What Are the Essential Skills to Include on a CNA CV to Get Hired?

Crafting a standout Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) CV requires highlighting a specific blend of technical and interpersonal skills. The most effective CNA CVs showcase a balance of clinical competencies—like infection control and patient personal care—with essential soft skills, such as empathy and communication. Based on our assessment experience, employers prioritize candidates who can demonstrate both the ability to perform specialized procedures and the compassion needed for high-quality patient support.

What Are the Most Sought-After CNA Hard Skills?

Hard skills are the teachable, measurable abilities specific to the healthcare role. For a CNA, these are the clinical tasks you are trained to perform. Recruiters scan CVs for these keywords to ensure you have the technical foundation for the job.

• Patient Personal Care: This encompasses assisting patients with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), such as bathing, dressing, grooming, and toileting. It's a core function of the role.
• Infection Control: This critical skill involves following strict protocols to prevent the spread of infections. This includes proper hand hygiene, using personal protective equipment (PPE), and maintaining a clean environment.
• Safety and Rehabilitation: CNAs are crucial for patient safety, assisting with mobility, transferring patients, and using equipment like gait belts to prevent falls. You may also support rehabilitation by reinforcing exercises prescribed by physical therapists.
• Special Procedures: This includes skills like taking and recording vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, temperature), applying dressings, and performing catheter care.
• Medical Terminology & Record Keeping: A working knowledge of medical terms is essential for accurate communication and maintaining precise patient records. This ensures continuity of care across shifts.

Which Soft Skills Make a CNA CV Truly Compelling?

While technical skills get your foot in the door, soft skills often secure the job. These relate to how you interact with patients, families, and the healthcare team. They are harder to teach and therefore highly valued.

• Communication and Interpersonal Skills: CNAs act as a vital communication link between patients, nurses, and doctors. This requires clear verbal and written communication, active listening, and the ability to provide emotional support.
• Compassion and Empathy: Dealing with individuals who are sick, vulnerable, or elderly requires genuine empathy. This skill is fundamental to providing dignified care and building trust.
• Attention to Detail: Accuracy is non-negotiable in healthcare. Whether tracking a slight change in a patient's condition or documenting care, a detail-oriented approach prevents errors and ensures patient well-being.
• Time Management and Flexibility: CNAs often juggle the needs of multiple patients. Effective time management is key, as is the flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and unexpected emergencies in a fast-paced environment.

How Should You Structure Skills on a CNA CV?

There are two effective ways to present your skills on a CV to maximize impact for hiring managers and applicant tracking systems (ATS).

1. Dedicated Skills Section: Create a bulleted list to clearly display your key abilities. This allows for easy scanning.

   • Example:
     • Patient Personal Care & Hygiene Assistance
     • Infection Control & Standard Precautions
     • Vital Signs Monitoring (BP, Pulse, Respiration)
     • Electronic Health Record (EHR) Software
     • Empathy & Patient Communication
     • Time Management & Prioritization

2. Weaving Skills into Work Experience: This method provides context and proves your skills. Instead of just listing a skill, describe how you used it.

   • Example:
     • CNA, St. Thomas Hospital | 2019 – Present
     • Provided compassionate patient personal care for up to 12 residents daily, ensuring dignity and respect.
     • Meticulously maintained records in the EHR system, documenting patient vitals and care provided for nurse review.
     • Strictly adhered to infection control protocols, contributing to a 15% reduction in unit-acquired infections in 2022.

To create a winning CNA CV, focus on demonstrating a synergy of clinical expertise and human-centered soft skills. Use a dedicated section for keyword optimization and reinforce these skills with concrete examples in your experience section. This approach shows employers you are not only qualified but also a compassionate and reliable healthcare professional.