Certified Nursing Assistant Skills

What are essential CNA skills to include on a resume?

These skills reflect the core competencies employers look for in a Certified Nursing Assistant and demonstrate your ability to provide both medical and emotional support to patients.

1. Helping with personal care routines: Supporting patients with things like bathing, brushing hair, and keeping clean to make them feel comfortable.
2. Taking care of patients in bed: Moving or turning patients in bed to avoid bedsores and help them stay comfortable and healthy.
3. Toileting and catheter help: Assisting with bathroom needs or using catheters, while making sure everything stays clean and private.
4. Helping during meals: Setting up food trays, feeding patients when needed, and keeping track of how much they eat or drink.
5. Providing emotional support: Being there to talk, listen, and comfort patients who feel anxious, sad, or lonely.
6. Using medical equipment safely: Knowing how to handle things like wheelchairs, patient lifts, or oxygen tanks properly.
7. Noticing health changes: Watching for signs like mood shifts or appetite loss and telling nurses when something seems off.
8. Comforting during end-of-life care: Helping people in their final days with kindness and supporting their family as well.
9. Respecting privacy rules: Keeping patient information private and following all rules about confidentiality.
10. Acting fast in emergencies: Knowing when something is wrong and getting help quickly to keep patients safe.

How can I showcase my CNA skills on my resume?

You can make your CNA skills stand out on your resume by clearly organizing and demonstrating them in different resume sections.

1. Include a dedicated skills section: Create a list of your most important CNA abilities like patient assistance and safety practices.
2. Use bullet points in your experience section: Write examples of how you used CNA skills on the job, like helping with dressing or checking vital signs.
3. Incorporate relevant keywords: Add terms from the job ad to help your resume get noticed by automated filters.
4. Quantify achievements when possible: Include numbers to show how many patients you cared for or tasks completed per shift.
5. Mention certifications and training: Add licenses like CNA, CPR, or any medical courses in the education area.
6. Use action verbs: Begin job duties with dynamic verbs to keep your resume strong and direct.
7. Highlight soft skills: Mention traits like compassion, teamwork, and listening where relevant.
8. Include a professional summary: Write an opening paragraph that captures your best qualifications.
9. Show growth and responsibility: Point out if you took on more tasks or moved up in a previous CNA role.

Why are CNA skills important for job applications?

CNA skills are essential for job applications because they directly show your ability to handle the physical, emotional, and clinical demands of patient care. These skills help employers quickly assess whether you’re qualified to support healthcare teams and ensure patient well-being.

Job readiness: CNA skills prove you're prepared for the physical and emotional demands of caregiving.

Role clarity: They show that you understand daily tasks like hygiene support and mobility assistance.

Employer trust: Skills such as observation and documentation build confidence in your reliability.

Patient focus: They highlight your ability to treat patients with dignity and compassion.

ATS matching: Including keywords from CNA job descriptions helps your resume get past screening systems.

Candidate edge: Clear, specific skills give you an advantage over vague or generic resumes.

Safety knowledge: Employers look for CNAs who know infection control and emergency protocols.

Team fit: These skills show you can collaborate with nurses, doctors, and other CNAs.

Proven experience: Listing them reflects hands-on experience in real care environments.

Growth mindset: Updated CNA skills show you're open to learning and improving on the job.

How do I improve my CNA skills for a resume?

Building your CNA abilities enhances your self-assurance and enriches your resume, increasing your appeal to healthcare employers.

1. Take additional certifications: Sign up for new health-related courses to boost your skill set and stand out to employers.
2. Get hands-on experience: Try volunteering at care centers to gain more practical knowledge in real settings.
3. Practice soft skills: Work on being more patient, understanding, and clear in communication through daily care routines.
4. Use online resources: Take advantage of videos and online courses that refresh or teach advanced CNA skills.
5. Seek feedback: Ask those you work with for advice on what you can improve to be more effective.
6. Keep a skills checklist: Write down the tasks you’ve learned and practiced to measure your growth.
7. Learn from experienced CNAs: Watch how seasoned aides manage patient care and apply their methods.
8. Improve physical stamina: Stay physically active to handle the demands of long shifts and lifting tasks.
9. Study healthcare trends: Read online articles or watch industry updates to stay ahead in your field.

