CNA interview questions: 23 questions and a scorecard for interviewers
The short answer
Good CNA interview questions test how a nurse aide gives hands-on personal care safely, notices and reports changes in a resident, protects dignity, and keeps up with a heavy assignment as part of the nursing team. Ask for real examples, such as a time they reported a change in a resident’s skin, eating or behavior, and listen for what they saw, who they told and how quickly. Before the interview, check the state nurse aide registry: nursing homes that take part in Medicare or Medicaid must receive registry verification before anyone works as a nurse aide. Score every candidate against the same five criteria so the decision rests on evidence.
All 23 questions with why you ask each one, what a strong answer shows and follow-ups, plus the certified nursing assistant (cna) scorecard and rating guide. Free to download and adapt; no sign-up needed.
When to use these questions
Certified nursing assistants give much of the daily hands-on care in nursing homes, hospitals and home health: bathing, dressing, feeding, toileting, repositioning, transfers and vital signs. Because they spend the most time with residents, they are often the first to see that something has changed, so the interview needs to show how carefully they observe, how quickly they report, and how they treat people who rely on them for the most personal care.
For agency and per diem placements, check the must-haves before the skills interview: an active listing on the nurse aide registry of the state where the assignment is, and on any other state registry where the candidate has worked; recent paid work as an aide, because federal rules for Medicare and Medicaid nursing homes require new training or a new competency evaluation after 24 consecutive months without paid nursing or nursing-related work; any certifications the facility asks for, such as CPR; and the shifts, units and start date the candidate can commit to.
23 CNA interview questions
Grouped by what they test. Pick the questions that match the role, ask every candidate the same ones in the same order, and score each answer against the scorecard below.
Resident care and daily tasks
Ask the candidate to walk through real routines step by step. Good aides describe safety checks and the resident’s choices without being prompted.
Question 1: Walk me through how you help a resident who needs full assistance get washed, dressed and up for breakfast.
- Why ask it:
- Tests practical knowledge of the core personal care routine.
- A strong answer shows:
- A safe, ordered routine that explains each step to the resident, protects privacy and lets them do what they can for themselves.
- Follow-up:
- What would you do if the resident said no halfway through?
Question 2: How do you move a resident from bed to wheelchair when they can bear only a little weight?
- Why ask it:
- Transfers carry real injury risk for residents and staff.
- A strong answer shows:
- Checking the care plan, using the specified lift or gait belt, getting a second person when the plan says so, and never improvising a lift.
Question 3: Tell me about a resident who needed help eating. How did you make sure they got enough to eat and drink?
- Why ask it:
- Tests attention to nutrition, hydration and swallowing safety.
- A strong answer shows:
- Sitting the resident upright, following the diet and fluid plan, pacing the meal, and recording intake accurately.
Question 4: How do you take and record vital signs, and which readings would make you tell the nurse straight away?
- Why ask it:
- Checks a routine clinical task and the point at which it becomes urgent.
- A strong answer shows:
- Accurate technique, recording right away, and reporting any reading outside the resident’s usual range or the facility’s parameters immediately.
Question 5: What do you do to prevent pressure injuries for residents who spend most of the day in bed or a chair?
- Why ask it:
- Tests everyday prevention work that aides own.
- A strong answer shows:
- Repositioning on schedule, checking skin during care, keeping skin clean and dry, and reporting redness the same shift.
Observation, reporting and safety
Aides are the eyes and ears of the nursing team. Listen for specific observations and prompt reporting, not “I would tell someone.”
Question 6: Tell me about a time you noticed a change in a resident, such as their skin, appetite, mood or behavior. What did you do?
- Why ask it:
- Aides often see a change first, and reporting it early protects the resident.
- A strong answer shows:
- A specific observation, reporting it to the charge nurse promptly, and documenting it.
- Follow-up:
- What did the nurse do with what you told them?
Question 7: A resident who is usually chatty is quiet and confused this afternoon. Talk me through what you would do.
- Why ask it:
- Tests recognition of a possible sudden change in condition.
- A strong answer shows:
- Treating it as a change to report now, staying with or checking on the resident, and giving the nurse specific facts.
Question 8: What would you do if you saw a coworker handle a resident roughly or speak to them with disrespect?
- Why ask it:
- Tests understanding of abuse and the duty to report it.
- A strong answer shows:
- Stepping in to protect the resident and reporting to the supervisor right away under facility policy, whoever the coworker is.
Question 9: Tell me about a fall or near fall you were involved in. What happened, and what did you do afterwards?
- Why ask it:
- Tests fall response and honesty.
- A strong answer shows:
- Calling for the nurse instead of moving the resident, staying with them, reporting fully, and what changed afterwards.
