Free CNA and nurse assistant job description templates by care setting, with FLSA overtime, OBRA certification, and state registry verification guidance.
6 free templates by care setting, from assisted living to home health, long-term care, and hospice, with the FLSA overtime, OBRA certification, and state registry guidance the generic templates skip. Download as DOCX.
A nurse assistant, almost always known in practice as a certified nursing assistant or CNA, provides hands-on, compassionate care under the direction of nursing staff: helping patients and residents with daily living, taking vital signs, and keeping the environment safe. It is one of the largest healthcare roles in the country, and most of the small employers hiring it are assisted living communities, home-health agencies, and hospice providers. Hiring one well means getting two things right that nearly every template skips: the FLSA overtime rules for hourly care staff, and the certification and state registry verification that the law actually requires.
At FirstHR, we build templates for the small agencies and communities that hire this role without an HR department. The six templates below are organized by care setting, with the compliance guidance competitors leave out. Because most searchers use the title CNA, the templates and guidance below lead with it, while serving nurse assistant, nursing assistant, and nurse aide as the same role. For the fundamentals behind any posting, the guide to writing a job description is a useful companion.
TL;DR
A nurse assistant, or CNA, provides basic care under nursing direction, helping with daily living, vital signs, and a safe environment. The role is non-exempt and hourly, with a healthcare-specific 8/80 overtime option for residential settings. The closest federal occupation reports a median wage of $39,530, about $19 an hour. Federal OBRA rules require certification and state nurse-aide registry listing for long-term care. Download six free templates as DOCX, organized by care setting, with FLSA, certification, and registry guidance built in.
What a Nurse Assistant Does
A nurse assistant provides and assists with basic care under the direction of licensed nursing staff: helping patients and residents with bathing, dressing, feeding, toileting, and mobility, measuring vital signs, and keeping the environment clean and safe. The work is hands-on, physically active, and grounded in compassion. In most settings the role requires certification.
The federal occupation is nursing assistants, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics describes as providing basic care or support under onsite licensed nursing direction, including feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and ambulation. It is closely related to a patient care technician, which adds clinical skills, and a home health aide, which works in clients' homes under a different certification regime. The duties shift by setting, which the templates below reflect.
Nurse Assistant Duties and Responsibilities
Nurse assistant duties cluster into four areas: daily living support, monitoring and reporting, safety and infection control, and care plan and documentation. A strong job description picks the specific responsibilities from each area that match the setting, rather than listing every possible task.
Daily living support
Assist with bathing, dressing, and grooming
Help with toileting and feeding
Support mobility, transfers, and repositioning
Monitoring and reporting
Measure and record vital signs
Track intake, output, and observations
Report changes in condition to the nurse
Safety and infection control
Follow infection control procedures
Keep rooms and areas clean and safe
Use proper lifting and transfer technique
Care plan and documentation
Follow the care plan and nursing direction
Document care accurately and on time
Protect privacy and dignity
The weights shift by setting: comfort care in hospice, travel and independence in home health, unit support in a hospital. For a structured way to scope the role, the guide to defining job responsibilities walks through the process.
CNA, Nursing Assistant, and Nurse Aide
Nurse assistant, nursing assistant, CNA, certified nursing assistant, and nurse aide all refer to the same role. The differences are in the title searchers actually use and in whether certification is required, both of which matter when you write and post the job. Placing the terms side by side clears up the confusion before you post.
Term
Who uses it
Certification
Notes
CNA / Certified Nursing Assistant
Most US employers and searchers
Certified, registry-listed
The dominant real-world title
Nursing Assistant
BLS and formal usage
Varies by setting
The standard federal term
Nurse Assistant
Less common variant
Varies by setting
Same role, lower search use
Nurse Aide
Registry and some states
Often certified
Used in state registry naming
For the adjacent but distinct roles, a medical assistant adds administrative work in physician offices, an LPN is a licensed role above the aide level, and a personal care aide provides non-clinical support. Patient care assistant is another near-synonym used in some hospitals and clinics. Choose the title your candidates search and state the certification requirement clearly.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by care setting. The six versions span assisted living, home health, long-term care, hospice and private duty, hospital, and a first-hire version for a small care business.
