Certified Nursing Assistant Jobs in Virginia Beach, VA
Certified nursing assistants in Virginia Beach earn a metro median near $18.75 an hour, and hospital roles at Sentara Virginia Beach General post up to $27 for experienced aides. Here are the current openings, followed by who hires CNAs in the city, what they pay, and how to get certified.
Current certified nursing assistant Openings in Virginia Beach, VA
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Certified Nursing Assistant Work in Virginia Beach
CNA work in Virginia Beach runs through two kinds of employer. The first is long-term care: Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay along Shore Drive, Colonial Health & Rehab Center on Old Donation Parkway, Kisco Senior Living's First Colonial Inn, and other skilled nursing and assisted living communities staff aides around the clock, with 12-hour rotations and every other weekend common. The second is the hospital floor, where Sentara Virginia Beach General near Hilltop hires certified aides as patient care technicians on units such as its cardiac telemetry floor.
Federal and regional systems add more options. The Hampton VA Health Care System hires nursing assistants for its spinal cord injury, rehab and mental health units, and Riverside Health System runs a CNA clinical ladder across the region. Many Virginia Beach aides use the job as a paid first step toward nursing school at Tidewater Community College or Old Dominion University.
Top Virginia Beach Employers for Certified Nursing Assistants
These hospitals, care communities and health systems employ CNAs in and around Virginia Beach:
- Sentara Health - hires CNAs as patient care technicians at Sentara Virginia Beach General, with posted pay of $18.93 to $27.41 an hour on nights.
- Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay - the Shore Drive life plan community hires CNAs for The Hoy Center skilled nursing unit and its hospice team, from about $19.50 an hour.
- Colonial Health & Rehab Center - the skilled nursing center on Old Donation Parkway hires full-time CNAs, with listed pay of $20 to $23 an hour.
- Kisco Senior Living - First Colonial Inn hires full- and part-time CNAs and personal care aides for assisted living.
- Hampton VA Health Care System - the federal system hires nursing assistants for spinal cord injury, rehab and mental health units through USAJobs.
- Riverside Health System - the regional system employs CNAs on a clinical ladder and trains aides through Riverside College of Health Careers.
Certified Nursing Assistant Salaries in Virginia Beach
- Entry level: about $16 to $19 an hour for newly certified aides in assisted living and long-term care.
- Experienced: roughly $19 to $23 an hour in skilled nursing, which brackets the metro median near $18.75.
- Senior: $23 to $28 an hour for hospital patient care technicians and federal nursing assistants with experience.
These are estimates from federal wage data for the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro and local postings. Night and weekend differentials, hospital versus long-term care, and federal GS grades move pay the most. Hospital and VA roles generally add fuller benefits, while senior living communities often offer flexible part-time schedules.
How to Become a Certified Nursing Assistant in Virginia Beach
The Virginia Board of Nursing, part of the Department of Health Professions, certifies nurse aides. You complete a Board-approved nurse aide education program of at least 140 clock hours, including at least 40 hours of direct client care, then pass the Virginia Nurse Aide Competency Test, scheduled through Credentia. Locally, Tidewater Community College offers a one-semester, 9-credit Nurse Aide Career Studies Certificate at its Virginia Beach Campus that prepares you for the state exam. Aides certified in another state can apply for certification by endorsement.
What the Job Involves
CNAs give hands-on daily care under the direction of nurses. That means helping patients bathe, dress, eat and use the bathroom, turning and repositioning patients, taking vital signs, recording intake and output, answering call lights, and reporting changes in a patient's condition. In a hospital you may also help with specimen collection and patient transport, depending on the unit.
Skills Employers Look For
- Active Virginia nurse aide certification
- Current CPR or BLS certification
- Safe lifting, transfers and patient positioning
- Accurate vital signs and charting in an electronic record
- Patience with older adults and memory care residents
- Reliability on 12-hour and weekend shifts
Career Path and Advancement
Virginia Beach CNAs often move from senior living into skilled nursing, then onto a hospital unit as a patient care technician at Sentara. Experienced aides can add Virginia's Advanced Certified Nurse Aide credential, which requires at least 120 hours of advanced training in an approved program. The most common next step is nursing school: Tidewater Community College's Practical Nursing Education certificate at the Virginia Beach Campus leads to an LPN license, and its Portsmouth associate degree leads to RN.
Related Careers in Virginia Beach
If nursing assistant work interests you, these Virginia Beach guides cover close matches:
- Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs
- Registered Nurse Jobs
- Medical Assistant Jobs
- Behavioral Health Technician Jobs
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get CNA certified in Virginia Beach?
Finish a Virginia Board of Nursing-approved nurse aide program of at least 140 hours, then pass the Virginia Nurse Aide Competency Test through Credentia. Tidewater Community College's Virginia Beach Campus offers a one-semester program that prepares you for it.
How much do CNAs make in Virginia Beach?
The metro median is about $18.75 an hour. New aides in assisted living often start around $16 to $19, skilled nursing pays roughly $19 to $23, and hospital patient care technician roles can reach about $27 an hour.
Can I use my CNA from another state in Virginia?
Yes, but not automatically. You apply to the Virginia Board of Nursing for certification by endorsement, and once approved you can work under the Virginia credential.
What shifts do CNAs work in Virginia Beach?
Long-term care and hospitals run 24 hours, so day, evening and night shifts are all common. Many local postings use 12-hour shifts on a three-and-four-day rotation with every other weekend.
Does Sentara hire CNAs in Virginia Beach?
Yes. Sentara hires certified aides as patient care technicians at Sentara Virginia Beach General, and it also accepts Navy Hospital Corps School training, EMT certification or nursing school enrollment for that role.
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