TL;DR — What to learn first
Start here: ADLs, vital signs, BLS/CPR, and one EHR system (PointClickCare or Epic). These four show up in over 80% of CNA job postings.
Level up: Add Hoyer lift certification, dementia care training, fingerstick glucose monitoring, and infection control competency.
What matters most: Credential first, safety record second, EHR fluency third. Skills are easier to train than the discipline to document accurately and prevent falls.
What certified nursing assistant job postings actually ask for
Before learning anything, look at the data. Here’s how often key skills appear in certified nursing assistant job postings:
Skill frequency in certified nursing assistant job postings
Clinical skills
The core of CNA work: bathing, dressing, toileting, feeding, grooming, and ambulation assistance. Every CNA job posting lists ADLs. What separates strong candidates is the ability to describe their census, acuity level, and approach to patient dignity.
Name the specific ADLs you performed and the census: “Provided ADL assistance (bathing, dressing, toileting, feeding, ambulation) for 10–12 residents per shift.”
Temperature, blood pressure, pulse, respiration rate, and oxygen saturation. CNAs take vitals multiple times per shift and are expected to recognize abnormal values and escalate appropriately.
Mention your documentation speed and escalation protocol: “Documented vital signs in PointClickCare within 30 minutes of each assessment.”
Hand hygiene, PPE protocols, isolation precautions (contact, droplet, airborne), and proper linen/waste handling. Post-pandemic, infection control is a non-negotiable competency for all CNA roles.
If you have specific infection control training or audit results, mention them. “Maintained 100% hand hygiene audit compliance across 4 quarterly audits.”
Specialized techniques for residents with Alzheimer’s or other dementias: redirection, validation therapy, sundowning management, and safe wandering prevention. This is one of the fastest-growing CNA specialties.
Name the unit type and your approach: “Assigned to a 12-resident memory care hall, using redirection and validation techniques for residents with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s.”
Bed alarm monitoring, call light response, safe transfer techniques, and environmental hazard awareness. Fall prevention is a facility-wide quality metric, and CNAs are on the front line.
Quantify your record: “Zero resident falls on assigned hall over 18 months” is one of the strongest bullets a CNA resume can have.
Equipment & tools
A hydraulic or electric full-body patient lift used for dependent transfers. Most SNFs and hospitals require Hoyer competency for CNAs assigned to high-acuity patients.
List it explicitly and mention your safety record: “Operated Hoyer lift for safe patient transfers with zero transfer-related injuries.”
A mechanical lift for patients who have some weight-bearing ability but cannot stand independently. Common in rehab and post-surgical settings.
Name it alongside the Hoyer if you are competent on both. Having both signals full transfer readiness.
A transfer belt used to assist patients during ambulation and transfers. Basic competency is expected of every CNA; the skill signal is in how you describe safe usage.
Include it in your equipment list. If you used it in combination with another device, mention the combination.
Fingerstick blood glucose monitoring device. CNAs in many states are trained to perform fingerstick checks and report results to the charge nurse.
Quantify: “Performed fingerstick blood glucose monitoring for 6 diabetic residents per shift.”
EHR systems
The dominant EHR in skilled nursing facilities and long-term care. CNAs use it for ADL charting, vital signs entry, intake/output tracking, and incident documentation.
Name it explicitly and describe your charting discipline: “Documented ADL completion in PointClickCare within 30 minutes of each care episode.”
The dominant EHR in hospitals. CNAs in hospital settings use Epic for vital signs, intake/output, ADLs, and patient flow documentation. If you have hospital clinical rotation experience with Epic, surface it.
If you used Epic during a clinical rotation, mention it: “Charted in Epic under RN supervision during 120-hour hospital clinical rotation.”
An EHR used in some skilled nursing and senior living facilities. Less common than PointClickCare but still relevant in certain facility chains.
List it if you have used it. EHR breadth is a positive signal for CNAs applying to facilities that may use different systems.
How to list certified nursing assistant skills on your resume
Don’t dump a wall of keywords. Categorize your skills to mirror how job postings list their requirements:
Example: CNA Resume
Why this works: The Certifications line is the most important on a CNA resume. State CNA certification and BLS are the first things a nurse manager scans for — without them, the rest of the resume does not matter.
Three rules for your skills section:
- Only list what you’ve used in a real project. If you can’t answer a technical question about it, don’t list it.
- Match the job posting’s terminology. If they use a specific tool name, use that exact name on your resume.
- Order by relevance, not alphabetically. Put the most important skills first in each category.
What to learn first (and in what order)
If you’re looking to break into certified nursing assistant roles, here’s the highest-ROI learning path for 2026:
CNA certification program
Complete a state-approved CNA training program (75–120 hours depending on state). This includes classroom instruction and a clinical rotation at a nursing facility. Pass the state competency exam (written + skills demonstration) to get your certification.
BLS/CPR + infection control
Get BLS/CPR certified through AHA or Red Cross. Complete any facility-required infection control training. These are non-negotiable prerequisites for your first CNA job.
EHR fluency
If your training program included PointClickCare or Epic, you are ahead. If not, ask your clinical rotation site for extra time on the EHR. On-time, accurate charting is the skill that separates CNAs who get promoted from those who stay at the same level.
Equipment competency
Get signed off on Hoyer lift, sit-to-stand lift, and gait belt. Most facilities provide this training during orientation, but having prior competency makes you a stronger candidate and reduces onboarding time.
Specialty skills (dementia, wound observation)
Once you have 3–6 months of floor experience, pursue dementia care training or wound care observation competency. Specialty skills open the door to higher-paying units and hospital positions.