Assisted Living CNA
Residential senior care
Daily living support and respectful care in a residential community, the strongest fit for a small assisted living operator.
Home Health CNA / Aide
In-home care
Care delivered in clients' homes, with travel time tracked, for a small home-health agency.
Skilled Nursing / LTC CNA
Long-term care
Direct resident care in a facility where federal law requires CNA certification and registry listing.
Hospice / Private Duty CNA
Comfort-focused care
Compassionate, comfort-focused care for clients and families during a sensitive time.
Hospital / Acute-Care
Nursing assistant
Unit support under registered nurses in a hospital or acute-care setting, often titled nursing assistant.
First Care Hire
Small agency / community
For a small care business making its first certified hire, framed around building a team from the ground up.
Match the Template to the Care Setting
A residential senior community: Assisted Living CNA. In-home care: Home Health CNA / Aide. A facility under federal certification rules: Skilled Nursing / Long-Term Care CNA. Comfort-focused care: Hospice / Private Duty CNA. A hospital unit: Hospital / Acute-Care. A small care business making its first certified hire: First Care Hire. Confirm the certification requirement for your setting before posting.
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: facility and job summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, a compliance note, and how to apply, with an EEO statement. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Job Description Templates
Assisted living, home health, long-term care, hospice, hospital, and first care hire. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Assisted Living CNA
The strongest fit for a small assisted living operator: daily living support and respectful care in a residential community.
CNA Job Description (Assisted Living)
CNA JOB DESCRIPTION (ASSISTED LIVING)
Company: __
Location: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: __ (Resident Care Lead / Director of Nursing)
Employment type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Part-time
FLSA status: Non-exempt (hourly)
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
ABOUT [COMMUNITY NAME]
[One or two sentences about your community, the residents you serve, and the care
team this CNA will join. Note shift, weekend, and holiday expectations.]
JOB SUMMARY
[Community Name] is hiring a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) to provide daily
care and support to our residents under the direction of licensed nursing staff.
You will help residents with daily living, support their dignity and independence,
and provide patient, respectful care.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Assist residents with bathing, dressing, grooming, and toileting
•Help with feeding, mobility, and transfers
•Measure and record vital signs and observations
•Report changes in condition to nursing staff
•Encourage participation in meals and activities
•Keep resident rooms and common areas clean and safe
•Follow care plans and infection control procedures
•Treat residents with dignity, respect, and kindness
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Active CNA certification in [State], listed in good standing on the [State] nurse-aide registry
•CPR/BLS certification
•Compassionate, patient, and dependable
•Physically able to stand, walk, lift, and assist with transfers
•Available for [shift / weekend / holiday] schedule
COMPLIANCE NOTE (read before posting)
This is a non-exempt, hourly role; pay overtime per FLSA, and note the 8/80
alternative for residential settings requires a written agreement. Verify CNA
certification and registry status before the first shift, run a background and
exclusion check, and provide HIPAA training. This is general information, not
legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
To apply, send your resume to __.
[Community Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 2: Home Health CNA / Aide
For a small home-health agency: care delivered in clients' homes, with travel time tracked.
[Facility Name] is hiring a Nursing Assistant to support patient care on our
[unit/department] under the direction of registered nurses. You will assist with
daily care, monitor and record vital signs, and help keep the unit running safely.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Assist patients with bathing, dressing, feeding, and toileting
•Help with mobility, transfers, and repositioning
•Measure and record vital signs and intake/output
•Report changes in patient condition to nursing staff
•Assist nurses with treatments and procedures
•Maintain a clean, safe, infection-controlled environment
•Document care accurately in the patient record
•Protect patient privacy and dignity
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•[CNA certification / nurse-aide registry listing per facility policy]
•CPR/BLS certification
•Calm, organized, and dependable under pressure
•Physically able to stand, walk, lift, and assist with transfers
•Available for [shift / weekend / holiday] schedule
COMPLIANCE NOTE
Non-exempt, hourly; pay overtime per FLSA, with the 8/80 alternative available for
hospitals by written agreement. Verify any required certification and registry
status, run a background and exclusion check, and provide HIPAA training. This is
general information, not legal advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
To apply, send your resume to __.
