How to hire a licensed nursing assistant

How to hire a licensed nursing assistant, step by step

Here's a step-by-step licensed nursing 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 licensed nursing assistant job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new licensed nursing assistant
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a licensed nursing assistant do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the licensed nursing assistant you need to hire. Certain licensed nursing 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 licensed nursing 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of licensed nursing assistants and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Licensed Nursing Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Licensed Nursing 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	$14-26
   PRN	A PRN or a "pro re nata" employee is responsible for covering a shift or a specific situation, especially during short-staffing or the need to complete a particular task. The PRNs often work for a medical industry without a regular or full-time commitment, having the freedom to manage their time and take multiple assignments from different organizations... Show more	$8-42
   Home Health Care	Home health aides are healthcare professionals who are responsible for providing support and personal services to patients. These aides are required to monitor their patients by observing the physical and mental condition of their patients... Show more	$11-28

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Vital Signs
   • LNA
   • ADL
   • Adaptive
   • Rehabilitation
   • Home Health
   • CPR
   • Slings
   • Customer Service
   • Compassion
   • Skin Care
   • Resident Care
   • Quality Care

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage memory unity within facility.
   • Perform assessments, responsible for medication administration, wind care treatment, documentation and aiding in the residents' ADL's.
   • Set up telemetry units, EKG remove hep locks, stock order, assist patients with healing and recovery after surgery.
   • Provide medical assistance and perform duties as a license nursing assistant at local nursing home and rehabilitation centers.
   • Support the entire interdisciplinary ICU team in providing high quality patient care.
   • Involve in maintenance of compliance measures for OSHA regulations for office practice.

   More licensed nursing assistant duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your licensed nursing assistant job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A licensed nursing assistant salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, licensed nursing assistants' average salary in north dakota is 50% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level licensed nursing assistants earn 46% less than senior-level licensed nursing assistants.
   • Certifications. A licensed nursing assistant with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a licensed nursing assistant's salary.

   Average licensed nursing assistant salary

   $41,395yearly

   $19.90 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level licensed nursing assistant salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 26, 2025

   Average licensed nursing assistant salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$47,925	$23
   2	Florida	$44,001	$21
   3	Washington	$43,834	$21
   4	Indiana	$43,241	$21
   5	Massachusetts	$43,231	$21
   6	Tennessee	$42,718	$21
   7	Michigan	$42,600	$20
   8	Delaware	$42,322	$20
   9	Oregon	$42,043	$20
   10	Ohio	$41,241	$20
   11	Kansas	$40,316	$19
   12	Minnesota	$38,943	$19
   13	Connecticut	$38,705	$19
   14	Virginia	$36,714	$18
   15	South Dakota	$36,706	$18
   16	New Hampshire	$34,797	$17
   17	Arizona	$34,175	$16
   18	New York	$33,942	$16
   19	Vermont	$33,679	$16
   20	North Dakota	$32,944	$16

   Average licensed nursing assistant salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Cornerstone VNA	$57,816	$27.80	6
   2	Constellation Health Services	$54,098	$26.01
   3	Life Care Centers of America	$48,276	$23.21	444
   4	United Health Centers Of The San Joaquin Valley	$47,993	$23.07	3
   5	ICONMA	$45,380	$21.82
   6	NHC	$43,879	$21.10	289
   7	SouthernCare	$43,653	$20.99	8
   8	SantaFe HealthCare	$43,459	$20.89	8
   9	Kindred at Home	$43,422	$20.88	322
   10	Careerstaff Unlimited - A Genesis Healthcare Company	$43,067	$20.71
   11	VNA Home Health Hospice	$42,721	$20.54
   12	Summit Orthopedics	$42,264	$20.32	2
   13	The Sunshine Terrace Foundation	$42,064	$20.22	3
   14	Encompass Health	$41,954	$20.17	673
   15	Oregon Health & Science University	$41,619	$20.01	11
   16	The Good Samaritan Society	$41,609	$20.00	8
   17	Genesis HealthCare	$41,568	$19.98	474
   18	Cigna	$41,297	$19.85	47
   19	MAS Medical Staffing	$40,996	$19.71	204
   20	Mayo Clinic	$40,945	$19.69	107

4. Writing a licensed nursing assistant job description

   A licensed nursing 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a licensed nursing assistant job description:

   Licensed nursing assistant job description example

   $6,000.00 generous sign on bonus available with competitive

   nursing compensation wages and robust shift differentials

   At Encompass Health we provide opportunity for growth and support with our

   Rehabilitation Nursing Tech (RNT) Career Framework

   Tuition Reimbursement Program

   Benefits that start on day one

   Extra attention to detail

   Exceptional outcomes

   BE THE CONNECTION.

   Your role as a rehab nursing technician I lets you be the connection between dedication to detail and patient outcomes that exceed expectations. Use your passion for rehabilitation to ensure that patients receive care that sets the standard as you treat patients with compassion and empathy. Enhance the impact of your abilities with national post-acute care leader Encompass Health.

   What makes Encompass Health careers different-and better: RNT I FUll Time Nights

   Working at Encompass Health means being part of something special: A team that is passionate about making an impact on patients' lives each day. Unlike the typical hospital setting, Encompass Health offers you the unique opportunity to walk alongside patients on their road to recovery from stroke, spinal cord injuries, neurological disorders, joint replacements, multiple trauma and cardiac/pulmonary conditions. As you help patients achieve goals and regain independence, you can form significant relationships with them and celebrate the successes they experience along the way.

   Our culture of compassion and collaboration is founded on more than just the care we provide our patients; it is expressed in the values we live. We encourage and empower each employee to keep learning and growing by providing the resources to deliver a better way to care. At Encompass Health, you'll find something decidedly different and more satisfying: A career that is challenging, inspiring and rewarding. Maximize your talent and join a team that is committed to setting the standard for better healthcare with this engaging opportunity.

   
   

   
   
   Address: 254 Pleasant Street, Concord 03301
   Shift: Night Job
   Schedule: Full-time

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find licensed nursing assistants for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any licensed nursing assistants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level licensed nursing assistants with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your licensed nursing assistant job on Zippia to find and attract quality licensed nursing assistant candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with licensed nursing assistant candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   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 licensed nursing assistant

   Once you have selected a candidate for the licensed nursing 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.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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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