Certified Nursing Assistant Jobs in Nashville, TN
Certified nursing assistants in Nashville earn a median of about $19 an hour, and the work runs from Vanderbilt's hospital floors to rehab hospitals, home care and the Alvin C. York VA in Murfreesboro. Here are the current CNA openings, followed by who is hiring and how to get on Tennessee's Nurse Aide Registry.
Current certified nursing assistant Openings in Nashville, TN
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Certified Nursing Assistant Work in Nashville
Nashville's hospital industry needs a deep bench of nursing assistants, and the job goes by different names depending on where you work. Vanderbilt University Medical Center calls the role a Care Partner and trains new ones through its own paid academy, Saint Thomas West on Harding Road hires patient care technicians and prefers a nurse aide certificate, and Ascension Saint Thomas Rehabilitation Hospital posts certified nurse aide jobs by name.
Outside the hospitals, CNA work extends into senior living and home care. Brookdale Senior Living runs a home care agency serving Nashville, and the VA's Alvin C. York campus in Murfreesboro staffs nursing assistants for its Community Living Center, a short drive down I-24. That spread means you can pick between 12-hour hospital shifts, steady facility schedules and one-on-one home visits.
Top Nashville Employers Hiring Certified Nursing Assistants
These Nashville-area employers have recently posted nursing assistant jobs on their own career sites:
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center - the academic medical center, which hires Care Partners, its hospital nursing-assistant role, through a paid Care Partner Academy open to adults with a high school diploma or GED.
- Ascension Saint Thomas Rehabilitation Hospital - the inpatient rehab hospital, hiring certified nurse aides for full-time night shifts with a sign-on bonus.
- Ascension Saint Thomas - Saint Thomas West hires patient care technicians, with a nurse aide certificate preferred.
- Brookdale Senior Living - the senior living company's Brookdale at Home of Nashville agency hires home care CNAs at $18 an hour.
- VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System - the Alvin C. York VA Medical Center in Murfreesboro hires nursing assistants for its Community Living Center, with a CNA preferred.
Certified Nursing Assistant Salaries in Nashville
- Entry level: about $16.50 to $18 an hour for new CNAs.
- Experienced: about $18 to $21.50 an hour for most working CNAs.
- Senior and specialized: $21.50 to $24 an hour and up, and federal VA nursing assistant jobs post at $41,097 to $67,098 a year.
These are estimates based on BLS wage data for the Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin metro, May 2025, where the median nursing assistant earns $18.99 an hour. Night and weekend differentials, hospital versus long-term care settings, sign-on bonuses and years of experience move pay the most.
How to Become a Certified Nursing Assistant in Nashville
To work as a CNA in Tennessee you complete a state-approved nurse aide training program, pass the competency evaluation and get listed on the Tennessee Department of Health's Nurse Aide Registry. TCAT Nashville lists a Nurse Aide certificate alongside its nursing programs, and program length varies by school, so check hours and start dates before you enroll. Your certification lasts 24 months, and to renew it you must show at least eight hours of work in a licensed or certified facility during that time. Some hospital roles, such as Vanderbilt's Care Partner, train you on the job instead.
What the Job Involves
Certified nursing assistants help patients bathe, dress, eat, use the bathroom and move safely between bed, chair and wheelchair. They take and record vital signs, turn and reposition patients to prevent pressure injuries, answer call lights, report changes in condition to the nurse and keep rooms clean and stocked. Most work under the direction of an RN or LPN.
Skills Employers Look For
- Active listing on the Tennessee Nurse Aide Registry
- BLS or CPR certification
- Safe lifting, transfer and repositioning technique
- Accurate vital signs and charting
- Patience and respect with older and vulnerable patients
- Reliability on nights, weekends and holidays
Career Path and Advancement
CNA is a common first step into Nashville nursing. Aides often move into hospital patient care technician roles at systems like Saint Thomas, then start nursing school, and Vanderbilt offers tuition assistance to its own staff. Common next steps are TCAT Nashville's 12-month Practical Nursing diploma or Nashville State's two-year RN program on White Bridge. Others stay in senior care and move into lead aide, restorative aide or scheduling roles.
Related Careers in Nashville
If nursing assistant work interests you, these Nashville guides are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do CNAs make in Nashville?
BLS data for May 2025 puts the median nursing assistant wage in the Nashville metro at $18.99 an hour. Most fall between about $17.85 and $21.42, and the top tenth earn about $24 an hour or more.
How do I get on the Tennessee Nurse Aide Registry?
Complete a state-approved nurse aide training program and pass the competency evaluation. The Tennessee Department of Health then lists you on the Nurse Aide Registry, which employers can check before hiring.
How often do I renew my CNA certification in Tennessee?
Every 24 months. You need proof that you worked at least eight hours as a nurse aide in a licensed or certified facility during that period, and the state will not accept a renewal more than 45 days before it expires.
Can I get hired at a Nashville hospital without a CNA certificate?
Sometimes. Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Care Partner Academy trains adults with a high school diploma or GED and no healthcare experience, and some patient care technician jobs list a nurse aide certificate as preferred rather than required.
Do CNAs work nights in Nashville?
Often. Hospitals and rehab facilities staff around the clock, and night shift CNA jobs are common, such as the full-time night roles at Ascension Saint Thomas Rehabilitation Hospital. Night and weekend shifts usually pay a differential.
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