[Facility Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 6: First Care Hire
For a small care business making its first certified hire: hands-on care framed around building a team from the ground up.
First Care Hire Job Description (Small Agency / Community)
FIRST CARE HIRE JOB DESCRIPTION (SMALL AGENCY / COMMUNITY)
Company: __
Location: __ ([City, State])
Reports to: Owner / Administrator
Employment type: [ ] Full-time [ ] Part-time
FLSA status: Non-exempt (hourly)
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
JOB SUMMARY
[Business Name] is a small [assisted living / home health / hospice] business
hiring our first, or one of our first, certified nursing assistants. You will
provide hands-on daily care to our clients and help us build a caring, reliable
team from the ground up.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Assist clients with daily living, mobility, and personal care
•Measure and record vital signs and observations
•Report changes in condition to the supervising nurse
•Follow care plans and safety procedures
•Help shape our care routines as an early team member
•Maintain a clean, safe, and welcoming environment
•Document care accurately
•Treat clients with dignity, respect, and kindness
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Active CNA certification in [State], in good standing on the [State] nurse-aide registry
•CPR/BLS certification
•Dependable, flexible, and comfortable in a small, growing team
•Physically able to assist with mobility and transfers
•A genuine, caring approach to client care
COMPLIANCE NOTE
Even with one hire, the rules apply: non-exempt and hourly with overtime, CNA
certification and registry verification before the first shift, a background and
exclusion check, and HIPAA training. Setting up a simple, repeatable onboarding
process now makes every future hire easier. This is general information, not legal
advice.
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Pay range: $_____ to $_____ per hour
To apply, send your resume to __.
[Business Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
FLSA, OBRA, and Registry Rules
This is the part the generic templates skip, and for a CNA hire it is the part that matters most: the overtime rules including the healthcare-specific 8/80 option, and the OBRA certification and state registry verification the law actually requires. Get these right and your posting attracts the right candidates and protects your agency.
FLSA: CNAs are non-exempt and hourly
Certified nursing assistants are clearly non-exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act and entitled to overtime at one and a half times the regular rate for hours over forty in a workweek. The Department of Labor is explicit that licensed practical nurses and similar health care employees generally do not qualify as exempt learned professionals, because a specialized advanced academic degree is not a standard prerequisite for entry. CNAs, who complete a roughly 75-hour training program rather than a degree, fail that test even more decisively. They also fail the executive exemption, since they manage no staff, and the administrative exemption, since they follow care plans set by nurses rather than exercising discretion on matters of significance. Classify the role as non-exempt from the start. This is general information, not legal advice.
OBRA certification and the state nurse-aide registry
Federal law under OBRA 1987 requires Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing homes to employ aides who complete a state-approved training program of at least 75 hours, including at least 16 supervised clinical hours, pass a competency exam, and be listed on the state nurse-aide registry. More than 30 states exceed the 75-hour floor. Certification generally must be renewed about every 24 months with proof of paid nursing work, or the aide must retrain and retest. The practical step for an employer is simple but essential: verify the candidate's certification and registry status, in good standing, before the first shift, and check the registry for any abuse findings. Assisted living communities and home-health agencies widely require certification too. This is general information, not legal advice.
The 8/80 rule and the regular rate
Healthcare has a specific overtime option other industries do not. Under the FLSA, hospitals and residential care establishments may use the 8/80 rule: a fixed fourteen-day work period instead of the forty-hour workweek, paying overtime for hours over eight in a day or eighty in the two weeks, whichever is greater, but only with a prior written agreement with the affected employees. Two related errors trip up small care employers: leaving shift differentials and non-discretionary bonuses out of the regular rate when calculating overtime, and off-the-clock or unpaid meal-break work. Build accurate timekeeping into the role, include differentials and bonuses in the overtime rate, and put any 8/80 agreement in writing before the schedule starts. This is general information, not legal advice.
