In a shocking breach of medical protocol and patient trust, a Florida woman has been apprehended for masquerading as a registered nurse and dispensing healthcare to thousands without the requisite licensing. Autumn Bardisa, a 29-year-old Palm Coast resident, was arrested by the Flagler County Sheriff's Office (FCSO) amidst allegations of identity fraud and unauthorized medical practice.
The case came to light when Bardisa, donning medical scrubs, was taken into custody at her home. The official statement released on the FCSO's Facebook page outlines the gravity of her deceit. Between June 2024 and January 2025, Bardisa is accused of having administered medical care to more than 4,400 patients, all while lacking a valid nursing license.
Bardisa's tenure at AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway began in July 2023 under the pretense of being an "education first" registered nurse—a designation for those who have completed nursing school but are yet to pass the national licensing exam. Her employment was abruptly terminated in January 2025 following internal concerns about her qualifications.
The arrest followed a meticulous seven-month investigation spearheaded by state and federal health agencies. Bardisa's ruse involved assuming the identity of a legitimate nurse by employing another person's license number and submitting forged documents to secure her employment as an advanced nurse technician.
The subterfuge unraveled when a coworker, prompted by Bardisa's consideration for a promotion, verified her licensing status and discovered it to be non-existent. Instead, Bardisa held only an expired certified nursing assistant (CNA) license. The subsequent internal review by AdventHealth revealed that Bardisa had never provided documentation to confirm her identity.
The broader criminal investigation, which included interviews with hospital staff and the nurse whose license number was misappropriated, led to Bardisa's arrest. Both women had attended the same nursing school but had no personal acquaintance. Bardisa now faces seven felony counts each of practicing medicine without a license and identity fraud.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly has described the incident as one of the most disturbing cases of medical fraud encountered by his office. The sheriff's statement emphasized the potential danger to thousands of lives due to Bardisa's deception. "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," Staly remarked.
Bardisa is currently held at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility with a bond set at $70,000. The case has raised significant concerns about the verification processes within medical institutions and the ease with which Bardisa circumvented the system to engage in such extensive and perilous fraud.
