4-Week CNA Program in Washington: What a 108-Hour Schedule Looks Like

A 4-week CNA program in Washington is the shortest full-length format the state rules allow, because every approved nursing assistant program must deliver at least 108 clock hours under WAC 246-841A-440: 35 hours of classroom theory, 33 hours of skills lab, and 40 hours of clinical practice in a licensed nursing facility. Spread across four weeks, that is roughly 27 hours a week, which is why 4-week programs run on a near-full-time weekday pattern or a dense weekend pattern rather than a few evenings. Huduma CNA Programs in Federal Way runs its CNA Traditional course on exactly this 4-week, 108-hour model for $1,100 tuition plus about $105 in books and supplies.

Why four weeks is the floor, not a shortcut

The 108-hour minimum is a Washington rule, and it sits well above the 75-hour federal floor that many other states use. A program cannot compress the hours; it can only compress the calendar. Four weeks is about as tight as the calendar gets while still leaving students time to absorb theory before they touch a resident in clinical.

Two rules shape the pace. First, clinical hours must happen in a licensed nursing facility under a licensed nurse instructor, so the 40 clinical hours depend on the facility's availability and are usually scheduled as full shifts. Second, instructors must be licensed nurses with recent direct-care experience (WAC 246-841A-430), and the same instructor typically teaches theory and lab, which keeps the sequence tight.

The 108 hours, broken down

Some programs add hours above the minimum for exam preparation or extra lab time. Anything above 108 is program design, not a state requirement, so ask how many total hours a school actually schedules and whether the extra hours are graded.

A typical week-by-week 4-week layout

Programs sequence the three components so that theory comes first, lab overlaps with theory, and clinical comes last. A common weekday layout looks like this:

The totals are illustrative; actual weekly hours shift depending on whether a program front-loads theory or interleaves it with lab. The pattern that matters is that clinical cannot be scheduled until the student has passed the skills check-offs that the facility requires, so week 4 is almost always clinical-heavy.

What a day looks like

A weekday class day in a 4-week program commonly runs about five to six hours, for example 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. with a lunch break. Theory sessions are lectures, discussions, and short quizzes. Lab sessions pair students to practice on each other and on mannequins, with the instructor checking each skill against the state checklist. Clinical shifts follow the facility's schedule, which often means arriving before 7:00 a.m. for a day shift.

Expect reading assignments each night during weeks 1 to 3 and a written exam at the end of the theory block. Students who work while enrolled usually manage it only if their job is part time or flexible, because the clinical week is essentially a full-time commitment. See is CNA training hard? for what the workload feels like in practice.

Weekday versus weekend 4-week programs

The same 108 hours can be delivered on weekends, but the calendar stretches. A weekend-only pattern with two long days per week yields about 16 to 20 hours a week, so the same course takes roughly six to seven weekends rather than four weeks. Huduma CNA Programs offers both day and weekend patterns for CNA Traditional; the current cohort dates are listed on the schedules page.

Pick weekday if you can free up four weeks; pick weekend if you cannot leave a full-time job. Weekend CNA classes in Washington compares the trade-offs in more detail.

Cost of a 4-week program in Washington

Program length does not change the state fees. What you pay depends on the school's tuition and the exam and credential fees that follow.

• Tuition at Huduma CNA Programs: $1,100 for CNA Traditional.
• Books and supplies: about $105 (textbook, scrubs, gait belt, stethoscope and blood pressure cuff are typical inclusions; confirm the list with your program).
• Skills test (Part 1): $100, paid to the test site.
• Knowledge test (Part 2): $55, paid to Credentia.
• DOH application and background check: per the current DOH fee schedule.
• Immunizations, TB test, and CPR: vary by provider; a labeled typical range is $50 to $200 combined if you have no coverage.

A full breakdown, including what other school types charge, is in CNA certification cost in Washington.

What happens right after the four weeks

Finishing the 108 hours earns a Certificate of Completion, not certification. The credential comes after two exam parts, taken in order. The skills test is administered in person by the training program (Huduma administers it on site) for $100; only after the skills pass is recorded can you register on Credentia's site for the $55 online knowledge test. Then the DOH issues the NA-C credential once the application and background check clear.

Realistic timing from first class day to credential: about four weeks of training, one to three weeks to sit the skills test and knowledge test, and then DOH processing. Many graduates apply for the Nursing Assistant-Registered (NAR) credential during training so they can be hired by a facility while waiting; a NAR hired by a nursing facility has four months from hire to complete training and pass the exam. The full sequence is in how long does it take to become a CNA in Washington.

Who a 4-week program suits, and who it does not

The 4-week format fits students who can commit near-full-time hours for one month and want to start earning as soon as possible. It suits career changers between jobs, recent high school graduates, and people whose employer or a funding program covers tuition and expects quick completion.

It is a poor fit if you cannot miss weekday shifts at a current job, if childcare only covers a few hours a day, or if you need to study at a slower pace because English is not your first language. In those cases a weekend or longer-format program with the same 108 hours is the better decision, even though it takes more calendar weeks.

Entry requirements you must meet before week 1

At Huduma CNA Programs the CNA Traditional course requires a high school diploma or GED, a completed background check before clinical placement, and attendance at every scheduled hour, because the 108-hour minimum leaves no room for unexcused absences. The enrollment checklist is in documents you need to enroll in a Washington CNA program.

Frequently asked questions

Is a 4-week CNA program in Washington legitimate? Yes, as long as it is approved by the Washington State Board of Nursing and delivers the full 108 clock hours (35 theory, 33 lab, 40 clinical). Four weeks describes the calendar, not a reduced curriculum.

How many hours per week is a 4-week CNA class? About 27 hours a week on average, with the clinical week closer to 40 hours because clinical practice is scheduled in full facility shifts.

Can I work full time during a 4-week CNA program? Weekday 4-week programs are hard to combine with a full-time weekday job. Choose a weekend pattern instead, which spreads the same hours over about six to seven weeks.

Can I miss a day and make it up? Programs must document that every student completed the required hours, so missed time has to be made up. Ask the school about its make-up policy before enrolling.

Are the exam fees included in a 4-week program's tuition? Usually not. Budget $100 for the skills test and $55 for the knowledge test in addition to tuition, plus DOH fees per the current schedule.

Does the 4-week program at Huduma include the skills test? Huduma CNA Programs administers the skills test on site for its graduates; the $100 test fee is paid separately from tuition.

To compare this format with the shorter bridge option for Home Care Aides, read CNA Traditional vs HCA-CNA Bridge, then review the CNA Traditional program page for the next start date.