How to hire a professional nursing assistant

How to hire a professional nursing assistant, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a professional nursing assistant, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A professional nursing assistant's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, professional nursing assistants from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents professional nursing assistant salaries for various positions.

   Type of Professional Nursing Assistant	Description	Hourly rate
   Professional 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	$13-33
   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
   Patients Transporter	A patients transporter is responsible for transporting patients from one place to assigned healthcare facilities to receive medical care and treatment. Patients transporters assist with moving the patients, such as on wheelchairs and beds, depending on their conditions... Show more	$11-17

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Vital Signs
   • PNA
   • Patient Care
   • Administer Medications
   • ADL
   • Mental Health
   • Medical-Surgical
   • Patient Charts

   Responsibilities:

   • Initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation in emergency situations.
   • Cycle through all areas of perioperative care, including pediatric and adult pre-op and post-op, and the short stay unit.
   • Provide behavioral/emotional support and supervision for those with dementia and Alzheimer's.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your professional nursing assistant job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A professional nursing assistant can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, professional nursing assistants' average salary in mississippi is 36% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level professional nursing assistants 59% less than senior-level professional nursing assistants.
   • Certifications. A professional nursing assistant with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a professional nursing assistant's salary.

   Average professional nursing assistant salary

   $44,336yearly

   $21.32 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level professional nursing assistant salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

4. Writing a professional nursing assistant job description

   A good professional nursing assistant job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a professional nursing assistant job description:

   Professional nursing assistant job description example

   Come and join IU Health as a Generalist-Nursing Professional Development at our Bedford Hospital location.
   
   The Generalist-Nursing Professional Development position promotes and advocates for professional staff development programs and curricula that support the needs of the clinical learner and the organization, beginning with newly hired clinical employee and continuing on through the expert clinician. Models the application of evidence based practice in the scholarship of teaching and learning; providing direction and support through strategic planning to meet the employee's educational needs identified through structural needs assessments, regulatory agency requirements, quality outcomes data and leadership direction. Serves as a role model and expert for clinical educators and advocates for their continued growth and professional development.
   * Bachelors Degree of Nursing (BSN) required.
   * Requires current state of Indiana license as Registered Nurse.
   * Requires that the RN has graduated from a nationally accredited nursing program.
   * 2 years of experience as a clinical nurse preferred.
   * Requires Basic Life Support certification through the AHA.
   * Other advanced Life Support certifications may be required per unit/department specialty according to patient care policies.
   * Must have the ability and willingness to travel as needed to meet the system educational needs.
   * Must have the ability to display knowledge and utilization of principles of adult learning.
   
   #LI-SL1
   
   Safeguarding our patients and each other is an important part of how we deliver the best care possible to the communities we serve. As a condition of employment, IU Health requires all new hires to receive various vaccinations, including the influenza and COVID-19 vaccines, barring an approved exemption. New hires will also be provided the option to submit proof of previous vaccination.
   
   We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity and inclusion at IU Health. IU Health does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, national origin, gender identity and/or expression, marital status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find professional 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 professional nursing assistants they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level professional 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 professional nursing assistant job on Zippia to find and recruit professional nursing 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

   Your first interview with professional 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 professional nursing assistant

   Once you've found the professional nursing assistant candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   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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