Question 10: How do you keep up infection prevention when you have several residents to get up in a short time?
- Why ask it:
- Checks safety habits under time pressure.
- A strong answer shows:
- Hand hygiene between residents, correct glove and gown use, and safe handling of soiled linen even when rushed.
Dignity, communication and difficult moments
Personal care is where dignity is easiest to lose. Look for respect shown in small, practical habits.
Question 11: How do you protect a resident’s privacy and dignity during bathing and toileting?
- Why ask it:
- Shows whether respect is built into routine care.
- A strong answer shows:
- Closing doors and curtains, keeping the resident covered, explaining each step and asking before touching.
Question 12: Tell me about a resident living with dementia who resisted care. How did you handle it?
- Why ask it:
- Tests patience and a person-centered approach.
- A strong answer shows:
- Staying calm, trying again later or another way, using what they know about the person, and telling the nurse if care could not be given.
Question 13: A resident tells you they don’t want to get up or bathe today. What do you do?
- Why ask it:
- Tests respect for choice balanced with care needs.
- A strong answer shows:
- Respecting the choice, offering alternatives or a later time, and reporting the refusal so the care plan can be reviewed.
Question 14: Describe a conversation with a worried family member. What did you tell them, and what did you pass on to the nurse?
- Why ask it:
- Tests communication that stays within the aide’s role.
- A strong answer shows:
- Listening, being kind and honest, and referring clinical questions to the nurse instead of guessing.
Question 15: Tell me about caring for a resident at the end of life.
- Why ask it:
- Tests compassion and professional boundaries.
- A strong answer shows:
- Comfort care such as mouth care and repositioning, a calm presence, respect for the family, and awareness of their own feelings afterwards.
Teamwork, workload and reliability
A short-staffed unit depends on aides who prioritize well and hand over clearly.
Question 16: You have more residents than usual and two call lights on at once. How do you decide what to do first?
- Why ask it:
- Tests prioritization in a heavy assignment.
- A strong answer shows:
- Safety first, such as fall risks and residents in distress, a quick word with teammates and the nurse, and never skipping care without telling anyone.
Question 17: How do you hand over to the next shift so nothing about your residents gets lost?
- Why ask it:
- Tests continuity of care between shifts.
- A strong answer shows:
- Specific handover on changes, intake, refusals and concerns, with documentation finished before leaving.
Question 18: Tell me about a time you disagreed with a nurse or another aide about a resident’s care.
- Why ask it:
- Shows professional conflict handling within the team.
- A strong answer shows:
- Raising it respectfully, keeping the resident at the center, and going to the charge nurse if it was not resolved.
Question 19: How do you get up to speed on a new unit when you don’t know the residents yet?
- Why ask it:
- Essential for agency and per diem aides.
- A strong answer shows:
- Reading care plans, asking which residents are high risk, learning the lift and call light procedures, and checking in with the nurse early.
Must-haves and logistics
Ask these of every candidate before the skills interview, and verify the answers.
Question 20: Which state nurse aide registries are you listed on, and is each listing active? Have you worked as an aide in any other state?
- Why ask it:
- Medicare and Medicaid nursing homes must get registry verification and seek information from every state registry they believe holds information on the aide.
- A strong answer shows:
- States, the name on the registry and certificate numbers, which you then check on each state registry before submitting the candidate.
Question 21: When and where did you last work as a paid nurse aide?
- Why ask it:
- In Medicare and Medicaid nursing homes, 24 consecutive months without paid nursing or nursing-related work means new training or a new competency evaluation.
- A strong answer shows:
- Recent, specific paid work you can confirm with references.
Question 22: Which settings have you worked in, such as long-term care, rehab, hospital or home health, and which certifications do you hold, such as CPR?
- Why ask it:
- Clients usually want recent experience in the same setting and current certifications.
- A strong answer shows:
- Specific settings and certifications with expiry dates, and copies available.
Question 23: The assignment is [shifts, nights or weekends, location and length]. Does that work, and when could you start?
- Why ask it:
- Rules out schedule mismatches early.
- A strong answer shows:
- A clear yes, or the specific constraint, and a firm start date.
