Certified Nursing Assistant Jobs in Omaha, NE
Certified nursing assistants in Omaha typically earn $18 to $22 an hour, and the metro's four big health systems, the VA and a deep senior-care network all hire CNAs year round. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring, what it pays and how to get on the Nebraska Nurse Aide Registry.
Current certified nursing assistant Openings in Omaha, NE
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Certified Nursing Assistant Work in Omaha
Omaha's CNA jobs cluster along Dodge Street. The Nebraska Medical Center and UNMC campus anchors Midtown around 42nd and Dodge, Children's Nebraska and Methodist Hospital sit side by side on the 72nd to 90th stretch of Dodge, and Methodist Women's Hospital is out at 192nd and Dodge in Elkhorn. CHI Health adds Bergan Mercy on Mercy Road, Immanuel in north Omaha near I-680, Lakeside in west Omaha and Midlands in Papillion. The Omaha VA Medical Center on Woolworth Avenue hires its own nursing assistants for acute care and inpatient psychiatry.
Beyond the hospitals, senior living is a second large employer of aides. Immanuel runs senior living, skilled nursing and PACE programs across Omaha and Sarpy County, and posts CNA openings at its Omaha communities. With every system competing for the same aides, several employers will pay for your training if you commit to work for them afterward.
Top Omaha Employers Hiring Certified Nursing Assistants
These Omaha employers hire CNAs on their own career sites:
- Nebraska Medicine - the UNMC academic health system hires CNAs at the Nebraska Medical Center in Midtown and across its 15 metro primary care clinics.
- CHI Health - hires CNAs at CHI Health Immanuel in north Omaha and across its metro hospitals, and runs a Career Ladder program that pays for CNA training.
- Methodist Health System - lists CNAs among its nursing careers for its Omaha hospitals, led by Methodist Hospital on Dodge Street.
- Children's Nebraska - the pediatric hospital at 8200 Dodge Street names CNAs on its nursing careers page.
- Omaha VA Medical Center - the VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System hires nursing assistants for acute care and inpatient psychiatry units.
- Immanuel - the senior living and PACE provider hires CNAs and CNA medication aides at its Omaha communities.
Certified Nursing Assistant Salaries in Omaha
- Entry level: about $17 to $19.50 an hour for newly certified aides.
- Experienced: roughly $19.50 to $22.50 an hour, often with differentials for evening, night and weekend shifts.
- Senior / top of range: $23 to $25 an hour at hospitals, and federal GS-5 pay at the VA, which tops out above $60,000 a year.
These are estimates built from federal wage data for the Omaha metro and pay ranges posted by local employers. Hospital pay ranges reach higher than senior living, a Medication Aide registration adds value in long-term care, and off shifts often pay a differential. Nebraska's minimum wage is $15 an hour, but CNA offers in Omaha start above it.
How to Become a Certified Nursing Assistant in Omaha
Nebraska requires a 75-hour Nurse Aide course from a training program approved by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, followed by written or oral and skills competency exams. Passing puts you on the Nebraska Nurse Aide Registry, run by the DHHS Licensure Unit. Locally, Metropolitan Community College offers CNA training, and Nebraska Methodist College runs a Nurse Aide course on its campus at 720 N 87th Street. CHI Health's Career Ladder program covers CNA tuition, books, scrubs and the state fee through MCC South Omaha and Fulton Homes Education Center in exchange for a year of work.
What the Job Involves
CNAs handle the hands-on care that keeps patients safe and comfortable. A typical shift includes taking vital signs, helping patients bathe, dress, eat and move, turning and repositioning bedbound patients, answering call lights, recording intake and output, and reporting changes in condition to the nurse. In senior living the work also includes daily routines, mobility help and, with the extra credential, passing routine medications.
Skills Employers Look For
- Active listing on the Nebraska Nurse Aide Registry
- American Heart Association BLS certification
- Accurate vital signs and charting
- Safe transfers and patient handling
- Patience and clear communication with patients and families
- Reliability on 12-hour shifts and rotating weekends
Career Path and Advancement
In Omaha the CNA job is often the first rung on a nursing ladder. Many aides add the 40-hour Medication Aide credential, then move into the Practical Nursing program at MCC's South Omaha Campus or at College of Saint Mary or Nebraska Methodist College to become an LPN. From there, MCC's LPN-to-RN ladder and the BSN programs at Clarkson, Creighton and UNMC lead to registered nursing, often with tuition help from the hospital you already work for.
Related Careers in Omaha
If CNA work interests you, these related Omaha roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get CNA certified in Nebraska?
Complete a 75-hour Nurse Aide course from a DHHS-approved training program, then pass the state's written or oral and skills competency exams. Once you pass, you are added to the Nebraska Nurse Aide Registry and can work as a CNA anywhere in the state.
How much do CNAs make in Omaha?
Most Omaha CNAs earn about $18 to $22 an hour. New aides in senior living often start near $19, while hospital ranges posted in Omaha run from about $17 to over $24 an hour depending on experience and shift.
Can I get paid CNA training in Omaha?
Yes. CHI Health's Career Ladder program covers tuition, books, scrubs and the certification fee for students who commit to a year of CNA work with CHI Health. Ask other employers too, since Omaha's health systems compete hard for aides.
How long does CNA training take in Omaha?
Most courses run four to six weeks. Nebraska Methodist College offers four-week on-campus and six-week hybrid formats, and CHI Health's sponsored classes run five or six weeks with evening and weekend options.
What is the difference between a CNA and a Medication Aide in Nebraska?
A CNA provides direct personal care and is listed on the Nurse Aide Registry. A Medication Aide passes routine medications after a 40-hour course and state exam and is listed on a separate DHHS Medication Aide Registry. Many Omaha senior living jobs ask for both.
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