Impersonator Nurse Arrested After Treating Thousands Without License

A woman posing as a registered nurse was apprehended after providing medical care to nearly 4,500 patients over a two-year period at a Florida hospital, without holding any valid medical license. Staff members discovered her deception only when she was being considered for a promotion.

Autumn Bardisa, aged 29, was taken into custody after authorities revealed she had treated 4,486 individuals since July 2023 at AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway, all while falsely claiming to be a licensed nurse. The investigation was initiated when hospital officials fired her in January after uncovering signs of impersonation.

She allegedly used the medical license number of a former classmate and submitted fake documents to secure her position as an advanced nurse technician. Bardisa claimed to have passed the requisite schooling and even provided a license number matching her first name, “Autumn,” but with a different surname. When questioned about the discrepancy, she attributed it to a recent marriage but failed to produce any marriage license for verification.

Further investigation showed the license used by Bardisa belonged to someone she attended school with, although they were strangers. Authorities also found that her expired nursing assistant license did not match her claimed qualifications.

Police arrested her at her residence, charging her with multiple counts of practicing healthcare without a license and fraudulent use of personal identification. She is currently held on a $70,000 bond.