shift differentials for evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays

• Employee assistance programs including counseling support and financial wellness resources

• Uniform/scrub allowance at many facilities ($100-$300/year)

• Career advancement pathways: CNA-to-LPN bridge programs and employer-sponsored nursing school tuition

Frequently Asked Questions About Certified Nursing Assistants

Q: What does a Certified Nursing Assistant do?
A: A CNA provides hands-on daily care assistance to patients or residents who cannot care for themselves independently. This includes help with bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, eating, and mobility, as well as monitoring vital signs, reporting clinical observations to nursing staff, and maintaining accurate documentation. CNAs are the primary direct-care presence in most long-term care and skilled nursing settings.

Q: What qualifications do you need to be a Certified Nursing Assistant?
A: You need to complete a state-approved nursing assistant training program (minimum 75-120 hours depending on the state), pass the state competency evaluation (written and skills test), and be listed in good standing on the state nurse aide registry. Current BLS certification is required by most employers. Some states require additional hours for specialty settings like acute care hospitals.

Q: How much does a Certified Nursing Assistant make?
A: The BLS reports a median annual wage of $38,200 for nursing assistants. California CNAs earn significantly more, with top metro areas averaging $51,000-$52,000. Night shift differentials, weekend premiums, and overtime meaningfully increase annual take-home for full-time CNAs in most markets.

Q: What skills are required for a Certified Nursing Assistant?
A: Core technical skills include ADL care, safe patient handling, vital signs, I&O documentation, skin inspection, and proper PPE use. Equally critical are soft skills: empathy, patience with cognitively impaired residents, calm under pressure, sharp observational skills, and reliable follow-through on every assigned patient without waiting to be reminded.

Q: What is the difference between a CNA and an LPN?
A: CNAs provide direct personal care assistance and take vital signs under nursing supervision but do not administer medications or perform clinical procedures. LPNs hold a state license, complete a one-year nursing program, and can administer medications, perform wound care, and execute medical procedures within their state-defined scope of practice.

Q: How do you assess a CNA candidate?
A: Request verification of state registry listing at the interview stage — don't wait for the offer. Ask scenario-based questions: how they handle a resident who refuses morning care, what they do when they notice a new pressure sore, how they prioritize when three call lights go off simultaneously. A brief practical skills demonstration (transfer technique, vital signs) before hire is worth the extra step in any direct-care setting.

Q: What is the career path for a CNA?
A: CNAs commonly advance to LPN programs (often with employer tuition support), become patient care technicians or medication aides in states that permit it, or develop specialty skills in dementia care or wound care. CNA experience remains one of the strongest foundations for a nursing career — nursing school applicants with CNA backgrounds consistently outperform peers in clinical rotations.