Certified nursing assistant phone screen questions
CNA screens confirm the license, the setting, and the temperament. Facilities that screen by phone the same day an application arrives fill shifts that would otherwise sit open for weeks.
Eight questions, and what to listen for
Ask them in this order. The first two sort the pool; the middle ones show judgment; the last ones settle logistics before anyone books an interview.
- 1
Is your CNA certification current, and in which state is it registered?
Listen for: Yes, the state, and whether it is on the registry in good standing.
- 2
Which settings have you worked in: skilled nursing, assisted living, hospital, home health?
Listen for: Setting and how long. Skilled nursing pace differs from assisted living.
- 3
Tell me about a resident who was difficult to care for and how you approached it.
Listen for: Patience, specifics, no judgment of the resident.
- 4
Are you comfortable with transfers, using a Hoyer lift, and two-person assists?
Listen for: A direct yes or a stated limit.
- 5
What shifts are you available for, and can you work every other weekend?
Listen for: Match to the schedule.
- 6
How do you handle a change in a resident's condition during your shift?
Listen for: Notify the nurse promptly, document, stay with the resident.
- 7
Do you have current BLS/CPR certification?
Listen for: Yes/no.
- 8
When could you start, and are you willing to complete the role's background and health requirements after a conditional offer?
Listen for: A date and a yes. Do not ask about medical history before an offer.
Red flags on the call
- Certification not current or not in the state
- Cannot describe a resident or a shift
- Unwilling to work the required weekends
- Vague on escalating a change in condition
Keep it short
Five questions, four to six minutes. Certified nursing assistant candidates are usually applying to several jobs at once; a screen they can finish between shifts gets finished. Save the deeper questions for the interview, where the candidate has already answered these once.
Ask whether the candidate can perform an essential task with or without reasonable accommodation; do not ask about disability or medical history. Avoid age, family, religion, national origin and other protected characteristics. See the EEOC's hiring-question guidance.
Be the certified nursing assistant candidate for three minutes
We call your phone and run a real three-question screen for Riverside Senior Living, an assisted living and memory care community in Grand Rapids. Your scorecard is emailed to you exactly as a recruiter would see it.
- 1Is your CNA certification current, and in which state is it registered?
- 2Which settings have you worked in and for how long?
- 3Tell me about a resident who was difficult to care for and how you approached it.
Your phone is about to ring at
Joe from Riverside Senior Living will introduce himself and ask three questions. While you talk, try a few things:
- Cut in mid-sentence and notice the pause
- Give a vague answer and hear the follow-up
- Say you are not interested and hear it wrap up
Your scorecard lands in your inbox about a minute after you hang up.
Run this exact screen for every certified nursing assistant who applies
Create a role in PhoneScreen with these five questions, share the link, and every candidate gets the same screen the moment they call. You read the scorecards. First 10 screens are free.
- 1Is your CNA certification current, and in which state is it registered?
- 2Which settings have you worked in and for how long?
- 3Tell me about a resident who was difficult to care for and how you approached it.
- 4Are you comfortable with transfers and lift equipment?
- 5What shifts are you available for, and when could you start?
Common questions
Can we require the certification question to be answered yes before we spend time? +
Yes. Yes/no questions are scored as yes or no, so a filter on that question sorts the pool instantly.
Screening for healthcare and senior living · More roles: medical assistant, pharmacy technician, phlebotomist, forklift operator, caregiver, CDL truck driver · Why the same questions for everyone