Certified nursing assistant (CNA) interview scorecard
Five criteria for this role, with what a score of 1, 3 and 5 looks like. Scores of 2 and 4 sit between them.
| Criterion | What it means | Score 1 looks like | Score 3 looks like | Score 5 looks like |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal care skills | Gives daily care safely and correctly. | Vague descriptions of care with no steps or safety checks. | Describes core routines in a safe order, with privacy protected. | Detailed, safe routines adapted to each resident’s care plan and abilities. |
| Observation and reporting | Notices changes in residents and tells the nurse promptly. | No example of reporting a change, or would wait and see. | One clear example of reporting a change promptly and documenting it. | Several examples with specific observations, prompt reporting and accurate records. |
| Dignity and respect | Protects privacy, choice and dignity in personal care. | Talks about residents as tasks, with no mention of privacy or choice. | Clear privacy habits and respects a resident’s refusal. | Person-centered with every resident, adapts calmly to dementia and distress, and speaks up for residents’ preferences. |
| Safety and infection prevention | Follows safe practice for transfers, falls and infection prevention. | Describes improvised lifts or skipped hand hygiene when busy. | Follows care plans and procedures consistently. | Holds to procedures under pressure and reports unsafe practice by others. |
| Teamwork and reliability | Works well with nurses and aides and can be counted on every shift. | Blames the team, or describes leaving care undone without telling anyone. | Gives clear handovers and asks for help when stretched. | Supports teammates, communicates early and settles in quickly on new units. |
The 1–5 rating scale
The same scale for every criterion and every candidate.
| Score | Level | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Well below requirement | No relevant evidence, or an answer that contradicts the requirement. |
| 2 | Below requirement | Partial evidence with important gaps. |
| 3 | Meets requirement | Clear, relevant evidence at the level the role needs. |
| 4 | Above requirement | Strong, specific evidence beyond the expected level. |
| 5 | Exceptional | Repeated high-quality evidence with clear impact. |
How to run the interview with these cna interview questions
- 01
Step 01
Agree the must-haves first
Confirm the essential credentials, experience and availability with the hiring manager or client before any interviews. - 02
Step 02
Pick 8 to 12 questions
Take the must-have questions, then the questions that test what this role needs most. Use the same set, in the same order, for every candidate. - 03
Step 03
Ask for real examples
When you hear “we” or “I would”, ask what the candidate personally did, and what happened in the end. - 04
Step 04
Score before you discuss
Rate each criterion on the scorecard with the evidence behind it, then compare with other interviewers. - 05
Step 05
Verify before you submit
Check licenses, certifications and right to work against the original source before you put the candidate forward.
Red flags, and questions not to ask
- Registry details that don’t match the state nurse aide registry, or reluctance to share them.
- No example of reporting a change in a resident, or describing that as the nurse’s job alone.
- Treating shortcuts on transfers, repositioning or hand hygiene as normal on a busy shift.
- Hesitation about reporting a coworker for rough or disrespectful care.
- Describing residents as difficult with no effort to understand what was behind the behavior.
- Age, marital or family status, pregnancy or plans for children, religion, ethnicity or national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity. These are protected characteristics under the UK Equality Act 2010 and US federal law, and they say nothing about whether someone can do the job.
- Health, sickness absence or disability before an offer. You can ask whether the candidate needs any adjustments for the interview, and whether they can do the essential tasks of the job.
Screen certified nursing assistant (CNA) applicants before the first call
Add these questions to a Beatview AI interview and every applicant answers them on video or audio, with the same time limit. Beatview scores each answer against your criteria and shows the reasoning, and you can share the shortlist with your client through a password-protected link. AI interviews are on the Pro plan; the Free plan screens resumes for one active job.
CNA interview questions: frequently asked questions
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Ask for real examples that test personal care skills, observation and reporting, dignity, safety and teamwork, such as a time they noticed a change in a resident or handled a resident who refused care. Add must-have questions about registry status, recent paid work, settings and availability, and ask every candidate the same questions in the same order.
Search the nurse aide registry of the state where the aide is certified, and of any other state where they have worked. Federal rules require nursing homes in Medicare or Medicaid to receive registry verification before someone serves as a nurse aide and to seek information from every state registry they believe holds information on the person. State registries also record findings of abuse, neglect or misappropriation of property.
Yes, for nursing homes in Medicare or Medicaid. If an aide has gone 24 consecutive months without paid nursing or nursing-related work, federal rules require them to complete a new training and competency evaluation program or a new competency evaluation program. Ask when and where they last worked as a paid aide.
A CNA interview focuses on hands-on personal care, observation and reporting, dignity and reliability rather than clinical judgment and medication. The key question is whether the aide notices changes and tells the nurse promptly, so ask for specific residents and shifts.
Get the cna interview questions template
All 23 questions with why you ask each one, what a strong answer shows and follow-ups, plus the certified nursing assistant (cna) scorecard and rating guide.
Opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers. Version 1 October 2026.
Sources: 42 CFR 483.35: nursing services, including nurse aide training and registry verification (GovInfo); 42 CFR 483.156: registry of nurse aides (GovInfo); 42 CFR 483.1: scope of the requirements for Medicare and Medicaid nursing facilities (GovInfo). This template is general guidance, not legal advice.