Certified Nursing Assistant Jobs in Jacksonville, FL
Jacksonville CNAs typically earn about $17 to $21 an hour, and hospital units at Baptist Health add sign-on bonuses of up to $750. Demand runs from the Southbank hospitals to rehab and hospice beds across the Southside and Northside. Here are the current openings, then who is hiring and how to get certified.
Current certified nursing assistant Openings in Jacksonville, FL
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Certified Nursing Assistant Work in Jacksonville
Most CNA hiring in Jacksonville runs through a handful of big systems. Baptist Health staffs medical-surgical, progressive care, cath lab and float pool units at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville on the Southbank and at Baptist South on Old St. Augustine Road near I-95. Rehab is the other big lane: Brooks Rehabilitation runs inpatient hospitals and the University Crossing skilled nursing facility on Beach Boulevard, and UF Health Rehabilitation Hospital - North hires on Max Leggett Parkway on the Northside.
Hospice and long-term care add steady openings across the four-county area, and many aides commute in from Clay and St. Johns counties to Southside jobs off JTB and I-295. Hospital postings here almost always ask for an active Florida CNA certification plus American Heart Association BLS, so get both before you apply.
Top Jacksonville Employers Hiring Certified Nursing Assistants
These Jacksonville employers hire CNAs for hospital, rehab and hospice care:
- Baptist Health - the locally owned system posts CNA roles across units and shifts at Baptist Jacksonville and Baptist South, with sign-on bonuses of up to $750.
- UF Health Rehabilitation Hospital - North - the Northside rehab hospital hires full-time CNAs on 12-hour day and night shifts.
- Brooks Rehabilitation - the rehab system hires CNAs for its inpatient hospitals and its University Crossing skilled nursing facility on Beach Boulevard.
- Community Hospice & Palliative Care - the Sunbeam Road nonprofit holds clinical career fairs for CNAs across Duval, Nassau, Clay and St. Johns counties.
Certified Nursing Assistant Salaries in Jacksonville
- Entry level: about $17 to $18.50 an hour for newly certified aides.
- Experienced: roughly $18.50 to $21 an hour, with higher rates on nights and weekends.
- Senior: about $21 to $23 an hour for aides with hospital or specialty unit experience.
These are estimates based on federal wage data for the Jacksonville metro and local hospital postings, such as a Northside rehab hospital range of $18.05 to $22. Hospital units, night shifts, float pools and sign-on bonuses push pay up, while Florida's $15 minimum wage sets the floor, not the going rate.
How to Become a Certified Nursing Assistant in Jacksonville
Florida CNAs are certified by the Florida Board of Nursing. You apply through Prometric, the state's test vendor, complete Level II background screening with Livescan fingerprints, and pass a written exam plus a skills test of five randomly chosen nursing assistant skills. Finishing an approved training program first is the usual route, and if you test within six months of finishing one you only take the written part. FSCJ offers a five-week Nursing Assistant (CNA) workforce certificate at its North Campus on Capper Road, with evening lectures and Saturday labs.
What the Job Involves
CNAs handle the hands-on care that keeps patients comfortable and safe. A typical shift includes taking vital signs, bathing, dressing and feeding patients, helping them walk or transfer, turning bed-bound patients, recording intake and output, answering call lights, and reporting changes in condition to the nurse.
Skills Employers Look For
- Active Florida CNA certification
- Current BLS from the American Heart Association
- Safe lifting, transfer and fall-prevention technique
- Accurate vital signs and charting in an electronic record
- Patience and clear communication with patients and families
- Reliability on 12-hour and rotating shifts
Career Path and Advancement
A CNA job is a common first step into nursing in Jacksonville. The usual ladder runs from CNA to a specialty or float pool aide, then into FSCJ's Practical Nursing certificate for an LPN license, and on to an RN through FSCJ's bridge program or a BSN at Jacksonville University or UNF. Working at a hospital system while you study often pays off, since Baptist Health, Mayo Clinic and Ascension St. Vincent's all partner with Jacksonville University on accelerated nursing cohorts.
Related Careers in Jacksonville
If nursing assistant work interests you, these Jacksonville healthcare roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a certification to work as a CNA in Jacksonville?
Yes. To work under the CNA title in Florida you need certification from the Florida Board of Nursing, earned by passing the Prometric exam and a Level II background screening. Jacksonville hospital postings also require BLS.
How much do CNAs make in Jacksonville?
Most Jacksonville CNAs earn about $17 to $21 an hour, with experienced hospital aides reaching $22 or more. Night shifts, float pools and sign-on bonuses of up to $750 at Baptist Health add to that.
How long does it take to become a CNA in Jacksonville?
FSCJ's Nursing Assistant certificate runs about five weeks. After that, the Board says it reviews applications within 30 days, and Prometric usually schedules the exam 7 to 14 business days after you are approved.
Can I take the Florida CNA exam without a training program?
Yes. Florida lets you sit the exam if you are at least 18 or hold a high school diploma, but you must pass both the written and skills parts. After three failed attempts, you must finish an approved training program before testing again.
What shifts do Jacksonville CNAs work?
Hospital and rehab postings in Jacksonville commonly list 12-hour day and night shifts. PRN and float pool roles at Baptist Health let you pick up shifts across campuses, and hospice roles follow patients in their homes and care centers.
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