Alleged nurse imposter treated thousands of patients in Florida before arrest

Authorities in Florida arrested a Palm Coast woman who allegedly posed as a nurse and provided care to thousands of patients despite lacking the proper credentials.

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO) confirmed that 29-year-old Autumn Bardisa was taken into custody at her home while dressed in medical scrubs in a statement released on the department’s Facebook page. 

She is accused of presenting herself as a licensed nurse and administering medical care to more than 4,400 people between June 2024 and January 2025.

Investigators determined Bardisa never held a valid nursing license during that time. She had been employed at AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway beginning in July 2023, but her contract was terminated in January 2025 due to internal concerns.

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The arrest capped a seven-month probe conducted by state and federal health agencies. Hospital officials reported that Bardisa had falsely assumed the identity of a registered nurse by using another individual’s license number and submitting fabricated documents to secure her position as an advanced nurse technician.

Officials noted that Bardisa originally applied for the job under the title of “education first” registered nurse, a designation for individuals who have completed nursing education but haven’t passed the national licensing exam. Later, she allegedly claimed she had passed the exam and submitted a license number belonging to a nurse who shared her first name but had a different last name.

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Bardisa told the hospital she had recently married and changed her last name, which she used to justify the discrepancy. When asked to provide her marriage certificate, she never complied, investigators said.

Despite failing to verify her identity, Bardisa was reportedly offered a promotion in January 2025. This raised flags among coworkers, one of whom checked the status of her license and found that Bardisa only held an expired certified nursing assistant license. The discovery was then brought to the attention of hospital administrators.

Further investigation revealed Bardisa had never submitted documentation to confirm her identity. As a result, AdventHealth ended her contract and alerted the sheriff’s office, prompting a wider criminal inquiry.

The investigation, conducted alongside 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 said the two women had attended the same nursing school but were not personally acquainted.

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Bardisa faces seven felony counts of practicing medicine without a license and seven counts of identity fraud. She is being held at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility on $70,000 bond.

Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly described the case as one of the most disturbing incidents of medical fraud his office has investigated.

“This woman potentially put thousands of lives at risk by pretending to be someone she was not and violating the trust of patients, their families, AdventHealth and an entire medical community,” he said. “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.”

Officials said anyone who believes they may be a victim of Bardisa should contact the FCSO by email at [email protected]. 

Fox News Digital reached out to AdventHealth for comment but did not immediately receive a response. 

Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to [email protected]