Agnes Edebe RN & Kimberly Nelson RN: Visionaries of Health Star Academy

BY TRISH MACKO

The desire to improve health care training for nurse assistants was the impetus to launch a new gateway for nurses assistants. Agnes Edebe RN and Kimberly Nelson RN felt “the need for more hands-on training” for their staff at California Health Care Facility, and so they developed the Health Star Academy. For these two highly skilled nurses, this was a dream that has come true. The Health Star Academy is a fully accredited online hybrid nursing assistant program, an intensive six weeks of theory and clinical training. After completion of the course and with a passing grade, the students can take the California Nursing Assistant Exam.

This program evolved from a conversation between Agnes and Kimberly, nurse supervisors at the California Health Care Facility, which provides long-term medical care and acute mental health treatment for incarcerated people. They recognized the need to have more training with skills, improved documentation and improved critical thinking. Health Star Academy is the result of their many hours of collaboration.

These women have extensive experience in the field of nursing. Agnes has her masters in nursing from Waldon University and is a family nurse practitioner. Kimberly received her associate nursing degree from San Joaquin Delta College and her bachelor of science in nursing from Chicago University. Combined, they have a total of 60 years of experience in the areas of medical-surgical, mental health, telemetry, geriatric and correctional nursing. At the California Health Care Facility, they train new nursing staff and evaluate job performance.

The two went to work on their dream of building the Health Star Academy from the ground up. For funding, they partnered with the Center for Caregiver Advancement. This program is under the Education Fund and offers 24/7 access to high-quality online courses developed by healthcare educators. The goal is to educate and build necessary skills; the participants can then advance into healthcare as a certified nursing assistant and licensed vocational nurse.

On March 20, 2025, Health Star Academy was accredited by the California Department of Public Health. For the students, 60 hours of classroom work consists of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology and documentation. Also stressed are the practical skills needed for CNA, or certified nursing assistant, which include taking vital signs, bathing a patient, dressing, feeding and assisting to the bathroom. The students then have 100 hours, or about eight days, of clinical work, which is so important in putting the theory into practice with patients. Kimberly and Agnes are there supporting the students along. The clinicals are in Lodi Creek Post-Acute and Meadowood A Health and Rehabilitation Center in Stockton, facilities that have been a good environment for the students.

All this in six weeks! After passing the required classes, the students are eligible to take the California Nursing Assistant Certification Exam, a certification that’s one of the best in the nation. After passing the exam, the graduates are ready to go to work in a hospital, home healthcare setting, long-term care facility or hospice and more. If the student wishes to advance further, this training will enhance their path forward.

Health Star Academy tuition includes the necessary equipment associated with entering the health care field. Students are provided with a blood pressure cuff and stethoscope, uniform, fingerprinting, Chromebook, textbook and workbook. In addition, they have support from amazing nurses who share a passion for educating the next generation of nurses.

Kimberly and Agnes hope to expand the Health Star Academy to include other health care training programs such as phlebotomy, licensed vocational nursing and more advanced degrees. They have contacted Stockton, Lincoln and Lodi school districts to encourage graduating seniors to apply to become a certified nursing assistant. With their desire to educate and improve the nursing profession, Health Star Academy is sure to have success.

For more information on Health Star Academy, please go to their website: healthstaracademy.org
5250 Claremont Avenue, Suite # 127 | Stockton, CA 95207 | (209) 323-4169