A Florida woman is facing multiple felony charges after authorities discovered she impersonated a nurse and treated nearly 4,500 patients over seven months.

At a Glance

• Autumn Bardisa allegedly used a classmate’s license to pose as a nurse
• Treated over 4,400 patients at a Flagler County hospital from June 2024 to January 2025
• Investigation began after a coworker flagged inconsistencies in her records
• She faces 14 felony charges including unlicensed practice and ID fraud
• Officials have created a special email for potential victims to contact authorities

Large-Scale Medical Fraud

Autumn Marie Bardisa, 29, was arrested in Palm Coast, Florida, for allegedly posing as a licensed nurse and providing unauthorized medical care to 4,486 patients at AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway. Her activity, which spanned from June 2024 to January 2025, went undetected until she was considered for a promotion, at which point discrepancies in her credentials came to light. Bardisa is accused of using a former classmate’s nursing license number and falsified documents to obtain employment as an advanced nurse technician.

Watch now: Nurse impersonator arrested after treating over 4400 patients without a license · YouTube

Authorities from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office called it one of the most disturbing cases of healthcare fraud they’ve encountered. According to investigators, Bardisa falsely claimed she had passed the national nursing exam and later justified missing documentation by asserting a name change due to marriage. Despite repeated requests, she failed to provide official verification.

Discovery and Arrest

The situation unraveled in January 2025 when a hospital coworker, during the course of a potential job advancement process, uncovered that Bardisa only held an expired Certified Nursing Assistant license. This triggered an internal review and subsequent termination of her employment on January 22. The case was then escalated to a criminal investigation involving both state and federal health regulatory bodies.

On August 5, 2025, Bardisa was arrested and booked into the Flagler County jail. She has been charged with seven counts of practicing healthcare without a license and seven counts of fraudulent use of personal identification. Her bond has been set at $70,000, and she is scheduled to be arraigned on September 2, 2025.

Ongoing Fallout

Law enforcement officials are now urging patients who may have received care from Bardisa during the specified time frame to come forward. A dedicated email address—fakenursecase@flaglersheriff.com—has been established to collect information from potential victims. Authorities are especially concerned about any harm that may have resulted from improper or unauthorized treatment.

The hospital in question has not released detailed statements regarding the vetting failure that allowed the impersonation to continue for months. However, internal reviews are reportedly underway to reassess hiring and credential verification protocols. This incident has reignited broader concerns about how credential fraud in healthcare settings can go undetected and the risks it poses to patient safety.

Sources

AP News
People
New York Post