HCA to CNA Bridge Near Kent, WA: 40-Hour Weekday and Weekend Options

A home care aide in Kent who holds an active Washington HCA credential does not need the full 108-hour nursing assistant course. The HCA to CNA bridge at Huduma CNA Programs in Federal Way is 40 clock hours, runs either 5 consecutive weekdays or about 2.5 weekends, and costs $800 tuition plus about $105 for books and supplies. After the bridge you take the same two-part exam as every other Washington candidate ($100 skills test on site, $55 Credentia knowledge test) and apply to the Department of Health for the Nursing Assistant-Certified (NA-C) credential. From Kent Des Moines Station the 1 Line reaches Federal Way Downtown in about 10 minutes, so the bridge is realistic even for an HCA who is still working full shifts.

Who in Kent qualifies for the bridge

The bridge is the state's E6 eligibility route, reserved for graduates of a Washington-approved alternative or bridge program. To enroll you need three things: an active Washington HCA credential showing on the DOH Provider Credential Search, a high school diploma or GED, and the ability to attend every scheduled hour. Kent has a large HCA workforce because of its adult family homes, assisted living communities, and home care agencies serving South King County, and many of those aides have completed the 75-hour DSHS HCA training within the past few years.

Two groups in Kent often assume they qualify but do not:

• Aides whose HCA credential has lapsed. The bridge requires an active credential. Renew through the DOH portal first, then enroll.
• Caregivers working under a long-term care worker exemption (for example, some family caregivers) who never earned the HCA credential. They enter the traditional 108-hour route instead.

If you are unsure which route fits, the side-by-side is in CNA Traditional vs HCA-CNA Bridge.

What 40 hours covers and what it skips

The bridge assumes you already know personal care, infection control basics, communication with clients, and the rights of the people you serve, because DSHS HCA training covers those. The 40 hours concentrate on what a nursing assistant does that an HCA does not: working under a licensed nurse in a facility, vital signs and measurements, transfers with equipment, catheter and ostomy care, and the exact skill steps and verbal explanations the state skills evaluator scores.

DOH describes the bridge as a 24-hour minimum; Huduma runs 40 because 24 hours leaves little room to practice the skills list to a testable standard. The 4 mock-testing hours run each skill the way the evaluator will, with a timer and a checklist, which is where most HCAs discover the habits they need to unlearn. The skills themselves are listed in the Washington CNA skills test skills list.

Weekday or weekend: choosing a pattern from Kent

The weekday pattern finishes fastest and keeps the skills fresh for the on-site skills test. The weekend pattern spreads the same 40 hours across roughly three weeks, which suits Kent aides whose clients depend on weekday visits. Both patterns cover identical content and end with the same skills test. Current cohort dates are on the schedules page.

Getting from Kent to Federal Way for a short program

A 5-day or 2.5-weekend commitment is short enough that the commute rarely decides anything, but it is worth planning because attendance at every hour is required. Times are approximate and come from Sound Transit and King County Metro published information as of September 2026.

• West Hill and Pacific Highway: the 1 Line from Kent Des Moines Station is two stops south to Federal Way Downtown, about 10 minutes. The RapidRide A Line runs the same corridor on the surface.
• Downtown Kent and Kent Station: King County Metro route 183 runs directly to Federal Way Transit Center, roughly 30 to 40 minutes.
• East Hill, Panther Lake, and Lake Meridian: driving via SR 516 to I-5 or Military Road usually takes 15 to 25 minutes; Federal Way Downtown Station has a 1,500-stall garage.
• Weekend cohorts: Sunday bus frequencies are lower than weekday frequencies, so check the Metro schedule for route 183 before relying on it; the 1 Line runs seven days.

The school is a short walk from the Federal Way Transit Center and the light rail station. More routing detail is in getting to CNA class in Federal Way by bus, light rail, or car.

What the bridge costs compared with retraining

The tuition difference is $300, but the larger saving for a working Kent HCA is time: the bridge replaces four weeks of class with one week or three weekends, which for most aides means fewer lost client hours. Some Kent aides qualify for tuition assistance through WorkSource or Basic Food Employment and Training; the eligibility rules are in WorkSource, WIOA, and Basic Food Employment and Training.

From the last class day to the NA-C credential

1. Skills test on site. Huduma administers Part 1 at the school, so you test in the same lab where you practiced. The $100 fee goes to the test site. State rules guarantee at least four attempts.
2. Knowledge test. Only after the skills pass is recorded can you register on Credentia's site for the $55 online knowledge test; an oral version is available.
3. DOH application. Submit the NA-C application, pay the fee on the current DOH schedule, and clear the name-based background check.
4. Registry listing. Your NA-C appears on the Provider Credential Search, which Kent employers use to verify status.

Between the last class day and the credential, you can keep working as an HCA. Many Kent aides also apply for the Nursing Assistant-Registered (NAR) credential, which lets a nursing facility hire them while the exam is pending, subject to the 4-month completion rule.

Why Kent HCAs bridge rather than stay

Kent sits within a short drive of four hospitals (Valley Medical Center in Renton, MultiCare Auburn, St. Francis in Federal Way, and Highline Medical Center in Burien) and skilled nursing facilities that hire NA-Cs but not HCAs. Job-posting data from Indeed (August 2026) shows a Washington average of about $23.62 per hour for nursing assistants, with Seattle near $23.80; Kent is not reported separately. HCA pay in adult family homes and agencies typically sits closer to the 2026 state minimum of $17.13 per hour, so the credential change often moves a Kent aide into a different pay band and a different set of employers, including the Seattle hospitals reachable on the 1 Line from Kent Des Moines.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Kent bridge program require my HCA to be active on the day I enroll? Yes. Huduma checks the DOH Provider Credential Search before enrollment. A lapsed HCA must be renewed first.

Can I keep my home care clients during the weekend bridge? Usually. The 2.5-weekend pattern uses Saturdays and Sundays plus one extra day, so weekday client visits continue. Tell your agency the dates before enrolling.

Is the bridge skills test easier than the traditional one? No. It is the same state skills test with the same evaluator standards and $100 fee. The bridge is shorter because it skips content you already learned as an HCA, not because the exam differs.

How long from bridge start to NA-C on the registry? Class takes 1 to 3 weeks depending on pattern. Add the skills test, Credentia registration and testing, and DOH processing; most candidates who test promptly are listed within a few weeks of finishing, though DOH processing times vary.

What if I fail a skill on the first attempt? Washington programs must allow at least four attempts. Retest at the school; the process is explained in failing the Washington CNA skills test.

The HCA to CNA bridge program page lists admission documents and the next weekday and weekend cohorts.