Florida woman arrested for posing as nurse, treated nearly 4,500 patients without license

A 29-year-old woman has been arrested for allegedly impersonating a registered nurse and treating thousands of patients at a Florida hospital, despite never holding a valid nursing license.

Florida woman accused of posing as nurse

Authorities say Autumn Bardisa provided medical care to 4,486 individuals over an 18-month period.

The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office reports that AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway Hospital employed Bardisa from July 2023 until January 2025. Hospital administrators hired her as an advanced nurse technician, a role that typically requires supervision by a licensed nurse. During the hiring process, Bardisa claimed she was an “education first” RN. This is someone who had completed nursing school but had not yet passed the national licensing exam. She later asserted she had passed the exam and submitted a license number. However, that number belonged to another nurse with the same first name.

Red Flags Ignored Until Promotion

No one noticed Bardisa’s deception until January 2025, when hospital administrators offered her a promotion. The opportunity prompted a colleague to verify her credentials, revealing that Bardisa only held an expired certified nursing assistant license. Hospital administrators launched an internal investigation, which confirmed she had never provided documentation to verify her identity, despite repeated requests for a marriage certificate to explain the name discrepancy on her license.

AdventHealth terminated her on January 22 and immediately contacted law enforcement. A seven-month investigation followed, involving the Florida Department of Health, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Office of State Attorney R.J. Larizza for Florida’s 7th Judicial Circuit.

Woman posed as nurse : Scope of Fraud and Charges

Investigators determined Bardisa had treated thousands of patients between June 2024 and January 2025. She allegedly used another nurse’s license number to gain employment and even administered prescription medications, including Ozempic and birth control injections, to coworkers.

Police arrested Bardisa at her home on August 5 while she was wearing blue scrubs. She faces seven counts of practicing a health care profession without a license and seven counts of fraudulent use of personal identification information. Authorities are currently holding her on a $70,000 bond..

Community Impact and Next Steps

“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,” said Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly.

The sheriff’s office created a dedicated email, fakenursecase@flaglersheriff.com, for individuals who believe Bardisa treated them.

As the investigation continues, officials urge anyone with relevant information to come forward. Meanwhile, the case has reignited calls for stricter verification protocols in healthcare hiring practices.