A woman in the United States has been arrested on suspicion of posing as a licensed nurse.
Authorities launched an investigation after Autumn Bardisa’s contract with AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway was terminated due to concerns about her credentials.
According to investigators, the 29-year-old treated approximately 4,486 patients between June 2024 and January 2025.
“This is one of the most alarming cases of medical fraud we’ve ever seen,” said Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly.
Bardisa worked at the Palm Coast facility from July 2023 until January 2025. She is accused of submitting falsified documents and using a nursing license number that belonged to another nurse with the same first name, who was employed at a different AdventHealth hospital.
The Sheriff’s Office reported that Bardisa explained the license discrepancy by claiming she had recently married and changed her surname. She was asked to present her marriage certificate but failed to do so.
In January, Bardisa was offered a promotion. A colleague then discovered her nursing assistant license had expired and reported her to the authorities.
Following her dismissal, a seven-month criminal investigation was launched. Detectives later issued a warrant for her arrest on seven counts of practicing a healthcare profession without a license and seven counts of fraudulent use of personal identification information.
Bardisa was arrested on August 5 while wearing medical scrubs at her residence.
“She potentially endangered thousands of lives by pretending to be a licensed nurse, betraying the trust of patients, families, and the healthcare community,” Sheriff Staly said.
The Sheriff’s Office has created a dedicated email address — fakenursecase@flaglersheriff.com — for individuals who believe they may have been treated by Bardisa.
She is currently being held at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility with bond set at $70,000 (approximately £52,000).
