BREAKING: A Florida woman, Autumn Bardisa, has been arrested for allegedly posing as a nurse and treating over 4,486 patients using a stolen nursing license. Authorities confirmed the arrest occurred at her home in Palm Coast on Tuesday, following a lengthy investigation led by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Bardisa, aged 29, faces multiple charges, including seven counts of practicing as a healthcare professional without a license and seven counts of fraudulent use of personal identification. The investigation revealed that she worked at AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway Hospital for nearly two years, treating patients under false pretenses from June 2022 to January 2024.
The alarming case came to light when a colleague raised concerns after Bardisa received a promotion in January. A routine check into her license status revealed that she had only an expired certified nursing assistant license. This prompted AdventHealth to launch an internal investigation.
During her employment, Bardisa had claimed to be an “education first” registered nurse, falsely stating she had passed the necessary exams. Instead, she had provided a license number belonging to another nurse with the same first name, which she attempted to justify by claiming she had recently married. However, she never submitted the required marriage license to verify her identity.
In January, after failing to confirm her identity, Bardisa was terminated from her position. AdventHealth subsequently reported the incident to the sheriff’s office, leading to a seven-month investigation involving the Florida Department of Health and the US Department of Health and Human Services. Officials interviewed the nurse whose identity was stolen, who stated they did not know Bardisa personally, despite having attended the same college.
Sheriff Rick Staly described the case as “one of the most disturbing cases of medical fraud we’ve ever investigated,” emphasizing the potential risk to thousands of patients who trusted Bardisa with their care.
The arrest warrant was issued on Tuesday, and video footage captured officers confronting Bardisa as she sat in her car, still wearing blue scrubs. She is currently being held in custody with a bond set at $70,000 (A$108,000). Her arraignment is scheduled for September 2.
As this case develops, the serious implications for patient safety and trust in healthcare systems are becoming increasingly clear. AdventHealth has stated it does not comment on pending legal matters but acknowledges the oversight in Bardisa’s hiring process, which allowed her to evade scrutiny for so long.
This disturbing incident raises questions about the vetting processes in healthcare and the critical importance of verifying credentials in a profession where lives are at stake. The situation remains fluid, and further updates are expected as authorities continue their investigation.