State title variations and verification
The same role carries different official titles by state, which matters when you write the posting and verify certification. It is CNA in most states, STNA in Ohio, LNA in New Hampshire, and Nurse Aide I or II in North Carolina, among other variants. Each state runs its own registry, its own training-hour requirement above the federal floor, and its own reciprocity rules for aides certified elsewhere. A generic template that assumes one national rule will mislead. Use a bracketed [State] certification and registry placeholder, name the verification step explicitly, and direct candidates to your specific state registry. For a small employer, building this check into onboarding once keeps it consistent across hires. This is general information, not legal advice.
Non-Exempt, With Certification You Must Verify
CNAs are clearly non-exempt and owed overtime. The Department of Labor states that similar health care employees do not qualify as exempt learned professionals. Federal OBRA rules also require at least 75 training hours and state registry listing for long-term care, which you must verify, in good standing, before the first shift.
CNA hiring starts from compassion, reliability, and physical capability, with certification verified for the setting. State the real requirements concretely and keep the physical demands ADA-aware.
Requirement
What to look for
Certification
Active CNA, registry-listed in your state
Education
State-approved training program (75+ hours)
Core qualities
Compassion, patience, reliability, teamwork
Physical
Able to stand, walk, lift, and assist with transfers
Screening
Background check, exclusion check, health screening
Classification
Non-exempt, hourly; overtime over 40 hours a week
Keep the posting neutral and inclusive, since the EEOC prohibits job advertisements that show a preference based on a protected characteristic, and the SHRM guide covers the standard sections of a job description.
Nurse Assistant Pay
Nurse assistants and CNAs are paid hourly, with pay varying by setting, region, and shift. Use government data as a baseline, then adjust for your local market and the shift differentials your schedule requires.
Median $39,530, About $19 an Hour (BLS)
The federal occupation, nursing assistants, had a median annual wage of $39,530 as of the May 2024 data, with the lowest 10 percent under $31,390 and the highest 10 percent over $50,140 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). National compensation surveys cluster in a similar $35,000 to $42,000 band.
Pay runs higher in some states and metros, and night, weekend, and holiday differentials are common, which must be included in the overtime regular rate. Nursing assistants held about 1.4 million jobs, with employment projected to grow about 2 percent from 2024 to 2034 and roughly 211,800 openings a year across nursing assistants and orderlies, so demand for reliable care staff stays steady. Post an hourly range where required.
Hiring for a Small Agency or Community
While large skilled nursing facilities dominate raw hiring volume, most assisted living communities, home-health agencies, and hospice providers are small, where the owner or a director of nursing runs hiring without HR. Here is how to write the posting for that reality.
Templates are written for big facilities; you run a small agency or community
Most published nursing assistant and CNA templates are generic and implicitly aimed at large skilled nursing facilities with full HR and compliance staff. The reality of this cluster is different: assisted living communities average about 32 employees, more than half of home-health agencies have fewer than 50, and most hospice and private-duty providers are small and local. At that size the owner, an administrator, or a director of nursing writes the posting, screens applicants, and handles onboarding directly. The templates here are written for that buyer: pick the version that matches your setting, fill in the brackets, and post, without scaling a large facility's job description down to your size.
Certification verification and overtime are where small employers get caught
The two compliance areas the generic templates skip are exactly the ones that create risk for a small care employer. The first is certification: CNAs must hold an active certification and be listed in good standing on the state nurse-aide registry, with federal OBRA rules for long-term care and state title and reciprocity differences, and that status must be verified before the first shift. The second is overtime: the role is firmly non-exempt, and the common errors are misclassification, leaving shift differentials out of the regular rate, and off-the-clock work. Department of Labor enforcement in home care and senior care has produced real back-wage recoveries against small providers. Neither risk scales down with the size of the building.
