CNA Certifications (Which Ones Are Worth It)
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For a CNA, the word "certification" mostly means one specific thing: your state nurse aide certification, which is a state credential rather than a national one. You earn it by finishing a state-approved training program and passing a competency exam, and it is what gets your name onto the state Nurse Aide Registry. Without it you cannot work as a CNA, so it sits at the top of every list.
The certifications below build on that foundation. Some, like CPR, are near-universal employer requirements. Others, like Medication Aide or Geriatric Nursing Assistant credentials, open specific settings or higher pay. Here is who each is for, why it is worth it, and how to list them on your resume so they actually help.
Top certifications for a CNA
State CNA Certification (Certified Nursing Assistant)
State nurse aide registry, exam via Credentia (NNAAP) or Prometric · Entry
Best for: Everyone who wants to work as a CNA.
The required credential that puts you on the state registry and lets you work legally. This is the one that defines the job.
Basic Life Support (BLS) / CPR Certification
American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross · Entry
Best for: Every working CNA.
Required by nearly all employers and quick to earn; keep it current since it expires about every two years.
Certified Medication Aide (CMA)
State board of nursing or state-approved program · Intermediate
Best for: CNAs in long-term care who want to administer medications.
Lets you give routine medications under nurse supervision and usually raises your pay; rules and the title vary by state.
Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)
State board of nursing (used in Indiana and some other states) · Intermediate
Best for: CNAs in states that use the QMA title for medication administration.
The medication-aide path in QMA states; opens the same higher-responsibility, higher-pay roles.
Geriatric Nursing Assistant (GNA)
Maryland Board of Nursing · Intermediate
Best for: CNAs who want to work in nursing homes in Maryland.
Required on top of the CNA to work in Maryland skilled nursing facilities; a clear advantage there.
Certified Home Health Aide (CHHA / HHA)
State health department or state-approved program · Entry to Intermediate
Best for: CNAs who want to work in patients homes.
Adds the home-care scope many CNA programs already cover; required for home health agencies in many states.
Certified Patient Care Technician (CPCT/A)
National Healthcareer Association (NHA) · Intermediate
Best for: CNAs in hospitals who want broader clinical duties.
Adds skills like EKG and phlebotomy basics, helping you move from long-term care into acute hospital roles.
Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT)
National Healthcareer Association (NHA) or American Medical Certification Association (AMCA) · Intermediate
Best for: CNAs who want to add blood-draw skills.
A stackable skill that makes you more useful in hospitals and clinics and can lift pay.
Certified EKG Technician (CET)
National Healthcareer Association (NHA) · Intermediate
Best for: CNAs moving toward cardiac or telemetry units.
Pairs well with the CPCT/A and signals readiness for hospital monitoring roles.
Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP)
National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners (NCCDP) · Intermediate
Best for: CNAs working in memory care and long-term care.
A recognized specialty credential that strengthens you for dementia and Alzheimer care settings.
Certified Restorative Nursing Assistant (RNA / CRNA-restorative)
State-approved restorative aide training programs · Intermediate
Best for: CNAs focused on rehabilitation and mobility in skilled nursing.
Qualifies you for restorative aide roles centered on patient recovery and function; note this is the restorative-aide credential, not a nurse anesthetist.
Certified Nurse Aide Instructor / Train-the-Trainer
State-approved CNA instructor programs · Advanced
Best for: Experienced CNAs who want to teach nurse aide courses.
Opens an educator path and is a step up in responsibility and pay for long-tenured aides.
How to choose the right CNA certification
Start with the non-negotiables. You need your state CNA certification to work at all, and a current CPR or BLS card to be hired almost anywhere. Get those first and keep them from expiring. Because the CNA credential is state-regulated, always confirm the rules with your own state nurse aide registry rather than assuming national uniformity, and check reciprocity before you move states.
After the basics, let the setting decide. If you want to give medications in long-term care, pursue your state Medication Aide path (CMA or QMA). For home care, add the HHA or CHHA. To move into hospitals, the CPCT/A plus phlebotomy or EKG credentials make you more useful on the floor. Memory care rewards the CDP. Pick the credential your target employers actually list, not the longest collection of letters.
How to list certifications on a CNA resume
Put your state CNA certification near the top, in your header or a dedicated Certifications section, with the full title, the state, and the year (for example, "Certified Nursing Assistant, State of Texas, 2024"). List your CPR or BLS card with the issuing body and expiration, since employers screen for a current card. This helps both a skimming recruiter and the applicant tracking system, which often searches for "CNA" and "BLS" directly.
Add medication-aide, home health, or specialty credentials below those, each with the issuing body and year. Mark anything in progress honestly as "in progress" with an expected date, and drop expired or irrelevant entries. Never claim a credential you have not earned, because state registries make it easy to verify.
Make your CNA certifications count on your resume
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Frequently asked questions
How do I become a CNA?
Complete a state-approved nurse aide training program (often a few weeks at a community college, vocational school, or Red Cross chapter), then pass your state competency exam, which usually has a written part and a hands-on skills part. Passing places you on the state Nurse Aide Registry, which is what lets you work as a CNA.
Is a CNA certification a license or a national certification?
It is a state credential, not a national one. Each state runs its own Nurse Aide Registry and sets its own training and exam rules, though many use shared exams such as the NNAAP through Credentia or exams through Prometric. If you move, check your new state reciprocity rules before assuming your certification transfers.
Which add-on certification raises CNA pay the most?
For most CNAs, becoming a Medication Aide (CMA or QMA, depending on the state) is the clearest step up, since giving medications is a higher-responsibility role that typically pays more. In hospitals, stacking the CPCT/A with phlebotomy or EKG skills can also lift earnings.
Do I need CPR certification to work as a CNA?
Almost always yes. Most employers require a current Basic Life Support or CPR card from the American Heart Association or American Red Cross, and it generally must be renewed about every two years. Keep it current so it never blocks a job offer.
