A startling case of medical fraud has emerged in Florida, leading to the arrest of 29-year-old Autumn Bardisa for allegedly impersonating a registered nurse. The investigation began after AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway terminated her employment, citing doubts regarding her qualifications. Investigators discovered that Bardisa had attended to a staggering 4,486 patients between June 2024 and January 2025.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly described Bardisa's conduct as one of the most unsettling incidents of medical deception the department has encountered. Bardisa's employment with the healthcare provider lasted from July 2023 until early 2025 when suspicions arose concerning her nursing credentials. It was uncovered that she had submitted false documentation and used a license number belonging to another nurse with a similar name.
To account for the discrepancy, Bardisa claimed she had married and changed her surname, yet she failed to produce a marriage license upon request. In January, Bardisa was offered a promotion, but a colleague alerted authorities when they recognized her nursing assistant license had expired. Following the termination of her contract, a seven-month investigation culminated in her arrest on August 5, during which she was discovered in scrubs at her residence.
Sheriff Staly condemned Bardisa's actions, emphasizing the potential risk she posed to thousands of lives, betraying the trust of patients, families, and the healthcare community. In response to this alarming case, the Sheriff's Office has created an email address—fakenursecase@flaglersheriff.com—encouraging anyone who may have received care from Bardisa to come forward. She is currently held at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, with bail set at $70,000.