Onboarding a care hire is where the compliance actually gets handled
Whichever template you use, the work after hiring is ordinary people operations made specific by healthcare: a signed offer letter, the new hire paperwork, certification and registry verification, a background and exclusion check, a signed HIPAA training acknowledgment, and any required health screening such as a TB test. FirstHR fits this people side for a small care business: e-signature for the offer letter and training acknowledgments, training modules for HIPAA privacy and infection control, task workflows for the pre-hire and first-week checklist, and document management for certifications, registry status, and screening records. To be clear about scope, FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a clinical or scheduling system, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so pair it with those providers. Applicant tracking is coming soon.
The job description is step one. Once a candidate accepts, the same document becomes the basis for the offer and a healthcare-specific onboarding, starting with the new hire paperwork. Because the role involves patient contact and protected health information, onboarding carries real compliance steps on top of the usual ones.
Send the offer
Confirm the role, hourly pay, shift, and start date in writing. An offer letter template makes this fast for an hourly care role.
Verify and screen
Confirm CNA certification and registry status, run a background and exclusion check, and complete any required health screening.
Train before patient contact
HIPAA privacy and infection control training, with a signed acknowledgment kept on file before access to patient information.
Store the records
Keep the signed offer, certification and registry proof, training acknowledgments, and screening results organized.
Once your offer is ready, the offer letter template handles the next step, and an onboarding template structures the first weeks. FirstHR connects the offer, paperwork, e-signatures, training acknowledgments, and document management in one place, so a small care business can manage the full process, including HIPAA and infection control training and certification records, from one system. FirstHR is an onboarding and HR platform, not a clinical or scheduling tool, and it does not run payroll or administer benefits, so connect those separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
Nurse assistant, nursing assistant, CNA, and nurse aide are the same role; most US searchers use CNA, so lead postings with that title.
The role is non-exempt and hourly; the closest federal occupation reports a median wage of $39,530, about $19 an hour.
Federal OBRA rules require at least 75 training hours and state nurse-aide registry listing for long-term care; verify status before the first shift.
Healthcare adds the 8/80 overtime option for residential and inpatient settings, but only with a prior written agreement.
Include shift differentials and non-discretionary bonuses in the overtime regular rate, a common error for small care employers.
A small assisted living, home-health, or hospice business can hire this role without HR using a structured, repeatable onboarding process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a nurse assistant do?
A nurse assistant, more commonly called a certified nursing assistant or CNA, provides and assists with basic care under the direction of licensed nursing staff. Day to day, that means helping patients or residents with daily living activities such as bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and feeding, assisting with mobility and transfers, measuring and recording vital signs, observing and reporting changes in condition, and keeping the environment clean and safe. The Bureau of Labor Statistics describes the occupation, nursing assistants, as providing basic care or support under onsite licensed nursing direction, including feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and ambulation. The exact mix varies by setting, from assisted living and home health to long-term care, hospice, and hospitals. The role is hands-on, physically active, and built on compassion and reliability.
What is the difference between a nurse assistant, a nursing assistant, and a CNA?
They refer to the same role. Nursing assistant is the standard federal term used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, CNA, or certified nursing assistant, is the dominant real-world title, and nurse assistant and nurse aide are less common variants of the same job. The meaningful distinction is certification: a CNA has completed a state-approved training program, passed a competency exam, and is listed on the state nurse-aide registry, while an uncertified nursing assistant or aide may work in some settings that do not require certification. Federal law requires certification and registry listing to work in Medicare or Medicaid certified long-term care facilities. When you write a posting, use the title your candidates search, usually CNA, and state clearly whether certification is required for your setting. This is general information, not legal advice.
