A CNA staffing agency supplies certified nursing assistants to facilities that need coverage they can't fill with their own staff. That might be one open evening shift, a few weeks of leave coverage, or a longer contract while you recruit. For Minnesota nursing homes, assisted living communities and hospitals, nursing assistants are often the hardest role to keep fully staffed, and they're the role residents feel most directly when a shift runs short.
This guide covers what a CNA agency actually provides, how agency nursing assistants should be screened in Minnesota, what the first shift should look like, and how to tell a good agency from one that will create more work than it saves.
What a CNA Staffing Agency Provides
Most staffing agencies for nursing assistants offer some mix of four arrangements. They solve different problems, so it helps to know which one you're asking for.
Per diem. Single shifts booked as needed: a call-off, a census bump, a weekend that didn't get covered. This is the most common reason facilities call a CNA agency.
Short-term. Coverage for a defined stretch, such as a medical leave, a vacation-heavy month, or the weeks before a new hire finishes orientation.
Contract. A nursing assistant committed to your building for a set block of weeks or months, usually on a regular schedule. Contracts trade some flexibility for consistency, since the same person learns your residents and routines.
Temp-to-hire. An agency CNA works in your building first, and both sides decide later whether to convert to a permanent hire. Ask about conversion terms up front so there are no surprises.
Many facilities use more than one of these at once, for example a contract CNA on nights plus per diem coverage for call-offs. If you're working out how agency coverage fits alongside your own team, our post on the CNA and LPN shortage in the Twin Cities explains why the gaps have become so persistent. For the week-to-week mechanics of requesting shifts, see how to use a CNA temp agency.
Which Facilities Use Agency CNAs
Nursing assistants work across almost every care setting, and so do agency CNAs:
- Nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities, where CNAs deliver most hands-on care (see what to check in a nursing home staffing agency)
- Assisted living communities, including those licensed for dementia care
- Memory care units, where consistency and dementia training matter a great deal
- Hospitals, often on med-surg floors or as patient sitters
- Home care, where aides work one-on-one in clients' homes
Each setting has its own rules and its own pace. A CNA who is excellent in a hospital may need more orientation in a memory care unit, and the reverse is also true. A good CNA staffing agency asks about your setting before it sends anyone. For more on long-term care in particular, see our guide to senior living staffing in Minnesota, or how coverage works with an assisted living staffing agency.
How Agency CNAs Are Screened in Minnesota
Screening is where CNA staffing agencies differ most, and it's the part you're trusting them with. In Minnesota, a few checks are basic requirements.
Nurse Aide Registry status
The Minnesota Department of Health keeps the Nurse Aide Registry. Facilities can search it free online by certificate number, or by name plus the last four digits of a Social Security number. Results show registry status and any substantiated findings.
One rule matters specifically for agency work. MDH states that persons working for a temporary agency must be on the Registry before they are eligible to work in a nursing home or certified boarding care home. A directly hired aide may sometimes start while finishing training. An agency aide may not.
Registry status can also lapse. MDH says a nursing assistant must work at least 8 paid hours as a nursing assistant every 24 months to stay active. An agency should be checking current status, not just whether someone was certified at some point.
DHS background study
Minnesota's Department of Human Services runs background studies through its NETStudy 2.0 system. DHS lists temporary personnel and staffing agencies that place workers in settings requiring background studies among the entities that submit studies. A standard commercial criminal check is not the same thing. Ask the agency to confirm each CNA has a current DHS study that you can verify.
Health screening
Facilities have their own health screening rules. For example, Minnesota assisted living facilities must run a tuberculosis infection control program that covers employees and contractors, and must keep written evidence of compliance (Minn. Stat. 144G.42). Ask what TB documentation the agency keeps and whether it will send copies before the first shift.
Competency and registration
Many Minnesota agencies that place nursing staff in health care facilities register with the state as supplemental nursing services agencies, and registration must be renewed every year (Minn. Stat. 144A.71). Under Minn. Stat. 144A.72, a registered agency must document that each worker meets the licensing, training and continuing education standards for the position, verify competency for the position, and treat the worker as an agency employee rather than an independent contractor. Ask whether the agency is registered, and how it checks skills before placing a CNA.
