2.3 Lapsed, Bridge, Older Training, OBRA, and Closed Program Routes E5-E9

Five Special-History Routes

Many candidates are not starting fresh and are not current nursing students. WABON groups their situations into routes E5-E9, each pointing to a different eligibility problem:

These labels are short, but each implies different paperwork. A credential lapsed over three years (E5) is not the same as a current bridge graduate (E6). Pre-2015 training (E7) predates the current standards and needs review. A closed program (E9) creates proof-of-training questions that an open school never does. E8 connects to registry status, covered in detail in section 2.6.

E6 Bridge vs. E5 Retraining vs. E8 Reactivation

Three of these routes are easy to confuse, so distinguish them clearly:

• E6 (bridge) is a new certification path for people with related credentials. The Home Care Aide (HCA) and Medical Assistant (MA) alternative programs are shorter than the traditional program because they recognize prior training, but they still end in the same five-skill NAC exam and written test.
• E5 (lapsed >3 years + retraining) applies when a former NAC let the credential expire more than three years ago and has now completed training again. Note the fee signal: if your NAC credential expired more than a year ago, the reactivation application fee is $197 rather than the standard $85.
• E8 (OBRA reactivation) is the strictest route. A candidate reactivating through OBRA gets only one retest attempt - you must pass both the skills and knowledge parts on your first attempt, or you must complete retraining before trying again. This is the single most important exception to the general four-attempts rule.

Because the brief details for each history differ, do not guess document requirements. Use the DOH email-as-checklist: after you apply, DOH emails you what is still missing.

Authorization and Timing for E5-E9

With the exception of E6 (a program-graduate route like E1), routes E5, E7, E8, and E9 require a complete DOH Credentialing application and an Authorization to Test before registering. The temptation for these candidates is to rush, because they previously trained, previously held a credential, or previously appeared on the registry. But prior history does not remove the current authorization requirement.

A practical E5-E9 checklist:

1. Identify the exact route by matching your history to the E5-E9 definitions above.
2. Gather documents - prior credential records, retraining proof, or evidence from a closed program.
3. Complete the DOH Credentialing application and wait for your Authorization to Test.
4. Confirm your NAC credential number (it starts with NAC.NC) for Credentia registration.
5. Schedule the skills test first, then the written/oral test, following the program or WABON regional scheduling.

E8 candidates must add a hard reminder: one retest only. Skipping the route-identification step risks scheduling an exam you are not yet authorized to take, wasting both fees and study momentum.

Why E7 and E9 Need Extra Documentation

Two of these routes - E7 (pre-February 1, 2015 training) and E9 (closed program) - exist specifically because proof of training is harder to establish, and understanding why helps you assemble the right file.

E7 matters because Washington's nursing-assistant standards and program approvals have evolved. Training completed before February 1, 2015 predates the current framework, so DOH reviews it to confirm the old training still maps to today's competency expectations. A candidate in this route should locate original program records, completion dates, and any prior credential numbers, because the school may no longer issue documentation in the current format.

E9 is even more document-dependent: the program is now closed, so the candidate cannot simply ask the school for a transcript. DOH may accept alternative evidence, but you must work through the Credentialing team to establish what proof is acceptable. Do not assume a closed program excuses you from testing - it does the opposite, adding a verification step on top of the standard exam.

A useful way to think about E5-E9 is as a spectrum of "how much does Washington need to re-verify?":

• E6 (bridge): least review - it is a current, approved program, so it behaves much like E1.
• E5 (lapsed + retraining): moderate - recent retraining is verifiable, but prior lapse must be reconciled.
• E7 (pre-2015): higher - older standards require mapping.
• E8 (OBRA reactivation): registry-driven, with the one-retest restriction.
• E9 (closed program): highest - proof of training itself is in question.

Across all of them, the constant is the same: identify the route, complete the DOH application, secure the Authorization to Test where required, verify the NAC.NC number, then schedule skills first. Getting the sequence right protects your study time from being wasted on a date you were never authorized to use - the recurring theme of every non-routine route.