Huduma CNA ProgramsA Tukwila, WA caregiver who already holds an active Washington Home Care Aide (HCA) credential does not need the 108-hour nursing assistant course. Washington allows a bridge, and Huduma CNA Programs in Federal Way delivers it in 40 clock hours for $800 tuition plus about $105 in books and supplies, scheduled either as 5 consecutive weekdays or across about 2.5 weekends, with the $100 skills test administered on site when the hours are done. From Tukwila International Boulevard Station the 1 Line reaches Federal Way Downtown in about 20 to 25 minutes (five stops; Sound Transit lists Tukwila at 34 minutes from Westlake and Federal Way at about 56), and the school is a short walk from the station. The result is a Nursing Assistant-Certified (NA-C) credential identical to the one earned through the 4-week course, at $300 less tuition and roughly three fewer weeks.
Timeline: from HCA to NA-C in about 6 to 10 weeks
| Step | What happens | Typical timing |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Verify eligibility | Confirm the HCA shows active on the DOH Provider Credential Search; have a diploma or GED | Same day |
| 2. Enroll | Pick a weekday or weekend cohort on the schedules page; the school starts the background check for the clinical block | 1 to 3 weeks before class |
| 3. Attend 40 clock hours | 17 theory, 13 lab, 6 clinical in a licensed nursing facility, 4 mock testing | 1 week, or about 3 weekends |
| 4. Skills test (Part 1) | Administered on site; $100 to the test site; at least four attempts allowed under WAC 246-841A-430 | End of class or soon after |
| 5. Knowledge test (Part 2) | Register with Credentia only after the skills pass is recorded; $55 | Depends on test availability |
| 6. DOH application | Name-based statewide background check; fee per the current DOH fee schedule | Processing time varies |
| 7. NA-C posts to the registry | Employers verify it on the Provider Credential Search | Often 1 to 2 months after class, a typical range |
The two exam parts and the DOH step are the same for every route into the credential, so the only time the bridge saves is training time. The exam sequence is explained step by step in the Washington NAC exam guide.
Why Tukwila caregivers bridge
Tukwila's care work is concentrated in adult family homes, assisted living, and agency home care on both sides of I-5, all of which run on the 75-hour DSHS HCA credential. The city's one large clinical employer, Olympic Heritage Behavioral Health (a 72-bed DSHS state psychiatric hospital per DSHS), and the skilled nursing facilities near Southcenter and along International Boulevard hire NA-Cs. So do St. Anne Hospital in Burien, Valley Medical Center in Renton, and St. Francis in Federal Way, each within one F Line or 1 Line ride. An HCA who wants those jobs needs the NA-C, and the bridge is the shortest legal route.
Tukwila's wage rule adds a reason. L&I's local minimum wage list puts Tukwila at $21.65 per hour in 2026 for employers with 15 or more employees worldwide or over $2 million in Tukwila revenue. Facility employers in the city meet that threshold; most adult family homes do not. Moving from an exempt small employer to a covered facility can by itself lift the floor from $17.13 to $21.65, before any NA-C premium. For a pay reference, Indeed's August 2026 posting data averages about $23.62 per hour for Washington nursing assistants and does not break out Tukwila. The employer map is in CNA jobs in Tukwila, WA.
What the 40 hours teach an experienced HCA
- Theory, 17 hours. Nursing assistant scope under a licensed nurse, vital signs and documentation as facilities require them, resident rights in a licensed nursing facility, infection control at facility standards, and the nurse-delegation line that separates HCA and NA-C tasks.
- Skills lab, 13 hours. The state's scored skills performed in order while explaining each step aloud. HCAs know how to transfer a client; the lab teaches how to demonstrate a transfer the way an evaluator scores it.
- Clinical, 6 hours. Supervised care in a licensed nursing facility, the setting most HCAs have never worked in and the one the test simulates.
- Mock testing, 4 hours. Timed skill sets under test conditions, so the real Part 1 is a repeat rather than a first attempt.
DSHS describes the state bridge as 24 hours minimum; Huduma's runs 40 because bridge students most often lose points on facility procedure and verbalization, not on care itself. What the two credentials allow on the job is compared in CNA traditional vs HCA-CNA bridge.
Weekday or weekend, and the trip from Tukwila
These are planning estimates drawn from the September 2026 Sound Transit and King County Metro timetables (post-August 29, 2026 service change); confirm times on the day you travel.
| Pattern | Sessions | Trip from Tukwila | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 weekdays | Monday through Friday, one week | 1 Line from Tukwila International Boulevard, 20 to 25 minutes; A Line 30 to 45 minutes; I-5 by car 15 to 25 minutes | Peak trains every 4 minutes on the combined line per Sound Transit; 600 stalls at the Tukwila station |
| About 2.5 weekends | Saturday and Sunday over about three weekends | 1 Line runs weekends; A Line every 15 minutes most weekend hours per Metro; F Line from Southcenter to the station | Federal Way Downtown Station has a 1,500-stall garage for drivers |
Weekday cohorts suit agency caregivers who can reassign clients for one week. Weekend cohorts suit anyone keeping a weekday client list or a Tukwila retail or logistics job alongside caregiving. Both are listed on the schedules page as they open.
Cost side by side
| Item | HCA to CNA bridge | 108-hour traditional course |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $800 | $1,100 |
| Books and supplies | About $105 | About $105 |
| Skills test | $100 | $100 |
| Knowledge test | $55 | $55 |
| DOH application | Per the current DOH fee schedule | Per the current DOH fee schedule |
| ORCA fare | 5 or 6 round trips | 20 round trips |
| Calendar | 1 week or about 3 weekends | 4 weeks |
Both credentials stay on the registry. A Tukwila caregiver can keep private-pay or agency clients under the HCA while picking up facility or state hospital shifts under the NA-C, renewing each on its own cycle; the NA-C renews annually on your birthday with no continuing education for a standard credential.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the closest HCA to CNA bridge to Tukwila? Check the WABON approved-program list for any Tukwila or Seattle option; the nearest verified 40-hour bridge with on-site testing is in Federal Way, five 1 Line stops south of Tukwila International Boulevard Station.
Does an HCA credential from an agency training count? Yes, if it is the DSHS Home Care Aide certification and shows active on the DOH registry. Agency orientation without the state credential does not qualify.
How is the bridge different from just taking the CNA exam? Washington does not allow an HCA to challenge the NA-C exam without training. Route E6 requires completion of an approved bridge program first.
Can I work at Olympic Heritage with only an HCA? State hospital nursing assistant positions require the NA-C. The bridge is the route from HCA to that eligibility.
What if my HCA credential expires during the bridge? Renew before enrolling. The credential must be active at enrollment and through the clinical day.
Requirements and enrollment steps are on the HCA to CNA bridge program page, and the statewide rules 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