Can I list soft skills as CNA skills on my resume?

Soft skills are important to include on your CNA resume because they reflect how well you care for patients and work with others.

1. Soft skills enhance patient care: Qualities like kindness and empathy help you connect better with those in your care.
2. Communication is key: Good speaking and listening skills lead to fewer misunderstandings in care tasks.
3. Teamwork improves efficiency: Cooperating smoothly with coworkers creates a better environment.
4. Patience reduces stress: Staying calm helps both patients and coworkers during busy or emotional times.
5. Adaptability shows resilience: Being open to changes helps you handle new tasks or unexpected events.
6. Soft skills strengthen your resume: They make your profile more appealing by showing you care about people.
7. They support your technical skills: These traits help you use your CNA skills in a thoughtful way.
8. Many employers prioritize them: Recruiters want CNAs who are reliable, kind, and team-focused.
9. They help in job interviews: Listing them makes it easier to explain how you handle real-life care situations.

What hard CNA skills should be added to a CNA resume?

These hands-on skills show that you’re capable of handling the day-to-day technical responsibilities required in patient care.

1. Checking vital signs: Able to take and write down blood pressure, pulse, breathing rate, and temperature with care and accuracy using proper tools.
2. Helping with hygiene: Comfortable helping patients with things like bathing, brushing teeth, and grooming while making sure they feel respected.
3. Moving patients safely: Skilled in helping patients change positions, walk around, or move from bed to chair using support belts or lifts when needed.
4. Meal and feeding help: Prepares meals, helps feed patients who can’t feed themselves, and keeps a record of how much they eat and drink.
5. Toileting and catheter care: Assists with bathroom needs, changing briefs, and cleaning up, including taking care of catheters and keeping areas sanitized.
6. Cleaning small wounds: Helps with minor wound care like cleaning and dressing, and tells nurses if there’s swelling, redness, or skin damage.
7. Collecting samples: Gathers urine, stool, or mucus samples for testing and follows the right steps for labeling and sending them.
8. Emergency care ready: Has CPR and first aid training, so they can help in emergencies until a nurse or doctor arrives.
9. Using patient records: Can use computer systems to type in updates about how patients are doing and what care they got.
10. Stopping infections: Follows strict cleaning and hygiene rules like handwashing and wearing gloves to protect patients from germs.

Which soft skills matter most for a CNA resume?

Soft skills are a key part of CNA work and should be included on your resume to show how well you interact with patients and coworkers.

1. Compassion: Lets patients feel cared for and emotionally supported during tough times.
2. Communication: Helps make sure messages between you, patients, and staff are clear and correct.
3. Patience: Keeps you calm while dealing with slow tasks or difficult patient behaviors.
4. Empathy: Helps you understand how a patient is feeling and respond in a caring way.
5. Teamwork: Makes working with nurses and others easier so everyone can provide better care.
6. Dependability: Shows that you're someone others can rely on to do the job correctly and on time.
7. Attention to detail: Helps avoid mistakes by noticing small but important things in patient care.
8. Flexibility: Lets you handle last-minute changes or different responsibilities during a shift.
9. Listening skills: Allows you to hear and respond to patient concerns or changes in their condition.
10. Emotional resilience: Keeps you focused and steady even when patient care becomes emotionally tough.

How do I include certifications like CPR or BLS on a CNA resume?

Certifications like CPR and BLS make your CNA resume stronger by showing you're ready for emergency care, so it's important to add them correctly.

