How to hire a certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant

How to hire a certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant you need to hire. Certain certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant salaries for various positions.

   Type of Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant	Nursing assistants, sometimes called nursing aides, help provide basic care for patients in hospitals and residents of long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes. Orderlies transport patients and clean treatment areas... Show more	$12-22
   Nurses' Aide	A nurses' aide is responsible for providing healthcare and welfare assistance to patients in long-term care facilities while under the supervision of a registered nurse or a licensed colleague with extensive expertise. A nurses' aide is mostly involved in basic hygienic tasks, such as helping a patient in bathing and dressing, using the toilet, preparing meals, feeding, and performing basic chores... Show more	$11-18
   Nurse Technician	Nurse technicians, also known as nursing aides, assistants, or attendants, usually work in clinics, hospitals, and nursing homes. Primarily, they help a registered nurse by providing essential mobility, care, and support to patients... Show more	$12-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Vital Signs
   • CPR
   • Customer Service
   • Rehabilitation
   • Quality Care
   • Direct Patient Care
   • Phone Calls
   • Medical Terminology
   • Catheter
   • Infection Control
   • Exam Rooms
   • Compassion
   • Blood Pressure

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Conduct and facilitate PCA lead group activities as scheduled
   • Deliver care with patience, compassion, and caring for the elder1y patients.
   • Document vital information in electronic medical records (EMR) of assign patients.
   • Monitor patients in restraints for safety, circulation, hydration, nutrition and elimination.
   • Adhere to home health, hospice, and emergency protocols including performing CPR and first aide (as necessary).
   • Assist patients with mobility and personal hygiene and monitor patients on telemetry.

   More certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant job description is a good way to get more applicants. A certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant in Nebraska may be lower than in Hawaii, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant. Additionally, a certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant salary

   $36,382yearly

   $17.49 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 18, 2026

   Average certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$44,647	$21
   2	Arizona	$42,727	$21
   3	Massachusetts	$41,358	$20
   4	New York	$40,636	$20
   5	Virginia	$39,099	$19
   6	Missouri	$38,929	$19
   7	Nevada	$37,883	$18
   8	Washington	$37,287	$18
   9	Oregon	$37,226	$18
   10	Iowa	$37,154	$18
   11	Minnesota	$37,054	$18
   12	Wisconsin	$36,375	$17
   13	North Dakota	$35,716	$17
   14	Tennessee	$35,633	$17
   15	Indiana	$35,520	$17
   16	Kansas	$35,381	$17
   17	Florida	$35,079	$17
   18	Illinois	$34,671	$17
   19	Oklahoma	$33,834	$16
   20	Colorado	$33,315	$16

   Average certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Aya Healthcare	$46,785	$22.49	15
   2	Boston Medical Center	$46,779	$22.49	46
   3	Yoh	$46,577	$22.39	1
   4	Massachusetts General Hospital	$46,422	$22.32
   5	Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company	$46,026	$22.13
   6	Southern California Hospitals	$45,201	$21.73	16
   7	Blessing Hospital Emergency Room	$44,160	$21.23	18
   8	Park Nicollet Medical Center Inc	$43,141	$20.74
   9	Valley Presbyterian Hospital	$43,049	$20.70	2
   10	Baptist Health Home Care	$42,799	$20.58	37
   11	Shady Oaks Country Club	$42,791	$20.57
   12	Sturdy Memorial Hospital	$41,817	$20.10	12
   13	Valley View Hospital	$41,528	$19.97	24
   14	Cedars-Sinai	$41,252	$19.83	187
   15	GPW Health Center	$40,924	$19.68
   16	Mayo Clinic	$40,820	$19.63	173
   17	Prime Healthcare	$40,751	$19.59	160
   18	Syracuse University	$40,710	$19.57
   19	Student Conservation Association	$40,528	$19.48	1
   20	Monadnock Community Hospital	$40,387	$19.42	20

4. Writing a certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant job description

   A certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant job description:

   Certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant job description example

   Situated at the foot of Sewanee Mountain, in southern Middle Tennessee, the city of Winchester offers the best in small-town living while offering quick access to other major cities such as Chattanooga, Nashville, and Huntsville. Winchester has a host of top rated schools, both public and private. Its economy is strong and steadily growing thanks to major employers such as Nissan and Arnold Engineering. Noted as a great place for outdoor recreation, Winchester’s beautiful Tims Ford Lake offers visitors an opportunity for year-round fishing, hiking, and camping. If golfing is more your style, you can enjoy The Bear Trace at Times Ford. This 6,790-yard golf course designed by The Golden Bear, Mr. Jack Nicklaus, has been named as one of the “Top Ten Places You Can Play” by Golf Magazine. And just down the road from Winchester, you’ll find Lynchburg, TN. Home to another favorite tourist destination, the nation’s oldest registered distillery, Jack Daniels.

   JOB SUMMARY

   Assists patients with activities of daily living, provides basic nursing care to patients and assists in maintenance of a safe and clean environment under the direction and supervision of the Registered Nurse. Appropriately communicates changes in patient's clinical condition to the RN/LPN. Works with all staff to provide quality patient care.

   
   

   Minimum Education

   High school diploma or equivalent

   Graduate of a Nursing Assistant program.

   Minimum Work Experience

   Previous hospital experience with acceptable references preferred.

   Required Licenses

   [Tennessee, United States] Nursing Assistant

   Must be currently certified to work within the State of Tennessee as a Nurse Assistant

   Required Skills

   Certification:

   AHA Basic Life Support (BLS), within 30 days of hire

   
   

   Job: **Please select a valid job field*

   
   

   Organization: **Southern Tennessee Regional Health System - Winchester*

   
   

   Title: CNA Med-Surg FT Nights w/Rotating Weekends

   
   

   Location: Tennessee-Winchester

   
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find certified medical assistants/certified nurse assistants for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit certified medical assistants/certified nurse assistants, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant

   Once you have selected a candidate for the certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new certified medical assistant/certified nurse assistant first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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