Huduma CNA ProgramsThe shortest route from an Auburn home care aide job to a Nursing Assistant-Certified (NA-C) credential is a 40-clock-hour HCA to CNA bridge, offered by Huduma CNA Programs in Federal Way for $800 tuition plus about $105 in books and supplies. It requires an active Washington HCA credential and a high school diploma or GED, and it runs as 5 weekdays or about 2.5 weekends. Federal Way is directly west of Auburn on SR 18, and King County Metro route 181 links Auburn Station to Federal Way Downtown Station, so the commute is typically 10 to 30 minutes. The exam afterward is the same as for a 108-hour graduate: a $100 skills test administered at the school and a $55 Credentia knowledge test.
A three-question eligibility check
Before you look at dates, confirm the three admission facts. Each is checked at enrollment, and a miss on any one delays the start.
- Is your HCA credential active right now? Look yourself up on the DOH Provider Credential Search. "Active" is required; "expired" or "pending" is not enough. Renewal is annual on your birthday.
- Do you have a high school diploma or GED? Huduma requires one for both the bridge and the traditional course. Foreign diplomas generally need a translation or evaluation; see high school diploma or GED for CNA training.
- Can you attend all 40 hours? The bridge has no slack for missed days. A weekday cohort that starts Monday ends Friday; a missed day means joining a later cohort for that content.
Auburn aides who trained as HCAs through DSHS-approved 75-hour programs, including the HCA training at Caregiver Training and Huduma Center, meet the credential requirement as long as they kept the credential current.
The two patterns, with the Auburn commute built in
| Pattern | Class days | Commute plan from Auburn | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 weekdays | Monday through Friday, about 8 hours a day | Route 181 from Auburn Station (20 to 30 minutes) or SR 18 to I-5 by car (10 to 15 minutes) | Agency aides who can arrange one week of coverage |
| About 2.5 weekends | Two full weekends plus one added day | Car is simpler; check Metro's weekend frequency on route 181 before relying on it | Aides with weekday clients or a second job |
Both patterns cover the same 40 hours: 17 theory, 13 skills lab, 6 clinical, and 4 mock skills testing. The weekday cohort ends with the skills test while the practice is freshest. The weekend cohort spreads the same content over about three weeks, which some students prefer for study time between sessions. Cohort dates are posted on the schedules page; Auburn aides working for agencies should book coverage before the first day, not after.
Times above are approximate, based on King County Metro published information as of September 2026. Auburn Station's garage and surface lots provide 633 spaces per Sound Transit, which makes park-and-ride plus route 181 an option for Lea Hill and Lakeland Hills residents who do not want to drive into Federal Way.
What an Auburn HCA gains from the credential
Auburn's HCA jobs are concentrated in home care agencies, assisted living, and licensed adult family homes. The NA-C opens the settings that do not hire HCAs:
- MultiCare Auburn Medical Center, the city's hospital, with a 24-hour emergency department, birth center, and inpatient psychiatric units, which hires nursing assistants and technicians but not HCAs.
- Skilled nursing facilities in Auburn and Kent, where federal rules require certified nursing assistants for direct care.
- Regional hospitals reachable from Auburn Station: Valley Medical Center in Renton and Overlake in Bellevue via Sound Transit route 566 on weekdays, Seattle systems via the Sounder S Line, Tacoma hospitals in the other direction.
Pay follows the setting. Indeed job-posting data (August 2026) shows a Washington average of about $23.62 per hour for nursing assistants, Seattle about $23.80; Auburn is not listed separately. HCA rates in adult family homes and agency work commonly sit nearer the 2026 state minimum of $17.13 per hour. Shift differentials of roughly $1.50 to $4 per hour apply in facilities and hospitals and rarely in home care. The Auburn employer picture is detailed in CNA jobs in Auburn, WA.
Cost comparison for an Auburn aide
| Item | Bridge (active HCA) | Traditional (no HCA) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $800 | $1,100 |
| Books and supplies | About $105 | About $105 |
| Skills test, Part 1 | $100 to the test site | $100 |
| Knowledge test, Part 2 | $55 to Credentia | $55 |
| DOH NA-C application | Per the current DOH fee schedule | Same |
| Class time | 40 hours over 1 to 3 weeks | 108 hours over 4 weeks |
| Lost work time (typical) | 5 shifts, or none on the weekend pattern | Up to 20 weekday shifts |
For a working aide, lost shifts usually outweigh the $300 tuition gap. An Auburn HCA earning near the wage floor who takes the weekend bridge can keep every weekday client and still reach the credential. Payment options are covered in payment plans for CNA training in Washington.
Week-by-week from enrollment to registry
- Week 0: submit the HCA credential number, diploma or GED, ID, and immunization records; complete the background check required before the clinical hours.
- Class week (or weekends 1 to 3): theory, lab, the 6 clinical hours in a licensed facility, and 4 hours of timed mock testing against the state skills checklist.
- Skills test: administered on site at Huduma; $100 to the test site; state rules guarantee at least four attempts.
- Knowledge test: register on Credentia's site after the skills pass is recorded, pay $55, and take the online or oral test.
- DOH application: apply for the NA-C, pay the fee on the current schedule, and clear the name-based background check.
- Registry: the NA-C appears on the Provider Credential Search; Auburn employers verify from that listing.
Most of the calendar time after class is waiting on Credentia scheduling and DOH processing, which vary. The exam sequence is explained step by step in the Washington NAC exam guide.
Keeping the HCA while you become an NA-C
The HCA credential does not disappear when you earn the NA-C. Some Auburn aides keep both so they can pick up home care or adult family home shifts alongside a facility schedule. Both renew annually on your birthday through the DOH portal, and the NA-C has no continuing education requirement unless you add the medication assistant endorsement. If you move from an agency into MultiCare Auburn or a skilled nursing facility, expect a BLS CPR card, a TB test, and a facility background check on top of the DOH check.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the HCA to CNA bridge for Auburn residents? 40 clock hours: 5 consecutive weekdays or about 2.5 weekends at Huduma CNA Programs in Federal Way.
Is there a bus from Auburn to the bridge program? Yes. King County Metro route 181 runs between Auburn Station and Federal Way Downtown Station; the school is a short walk from the station. Driving via SR 18 takes about 10 to 15 minutes outside peak hours.
Do I take a different exam after the bridge? No. Bridge graduates take the same two-part Washington exam: a $100 skills test and a $55 Credentia knowledge test, for $155 total.
Can I take the bridge if my HCA credential expired last year? Not until it is renewed. The bridge requires an active credential on the DOH Provider Credential Search at enrollment.
Will MultiCare Auburn hire me right after the bridge? Hospitals require an active NA-C on the registry plus BLS CPR. Apply once the credential posts; float pool and technician roles are the usual entry points for a new NA-C.
The HCA to CNA bridge program page lists required documents and upcoming weekday and weekend cohorts, and the statewide rules for the route are in the HCA to CNA bridge program in Washington.
Which path may fit you?
Already an eligible HCA?
Review the HCA–CNA Bridge Program and confirm the active Washington HCA credential requirement before choosing a class.
Explore the HCA–CNA Bridge ProgramStarting CNA training?
Review CNA Traditional, the complete training route for learners who are not entering through the HCA bridge route.
Explore the CNA Traditional Program