CNA Cover Letter

A strong CNA cover letter demonstrates more than your state certification -- it shows a hiring manager that you understand the daily demands of direct patient care and can deliver it with consistency and compassion. Whether you are applying to a skilled nursing facility, hospital, or home health agency, your letter should connect your hands-on experience to the specific needs of the unit. Pair this guide with our broader advice on how to write a cover letter and explore the healthcare careers hub for related roles.

What employers look for in a CNA cover letter

Hiring managers in long-term care, acute care, and home health settings review CNA applications quickly. Your cover letter needs to address a focused set of clinical and interpersonal competencies to stand out.

• Vital signs monitoring -- Employers expect accurate, timely documentation of blood pressure, pulse, respiration, temperature, and oxygen saturation. Referencing your comfort with this routine signals baseline competency.
• Activities of daily living (ADLs) -- Bathing, dressing, grooming, feeding, and transferring patients form the core of a CNA's day. Be specific about the patient populations you have supported.
• Infection control -- Facilities are acutely focused on hand hygiene, PPE compliance, and isolation protocols. Demonstrating awareness of these standards shows you take resident safety seriously.
• EMR documentation -- Mention any electronic medical record systems you have used, such as PointClickCare, MatrixCare, or Epic. Accurate charting reduces errors and protects patients.
• Teamwork and communication -- CNAs work closely with nurses, therapists, and physicians. Show that you can take direction, escalate concerns promptly, and maintain clear handoff notes.
• Empathy and patient dignity -- Facilities want CNAs who treat residents with respect and patience, particularly those with dementia or mobility limitations.

How to write a CNA cover letter that gets interviews

1. Lead with your certification and most relevant experience

Open with your active CNA certification, the state in which you are certified, and the care setting where you have the most experience. This tells the reader in the first two sentences that you meet the baseline requirements. If you are a recent graduate entering the field, our no experience cover letter guide explains how to frame your clinical rotation hours as hands-on experience.

2. Match your skills to the job posting

Read the job description carefully and mirror its language. If the facility emphasizes memory care, describe your experience with dementia patients and redirection techniques. If the posting mentions wound care assistance or catheter care, confirm you have received that training. Generic letters that could apply to any facility rarely advance past initial screening. The same principle applies when writing a nursing assistant cover letter -- specificity is what separates strong applications.

3. Include concrete details about your patient load and outcomes

Numbers add credibility. Mention how many residents you regularly cared for per shift, your facility's staffing ratio, or a measurable outcome you contributed to, such as a reduction in fall incidents or pressure ulcer rates on your unit. Even one specific figure makes your letter more memorable than a page full of adjectives. This approach is equally effective in an LPN cover letter, where clinical metrics carry significant weight.

4. Close with a direct request and your availability

End your letter by naming the facility, expressing genuine interest in the team, and requesting a brief conversation. Avoid passive closings like "I hope to hear from you." Instead, state that you would welcome the opportunity to discuss how your patient care approach fits the team's needs and that you are available at the hiring manager's convenience. A confident close reflects the same professionalism residents and families expect from a CNA.

CNA cover letter example

Replace facility names, patient counts, and certifications with your own experience.

Subject: Application for the CNA position

Dear Hiring Manager, I am writing to apply for the Certified Nursing Assistant position at Maplewood Senior Living. I hold an active CNA certification in Ohio and bring two years of experience providing direct patient care in a 120-bed skilled nursing facility. My background in long-term care and my commitment to patient dignity make me a strong fit for your memory care unit. In my current role at Riverside Care Center, I assist 10 to 12 residents per shift with activities of daily living including bathing, dressing, oral hygiene, feeding, and ambulation. I monitor and document vital signs at the start of each shift and promptly report changes in condition to the charge nurse. Over the past year, my unit achieved a 15 percent reduction in fall incidents through consistent use of bed alarm protocols and regular repositioning rounds -- a standard I take seriously on every shift. I am proficient in PointClickCare for daily charting and have completed additional training in dementia care communication and infection control. I understand that your facility serves a significant proportion of residents with Alzheimer's disease, and I am experienced in using validation therapy and calm redirection techniques to reduce resident distress. I would welcome the opportunity to join the Maplewood team and contribute to the high standard of care your residents deserve. I am available for a conversation at your convenience. Sincerely, Alex Rivera

Before you send your application

Use this checklist to review your CNA cover letter before submitting:

• Does your opening line state your active CNA certification and state?
• Have you named the facility and connected your experience to their specific patient population?
• Did you include at least one concrete detail -- patient count, outcome metric, or specific ADL skill?
• Are infection control practices and any EMR systems you use mentioned?
• Is your letter free of filler phrases like "hard worker" or "caring individual"?
• Have you kept the letter to one page and proofread for spelling errors, especially medical terminology?

For more formatting guidance, see nurse cover letter examples and compare your structure against our entry-level cover letter tips if you are early in your career.

FAQ

How long should a CNA cover letter be?

Keep it to one page, roughly 250 to 350 words. Nursing home and hospital HR teams review large volumes of applications, so a concise letter that leads with your certification and a specific clinical achievement will hold attention better than a lengthy narrative. For general formatting rules, see our cover letter format guide.

Do I need a cover letter if I already have a CNA certification?

Yes. Your certification confirms you meet the licensing requirement, but it does not communicate your work ethic, patient care philosophy, or familiarity with the facility's population. A targeted cover letter answers questions your resume cannot -- such as why you want to work at that specific facility and how you handle challenging patient situations.

How do I write a CNA cover letter with no experience?

Highlight the clinical hours you completed during your CNA training program, naming the type of facility and the patient population you worked with. Describe specific tasks you performed -- vital signs, ADL assistance, documentation -- and mention any feedback you received from supervising nurses. Our no experience cover letter guide walks through this approach in detail.

What certifications should I mention in a CNA cover letter?

Always include your state CNA certification. If you hold additional credentials -- such as CPR/BLS, a Dementia Care Certificate, a Medication Aide certificate, or a home health aide (HHA) certification -- mention those that are most relevant to the posting. Place certifications near the top of your letter so they are visible at a glance.

How is a CNA cover letter different from a nursing assistant cover letter?

The terms are often used interchangeably, but a CNA cover letter should explicitly reference your state certification and the formal competency exam you passed. A nursing assistant cover letter may apply to both certified and non-certified roles, so the framing differs slightly depending on the job posting. When the posting requires a certification, lead with it.