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Law enforcement officials in Florida apprehended a Palm Coast woman for allegedly masquerading as a nurse and offering medical care to thousands of patients without the proper credentials.
Autumn Bardisa, 29, was arrested at her residence while dressed in medical scrubs, according to a statement released by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO).
She is accused of posing as a licensed nurse and providing medical treatment to over 4,400 individuals between June 2024 and January 2025.
Investigations revealed that Bardisa did not possess a valid nursing license during that period. She was employed at AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway from July 2023, but her contract was terminated in January 2025 due to internal concerns.
The arrest followed a seven-month investigation by state and federal health agencies. Hospital authorities reported that Bardisa had assumed the identity of a registered nurse by using someone else’s license number and submitting falsified documents to secure her position as an advanced nurse technician.
Bardisa allegedly applied for the job as an “education first” registered nurse initially, a title for individuals who have completed nursing education but have not passed the national licensing exam. Later, she claimed to have passed the exam and submitted a license number belonging to a nurse with a similar first name but a different last name.
Bardisa informed the hospital that she had recently changed her last name due to marriage, using this as an explanation for the discrepancy. However, she failed to provide her marriage certificate when asked, according to investigators.
Despite the lack of verification of her identity, Bardisa was reportedly offered a promotion in January 2025. This raised suspicions among coworkers, one of whom checked her license status and discovered that Bardisa only held an expired certified nursing assistant license. The matter was then brought to the attention of hospital administrators.
Further investigation revealed that Bardisa had not submitted any documentation to confirm her identity. Consequently, AdventHealth terminated her contract and notified the sheriff’s office, leading to a broader criminal investigation.
The investigation, conducted in conjunction with the Florida Department of Health and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, included interviews with hospital staff and the nurse whose license Bardisa had allegedly used. Authorities stated that the two women had attended the same nursing school but were not personally acquainted.
Bardisa is facing seven felony charges of practicing medicine without a license and seven counts of identity fraud. She is currently held at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility on a $70,000 bond.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly described the case as one of the most disturbing instances of medical fraud his office had encountered. He emphasized the potential risk Bardisa posed to thousands of lives by pretending to be someone she was not.
Officials urged anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Bardisa to contact the FCSO via email at fakenursecase@flaglersheriff.com.
AdventHealth was contacted for comment by Fox News Digital but did not immediately respond.
Stepheny Price, a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, covers various topics, including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Suggestions and story ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com
