In a case that has left both the medical community and thousands of patients in shock, a Florida woman has been accused of posing as a licensed nurse and providing medical care to nearly 4,500 people over a seven-month period. Autumn Marie Bardisa, 29, of Palm Coast, is at the center of what Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly has called "one of the most disturbing cases of medical fraud we’ve ever investigated," according to statements reported by multiple news outlets, including the Los Angeles Times and The Guardian.
Authorities allege that from June 2024 until January 2025, Bardisa treated 4,486 patients while employed as an advanced nurse technician at AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway, a hospital located about 60 miles south of Jacksonville, Florida. The scale of the deception is staggering, and the story has rapidly become a flashpoint for concerns about credential fraud and patient safety in the American healthcare system.
According to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, Bardisa was able to secure her position at the hospital by submitting false documentation and using a license number that belonged to a different nurse—one who happened to share her first name and worked at another AdventHealth facility. When questioned about the discrepancy, Bardisa reportedly claimed she had recently married and changed her surname, but she was unable to produce a marriage license when requested to do so by hospital authorities (News.com.au).
The ruse unraveled in January 2025, when Bardisa was offered a promotion at AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway. At this point, a vigilant coworker discovered that the nursing assistant license she had used for employment had expired. This triggered an internal investigation, and Bardisa’s contract was terminated. What followed was a seven-month criminal investigation that culminated in her arrest earlier this week.
On Tuesday, August 5, 2025, deputies from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office apprehended Bardisa in the driveway of her Palm Coast home. According to bodycam footage described by News.com.au, Bardisa was sitting in her car, still wearing her scrubs, when officers approached. She appeared confused, asking, "What’s going on?" and expressing concern for her child, who was reportedly across the street at the time of her arrest.
Bardisa now faces a litany of charges, including seven felony counts of practicing healthcare without a license and seven counts of fraudulent use of personal identification—each count corresponding to a month of her alleged impersonation. As of this writing, she is being held at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility on a bond of $70,000, with her arraignment scheduled for September 2, 2025. No lawyer representing Bardisa has been listed in local court records, and attempts to reach her for comment have been unsuccessful (The Guardian).
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly did not mince words when addressing the public about the case. "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 said in a statement published by the Los Angeles Times. The sheriff’s office has set up a dedicated email address for anyone who believes they may have been impacted by Bardisa’s actions, urging potential victims to come forward and assist with the ongoing investigation.
The details of how Bardisa managed to evade detection for so long have raised serious questions about hospital hiring practices and the verification of professional credentials. According to investigators, Bardisa’s alleged deception began when she submitted fraudulent documentation to AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway in July 2023. She continued to work at the hospital until her dismissal in January 2025.
Officials say Bardisa’s scheme involved more than simply forging paperwork. She is accused of using the license number of another nurse with the same first name, a tactic that may have helped her pass initial background checks. When discrepancies arose, Bardisa’s explanation about a recent marriage and surname change temporarily deflected suspicion—until her inability to provide a marriage certificate aroused further doubt.
The case has sent shockwaves through the Palm Coast community and beyond. AdventHealth, the hospital system where Bardisa was employed, has not publicly commented on the specifics of the case but is said to be cooperating fully with law enforcement. The incident has also prompted renewed calls for stricter verification processes within healthcare institutions, especially as the number of reported credential fraud cases across the United States continues to climb.
For patients and their families, the revelations have been deeply unsettling. Many are left wondering about the quality of care they received and whether their health was compromised. The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office has emphasized that the investigation is ongoing and that anyone who suspects they may have been treated by Bardisa should reach out via the special email set up for this case.
The broader implications of the scandal extend well beyond Palm Coast. Medical fraud is not a new phenomenon in the United States, but cases of this magnitude are rare. According to data from the National Practitioner Data Bank, incidents involving unlicensed practitioners have historically been difficult to track, largely because of the patchwork nature of licensing boards and the reliance on self-reporting by healthcare institutions. This case, with its high patient count and brazen use of another professional’s credentials, has reignited debate about the adequacy of current safeguards.
As the legal process moves forward, Bardisa’s alleged actions will likely serve as a cautionary tale for hospitals and clinics nationwide. Experts suggest that healthcare providers should adopt more rigorous credential verification systems, including regular audits and cross-checks with state licensing boards. The hope is that such measures could prevent similar incidents and restore public trust in the safety and integrity of the healthcare system.
For now, the focus remains on supporting those potentially affected by Bardisa’s alleged deception and ensuring that justice is served. The case is a stark reminder of the vital importance of trust in healthcare—and the dire consequences when that trust is betrayed.