1. Create a “Certifications” section: Put a clear heading where you list your medical credentials.
2. List the full certification name: Write out names like “CPR – American Red Cross” or “Basic Life Support (BLS).”
3. Include the issuing organization: Let the reader know who certified you, such as the AHA or Red Cross.
4. Add the date earned or expiration date: This shows your training is recent and still valid.
5. Use bullet points for clarity: Keep each certification on its own line so it’s easy to read.
6. Place it prominently: Move it higher on your resume if the job posting requires that certification.
7. Mention it in your summary: Briefly note certifications in your opening summary to stand out.
8. Include in experience if relevant: Refer to the certification when describing duties that required emergency response.
9. Keep it updated: Don’t list old or expired certifications—renew them before applying.
10. Use consistent formatting: Make your resume neat by keeping font, spacing, and bullet style uniform.

Should I tailor my skills section for each CNA job posting?

Changing your skills to fit the job shows employers that you’re the right match and helps your resume stand out.

1. Fits what they want: You’ll show the exact skills they asked for, like dementia care or help with children.
2. Beats resume software: Using their words makes your resume easier for software to find.
3. Keeps it relevant: You can move the most important skills up based on what the job focuses on.
4. Matches the setting: You can add skills for hospitals, homes, or care centers based on where the job is.
5. Gets more responses: Resumes that fit the ad closely are more likely to get interviews.
6. Shows you pay attention: It proves you're detail-oriented and not sending out the same resume to everyone.
7. Avoids extra fluff: You can remove skills that don’t matter for that job to keep things clean.
8. Focuses on that shift or type: If it’s a night job or rehab role, you can highlight related experience.
9. Makes it easier to notice: A clear and focused list of skills gets faster attention from hiring teams.

How do I use action verbs to describe CNA skills?

Action verbs help make your CNA resume stronger by clearly showing the tasks you performed and the value you added to patient care.

1. Start each bullet point with a verb: Begin your descriptions with words that show action, like “monitored” or “assisted.”
2. Choose verbs that reflect caregiving tasks: Use words such as “comforted” or “provided” that match your daily duties.
3. Highlight teamwork and communication: Include verbs like “collaborated” or “communicated” when writing about working with others.
4. Show problem-solving and judgment: Words like “reported,” “noticed,” or “responded” show that you were alert and responsible.
5. Reflect leadership or initiative: Use verbs like “trained” or “guided” if you helped or supported newer staff.
6. Avoid weak or vague verbs: Skip basic terms like “helped” or “worked” and choose stronger ones that describe real actions.
7. Match verbs to measurable results: Pair action verbs with numbers when possible, like “monitored 25+ patient vitals daily.”
8. Use varied verbs throughout: Change up your verbs to avoid repeating the same ones in each bullet.
9. Tailor to the job posting: Use verbs that match the language in the job description.

How do I add electronic health record (EHR) skills to my CNA resume?

Mentioning EHR skills clearly shows employers that you're trained in using digital systems to track patient care and communicate with healthcare teams.

1. Include in skills section: List “Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems” or specify the software (e.g., Epic, Cerner) under your technical or clinical skills.
2. Mention in work experience: Add bullet points in your job descriptions showing how you used EHR to record patient data, update vitals, or communicate changes to nurses.
3. Be specific with tasks: Describe exact responsibilities like documenting intake/output, reporting patient conditions, or logging daily care activities.
4. Use action verbs: Start descriptions with verbs like “documented,” “updated,” “input,” or “tracked” when mentioning EHR tasks.
5. Highlight efficiency and accuracy: Emphasize your ability to record accurate data quickly and comply with HIPAA standards while using EHR systems.
6. Show training or certification: If you've completed any training on EHR software, mention it in your certifications or education section.
7. Tailor per job post: Adjust your EHR wording if the employer lists a specific system like “Must be proficient in Epic”—use the same term.
8. Combine with soft skills: If relevant, pair EHR use with communication or teamwork, like “Collaborated with nurses via EHR messaging for care updates.”
9. Mention HIPAA awareness: Tie EHR use with your understanding of patient privacy and confidentiality.

How should I highlight infection control on my CNA resume?

Infection control is vital in healthcare, and listing it properly on your CNA resume shows that you prioritize safety and cleanliness.

