A Florida woman has been arrested after posing as a registered nurse and treating thousands of patients without a valid license.
Authorities say 29-year-old Autumn Bardisa illegally provided care to more than 4,400 patients over a period of several months at a local hospital in Flagler County.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Bardisa was arrested on Tuesday and is now facing multiple charges, including seven counts of practicing a healthcare profession without a license and seven counts of fraudulent use of personal identification.
According to investigators, Bardisa was hired in July 2023 as an advanced nurse technician, a position that operates under the supervision of a licensed nurse.
At the time, she claimed to be an “education first” nurse, meaning she had completed the necessary schooling but had not yet passed the national licensing exam.
Shortly afterward, Bardisa falsely told hospital staff she had passed the exam and submitted a license number.
That license actually belonged to a different nurse with the same first name, Autumn, but a different last name.
When questioned, Bardisa claimed she had recently married and that the name change explained the discrepancy.
Despite repeated requests, she never provided a marriage certificate.
Her deception unraveled in January 2025 when she was being considered for a promotion.
A fellow employee checked her license status and found it was expired.
Hospital administrators launched an internal investigation, confirmed she had never been fully licensed, and terminated her employment on January 22. The case was then referred to law enforcement.
Investigators later learned that the real nurse whose identity Bardisa used had studied at the same school but had no personal connection to her.
Bardisa is now being held at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility with a bond set at $70,000.
This incident follows other recent cases of nurse impersonation across the U.S., raising concerns about medical fraud and patient safety.
Bardisa’s next court date has not been announced, and it remains unclear whether she has secured legal representation.