What to Expect on Onboarding and the First Shift
Even a well-screened CNA is new to your building. The first shift goes better when both sides plan for it.
Before the shift, a good agency sends the CNA's name, credentials and any compliance documents you need. You should send the agency your parking and entry instructions, who the CNA reports to, and any facility-specific orientation requirements.
On arrival, plan a short, structured orientation: a unit tour, emergency procedures, how charting works, where supplies are kept, and a review of residents with specific transfer, diet or behavior needs. Pair the agency CNA with a staff member for the first part of the shift if you can.
Afterward, give the agency feedback, good or bad. If a CNA worked well, ask for them again. Consistency is one of the biggest advantages a CNA agency can offer, and you only get it by asking. Our checklist on how to prepare your facility for agency staff covers this step in more detail.
How to Evaluate a CNA Staffing Agency
Search "CNA staffing agency near me" and you'll find national platforms, regional firms and local offices. Before you sign with any of them, work through these questions.
- Is the agency registered with MDH as a supplemental nursing services agency, if that applies to your setting?
- Does it verify active Nurse Aide Registry status before every placement, not just at hiring?
- Does each CNA have a current DHS background study that you can verify?
- What TB and health screening documentation will it send, and when?
- How does it check hands-on skills and competency?
- Are its CNAs W-2 employees of the agency?
- Can it send the same CNAs back to your building repeatedly?
- Does it have experience in your setting (skilled nursing, assisted living, memory care, hospital, home care)?
- Who do you call when there's a problem on a night or weekend shift, and how fast do they respond?
- Are bill rates, minimums, cancellation terms and conversion fees in writing?
On cost, ask for the full rate structure before the first shift, including differentials for nights, weekends and holidays. Our post on what agency staffing costs explains what goes into a bill rate. If you mostly need short-notice help, see how to fill last-minute nursing shifts.
How Interim HealthCare Staffing Works With Facilities
Interim HealthCare Staffing of Minneapolis places CNAs, LPNs, RNs and other health care professionals with facilities across the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota. We handle credentialing and compliance documentation, and we work on per diem, short-term and contract arrangements depending on what a facility needs.
If you have open CNA shifts, you can request staff online or contact our team to talk through what your building needs.
For CNAs Looking for Agency Work
If you're a nursing assistant thinking about agency work, the appeal is usually flexibility: choosing your shifts, trying different settings, or picking up extra hours around another job. Keep your Registry status active and your documents current, and the onboarding process goes much faster. You can see our current openings for nursing assistants and other roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a CNA staffing agency do?
A CNA staffing agency recruits, screens and employs certified nursing assistants, then places them in facilities that need coverage. Placements can be single per diem shifts, short-term assignments, longer contracts or temp-to-hire arrangements. The agency handles screening, payroll and scheduling, and the facility directs the CNA's work during the shift.
Do agency CNAs need to be on the Minnesota Nurse Aide Registry?
For nursing homes and certified boarding care homes, yes. The Minnesota Department of Health states that persons working for a temporary agency must be on the Registry before they are eligible to work in those settings. Facilities can check status for free through MDH's online registry search.
Are agency CNAs background checked in Minnesota?
They should be. The Minnesota Department of Human Services runs health care background studies through its NETStudy 2.0 system, and DHS lists staffing agencies that place workers in settings requiring studies among the entities that submit them. Ask any CNA agency to confirm a current DHS study for each worker it sends.
What is the difference between per diem and contract CNA staffing?
Per diem covers individual shifts as they come up, like call-offs or weekend gaps. Contract staffing places a CNA in your building for a set period on a regular schedule. Per diem gives you flexibility. Contracts give you consistency, because the same person learns your residents.
How do I choose between CNA staffing agencies?
Look at screening first: Registry verification, DHS background studies, health documentation and skills checks. Then look at consistency, after-hours responsiveness, experience in your care setting, and whether rates and terms are in writing. An agency that answers those questions clearly is usually easier to work with.