Nursing Assistant Certifications (Which Ones Are Worth It)
Last updated:
For a nursing assistant, the word "certification" mostly points to one specific thing: the state CNA certification, which is a state credential rather than a national one. You earn it by completing 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 certified nursing assistant, so it sits at the top of every list.
The certifications below build on that base. Some, like BLS or CPR, are near-universal employer requirements. Others, like Medication Aide or specialty credentials, open particular settings or higher pay. Here is who each is for, why it is worth getting, and how to list it on your resume so it actually helps you get hired.
Top certifications for a Nursing Assistant
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 certified nursing assistant.
The required credential that puts you on the state registry and lets you work legally. It defines the job, so earn it first.
Basic Life Support (BLS) / CPR Certification
American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross · Entry
Best for: Every working nursing assistant.
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: Nursing assistants in long-term care who want to administer medications.
Lets you give routine medications under nurse supervision and usually raises your pay; the rules and title vary by state.
Qualified Medication Aide (QMA)
State board of nursing (used in Indiana and some other states) · Intermediate
Best for: Nursing assistants 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: Nursing assistants 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: Nursing assistants who want to work in patients homes.
Adds the home-care scope many programs already cover; required by home health agencies in many states.
Certified Patient Care Technician (CPCT/A)
National Healthcareer Association (NHA) · Intermediate
Best for: Nursing assistants 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: Nursing assistants 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: Nursing assistants 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: Nursing assistants 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, restorative aide)
State-approved restorative aide training programs · Intermediate
Best for: Nursing assistants 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 nursing assistants 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 nursing assistant certification
Start with the non-negotiables. You need your state CNA certification to work at all, and a current BLS or CPR card to be hired almost anywhere. Get those first and keep them from expiring. Because the nursing assistant 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 nursing assistant 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 BLS or CPR 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 Nursing Assistant certifications count on your resume
List your certifications where recruiters and the ATS will see them, then run a free ATS check to confirm your resume matches the job. No credit card.
Check my resume freeFree forever plan · No credit card required
Frequently asked questions
How do I become a nursing assistant?
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 certified nursing assistant.
Is a nursing assistant 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 nursing assistant pay the most?
For most nursing assistants, 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 nursing assistant?
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.