1. Mention it in your skills section: Add “Infection control” or similar terms under your list of professional skills.
2. Add it to your work experience bullet points: Describe duties like cleaning tools, using gloves and masks, or sanitizing rooms.
3. Include related certifications: Write down any courses or training you’ve completed on hygiene or safety.
4. Use action verbs that show responsibility: Begin points with words like “Followed” or “Practiced” to show active involvement.
5. Connect it to patient safety: Explain how keeping things clean helped protect patients from infections.
6. Mention compliance with guidelines: Refer to following rules from the CDC or workplace protocols.
7. Highlight teamwork in infection control: Show how you worked with other staff to maintain cleanliness.
8. Quantify when possible: Share numbers, like how many beds or tools you disinfected each shift.
9. Include it in your summary: Add a short line about infection prevention in your opening paragraph.
10. Tailor for the job description: Use similar wording to the job ad to increase your chances of matching their criteria.

What clinical CNA skills should be added to a CNA resume?

These hands-on skills show you’re ready to help with real patient care in medical facilities.

1. Taking vital signs: Checking blood pressure, temperature, breathing rate, and pulse accurately.
2. Helping with hygiene: Bathing, brushing teeth, and grooming patients to keep them clean and comfortable.
3. Moving patients: Helping patients walk or shift positions to avoid bedsores and improve circulation.
4. Collecting samples: Gathering urine, stool, or spit samples for lab testing.
5. Catheter help: Making sure catheters are clean, working well, and not causing infections.
6. Preventing sores: Turning patients regularly and checking for skin redness or irritation.
7. Wound cleaning: Helping clean and bandage small wounds under a nurse’s guidance.
8. Meal and feeding help: Assisting patients during meals and tracking how much they eat.
9. Caring after surgery: Giving support and hygiene help to patients who’ve had operations.
10. Stopping infections: Using gloves, washing hands, and cleaning tools to keep germs away.

How do I quantify my CNA experience on my resume?

Adding numbers to your CNA resume makes your work clearer and shows how much you contributed in your role.

1. Use numbers to show workload: Tell how many patients you helped per shift, for example, “Cared for over 15 patients daily.”
2. Include frequency of tasks: Say how often you did certain jobs, like “Helped with grooming 10+ patients every day.”
3. Highlight achievements: Show improvements you helped make, such as “Lowered patient falls by 20% through careful observation.”
4. Show time management: Point out how many tasks you handled during your shifts.
5. Reference teamwork or leadership: Mention if you helped train others or took charge during work.
6. Include certifications completed: State how many trainings or certificates you earned.
7. Mention documentation volume: Note how many records you kept each day, like “Logged vital signs for 20+ patients per shift.”
8. Use percentages where applicable: Share improvements in patient care or satisfaction as a percentage.
9. Add measurable goals reached: Include any targets you met, such as completing all tasks on time.
10. Tie numbers to results: Pair figures with positive outcomes to show your impacts.

What keywords will get my CNA resume past ATS filters?

These keywords align with common job descriptions and highlight your skills and experience clearly to both ATS and hiring managers.

1. Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
2. Patient care
3. Vital signs monitoring
4. ADL assistance (Activities of Daily Living)
5. Personal hygiene care
6. Mobility assistance
7. Feeding assistance
8. Catheter care
9. Infection control
10. Wound care
11. Specimen collection
12. Electronic Health Records (EHR)
13. CPR certified
14. First aid
15. Safety protocols
16. Patient documentation
17. HIPAA compliance
18. Medical equipment operation
19. Bedside care
20. Team collaboration
21. Communication skills
22. Emergency response
23. Pressure ulcer prevention
24. Post-operative care

How do I demonstrate interpersonal skills on a CNA resume?

Showing interpersonal skills on your CNA resume helps employers understand you can work well with patients and coworkers.

