A woman has been arrested in Florida after allegedly posing as a nurse and treating more than 4,000 patients without a valid licence. Autumn Bardisa, 29, is accused of working at AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway from July 2023 to January 2025, during which time she cared for 4,486 patients.
An investigation was launched after hospital bosses raised concerns about her credentials. Police allege that Bardisa used fraudulent paperwork and provided a licence number belonging to another nurse with the same first name who worked for AdventHealth at a separate hospital. She also claimed to have recently married and changed her surname but failed to produce a marriage certificate when asked.
In January 2025, Bardisa was offered a promotion, but a colleague reported her after discovering that her nursing assistant licence had lapsed. She was subsequently sacked, and a seven-month criminal investigation ensued. An arrest warrant was issued on seven counts of practising a health care profession without a licence and seven counts of fraudulent use of personal identification information.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly described the case as 'one of the most disturbing cases of medical fraud we've ever investigated.' He added: '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.'
Bardisa was arrested at her home while wearing scrubs on August 5. She is being held at Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility with bail set at $70,000 (£52,000). Police have set up a dedicated email address, fakenursecase@flaglersheriff.com, for patients who may have been treated by her to come forward.
