A Palm Coast woman has been arrested in Florida for allegedly impersonating a nurse and treating thousands of patients without proper credentials, reports Fox News.The suspect, identified as Autumn Bardisa, 29, was taken into custody at her home while wearing medical scrubs, as per the Flagler County Sheriff’s office. Authorities say she posed as a licensed nurse and provided medical care to over 4,400 individuals between June 2024 and January 2025.Officials noted that she did not possess a valid nursing license during this period.“This is one of the most disturbing cases of medical fraud we’ve ever investigated,” said sheriff Rick Staly, reported the Miami Herald.The arrest followed a seven-month-long investigation by state and federal health agencies. Bardisa allegedly used someone else’s nursing license number and submitted falsified documents to obtain a position as an advanced nurse technician, falsely claiming that she was a registered nurse, reported hospital officials.Bardisa began working at AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway in July 2023, but her contract was terminated in January 2025 following internal concerns raised by hospital staff. Bardisa initially applied for the position under the title of “education first” registered nurse, a category for candidates who have completed nursing school but not yet passed the national licensing exam, officials stated, reported Fox News.She later allegedly claimed to have passed the exam and submitted a license number belonging to a nurse with the same first name but a different last name.The investigation, led in coordination by the Florida department of health and the US department of health and human services, involved interviews with the hospital personnel and the licensed nurse whose credentials Bardisa was reportedly using. Authorities noted that while both women attended the same nursing school, they did not know each other personally.She used to claim that she recently got married and changed her last name to justify the discrepancies regarding her identity. However, she never provided a marriage certificate when asked.She was reportedly offered a promotion in January 2025, triggering suspicion among coworkers. One of them checked her credentials and discovered she only held an expired certified nursing assistant (CNA) license. The findings were then reported to hospital administrators, reported Fox News.Further investigation found that Bardisa never submitted proper documentation to verify her identity. In response, AdventHealth terminated her contract and notified the sheriff’s office, leading to a broader criminal investigation.She has now been charged with seven felony counts of practicing medicine without a license and seven counts of identity fraud. She is currently being held at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility on a $70,000 bond.“Thanks to great investigative work between our detectives and State Attorney, Florida’s 7th Circuit R.J. Larizza’s Office and AdventHealth, along with our state and federal partners, she’ll now be held accountable for her reckless and dangerous actions,” said Staly, reported Fox News.