1. Include soft skills in the summary: Write about important interpersonal traits like empathy and teamwork in your opening statement.
2. Highlight them in your skills section: List skills such as listening, patience, and managing conflicts.
3. Describe examples in experience bullet points: Give specific examples of how you supported patients emotionally or worked with your team.
4. Use action verbs related to interaction: Use verbs like “collaborated,” “encouraged,” or “resolved” to show how you worked with others.
5. Show sensitivity to patient needs: Mention how you adjusted your care based on what patients needed emotionally or culturally.
6. Reference teamwork: Point out times you worked closely with healthcare staff to help patients.
7. Include training or workshops: Add any courses you took to improve communication or interpersonal skills.
8. Demonstrate conflict management: Explain how you handled tough situations calmly and professionally.
9. Mention positive feedback or awards: Note any praise or awards you received for good patient or team interactions.
10. Tailor to the job description: Focus on interpersonal skills the employer wants, as listed in the job ad.

How important is attention to detail for a CNA role?

Being detail-oriented ensures that small but critical aspects of patient care are not overlooked, which helps prevent errors and improves outcomes.

1. Ensures accurate documentation: Careful recording of vital signs, medications, and patient changes prevents mistakes.
2. Prevents safety hazards: Noticing early signs of infection, skin breakdown, or changes in condition helps avoid complications.
3. Supports medication and treatment adherence: Following precise instructions reduces risks and supports recovery.
4. Maintains hygiene standards: Attention to cleanliness and infection control protects patients from illness.
5. Improves communication: Reporting detailed observations helps nurses and doctors make informed decisions.
6. Enhances patient comfort: Small details in care routines contribute to dignity and emotional well-being.
7. Avoids errors: Meticulous care minimizes the chance of falls, injuries, or missed care tasks.
8. Builds trust: Patients and colleagues rely on CNAs who are thorough and reliable.
9. Fulfills compliance: Accurate recordkeeping meets legal and regulatory standards.
10. Facilitates teamwork: Detailed notes and handoffs keep the care team coordinated and effective.

Should I customize soft versus hard skills for entry-level CNAs?

Customizing your soft and hard skills for an entry-level CNA job helps you highlight what employers want even if you’re new to the role.

1. Understand job requirements: Read the job ad carefully to find out which skills are most important.
2. Highlight hard skills you possess: List basic technical skills like patient care and measuring vital signs that you have learned.
3. Emphasize soft skills: Since you might have less experience, focus on communication, kindness, and teamwork abilities.
4. Balance both skill types: Show a mix of technical and personal skills in your resume to appear well-prepared.
5. Use examples in experience or summary: Talk about soft skills you demonstrated during training or volunteering.
6. Tailor for each application: Change your skills list to match the specific job you are applying for.
7. Show willingness to learn: Mention that you’re eager to gain new skills through on-the-job training.
8. Avoid listing unrelated skills: Only include skills that relate to CNA duties.
9. Highlight certifications or training: Add any classes or certificates you have earned.
10. Keep language simple and clear: Use easy-to-understand terms that fit an entry-level position.

How do I develop my CNA skills to include in my resume?

Building skills through training, hands-on practice, and ongoing education demonstrates your commitment and readiness for the role.

1. Complete CNA certification: Finish an accredited CNA training program to gain foundational knowledge and hands-on practice.
2. Gain clinical experience: Work or volunteer in healthcare settings like hospitals, nursing homes, or assisted living to apply skills in real situations.
3. Attend workshops and seminars: Participate in additional training on topics like infection control, wound care, or specialized patient populations.
4. Learn to use EHR systems: Get familiar with electronic health records software used by employers to document patient care.
5. Practice communication skills: Improve how you talk and listen to patients, families, and healthcare teams for better teamwork.
6. Stay updated on protocols: Regularly review and follow the latest healthcare standards, safety, and hygiene guidelines.
7. Obtain CPR and first aid certification: Being certified shows you can respond to emergencies effectively.
8. Seek feedback: Ask supervisors and nurses for constructive advice and work on improving areas they highlight.
9. Use online resources: Take advantage of CNA forums, videos, and courses to learn new techniques and best practices.