Is a CNA or nurse assistant exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
A CNA or nurse assistant is non-exempt and paid hourly. The Department of Labor is explicit that licensed practical nurses and similar health care employees generally do not qualify as exempt learned professionals, because a specialized advanced academic degree is not a standard prerequisite for entry. A CNA, who completes a roughly 75-hour training program rather than a degree, fails that test even more decisively, and also fails the executive exemption, since CNAs manage no staff, and the administrative exemption, since they follow care plans set by nurses. So the role is entitled to overtime at one and a half times the regular rate for hours over forty in a workweek. Healthcare adds the 8/80 option for hospitals and residential settings, but only with a prior written agreement, and shift differentials must be included in the overtime regular rate. This is general information, not legal advice.
What certification does a CNA need, and how do I verify it?
Under federal OBRA 1987 rules, a CNA in a Medicare or Medicaid certified nursing home must complete a state-approved training program of at least 75 hours, including at least 16 supervised clinical hours, pass a competency exam, and be listed on the state nurse-aide registry. More than 30 states require more than 75 hours. Certification generally renews about every 24 months with proof of paid nursing work. To verify a candidate, check your state nurse-aide registry to confirm the certification is active and in good standing and to check for any abuse findings, and confirm this before the first shift. State titles vary, such as STNA in Ohio, LNA in New Hampshire, and Nurse Aide I or II in North Carolina, and reciprocity rules differ for aides certified in another state. Direct candidates to your specific state registry rather than assuming one national rule. This is general information, not legal advice.
How much does a CNA or nurse assistant make?
CNAs and nurse assistants are paid hourly, with pay varying by setting, region, and shift. The federal occupation, nursing assistants, had a median annual wage of $39,530 as of the May 2024 data, with the lowest 10 percent under $31,390 and the highest 10 percent over $50,140, which works out to roughly $19 an hour at the median. National salary surveys cluster in a similar $35,000 to $42,000 band. Pay runs higher in some states and metros, and night, weekend, and holiday shifts often carry differentials that must be included in the overtime regular rate. For a posting, benchmark to your setting and local market and publish an hourly pay range where required. This is general information, not legal advice.
What should a CNA or nurse assistant job description include?
A strong CNA job description names the care setting and states clearly whether certification is required, then includes a short facility summary, a job summary that makes the care focus clear, and responsibilities grouped into daily living support, monitoring and reporting, safety and infection control, and care plan and documentation. It should state the non-exempt, hourly classification, the schedule including shift, weekend, and holiday work, and the physical requirements honestly with ADA-aware language. The additions that set a strong posting apart, and that generic templates skip, are the compliance expectations: FLSA overtime and the 8/80 option for residential settings, CNA certification and state registry verification, and HIPAA training. Close with an equal opportunity statement and clear apply instructions. This is general information, not legal advice.
Can a small assisted living or home health agency hire a CNA without HR?
Yes, and most do. Assisted living communities average around 32 employees and most home-health and hospice agencies are small, so the owner, an administrator, or a director of nursing typically writes the posting, screens applicants, and runs onboarding. The key is a structured, repeatable process, because the healthcare compliance that comes with the role does not scale down with the size of the agency. That means a clear job description with the right classification, an offer letter, CNA certification and registry verification, a background and exclusion check, HIPAA and infection control training with signed acknowledgments, and organized record-keeping. Setting this up once and reusing it for each hire is far simpler than reinventing it every time, and it is the kind of workflow a small care business can run with the right onboarding tools rather than a full HR department. This is general information, not legal advice.
What training does a CNA need before starting?
Before patient contact, a CNA should complete HIPAA privacy training, since the role involves access to patient information, with the acknowledgment documented and retained. Depending on the setting, plan also for infection control training, orientation to your care procedures and documentation, and safety training such as proper lifting and transfer technique. Beyond training, the pre-hire steps include verifying CNA certification and nurse-aide registry status in good standing, running a background check and a federal exclusion check, and completing any health screening such as a TB test that your setting requires. Building these into a repeatable onboarding process keeps them consistent across hires, which is especially valuable for a small agency or community without dedicated HR. This is general information, not legal advice.
