Fake Nurse Autumn Bardisa Avoids Prison—Sentenced to 5 Years Probation Instead
Update: The Florida woman accused of impersonating a registered nurse for more than a year has now been sentenced.
Autumn Marie Bardisa, 29, was sentenced on April 7, 2026, to five years of probation after pleading no contest to two of the 14 charges initially filed against her. It's important to note that Bardisa did attend nursing school, passed her NCLEX, and was enrolled in a nursing externship program. However, she was not a licensed nurse. She fraudulently provided the license of an actual nurse, also named Autumn, who attended her school and also worked at Advent Health.
As previously reported, Bardisa allegedly treated thousands of patients at AdventHealth Palm Coast over an 18-month period without a valid nursing license. Despite facing up to 10 years in prison, she will avoid jail time entirely.
The court withheld adjudication of guilt, meaning Bardisa will not have a felony conviction on her record if she successfully completes probation.
About The Case
Autumn Marie Bardisa, 29, of Palm Coast, was arrested after allegedly impersonating a registered nurse and treating over 4,400 patients without proper licensure across two AdventHealth Palm Coast hospitals over an 18-month period.
What Happened:
- Bardisa was hired in July 2023 as an advanced nurse technician at AdventHealth Palm Coast Parkway.
- She falsely claimed to be a registered nurse by submitting fraudulent documentation, including a nursing license number belonging to someone else.
- She claimed a name discrepancy was due to a recent marriage and failed to provide a marriage certificate when requested.
- Bardisa previously only held an expired CNA license.
- From June 2024 to January 2025, she provided care to thousands of patients without a valid license.
- The fraud was discovered after she was considered for promotion, prompting a coworker to verify her credentials. The coworker discovered her expired CNA license.
According to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office, Bardisa secured employment as an advanced nurse technician by providing fraudulent documentation and using a license number that belonged to another person who shared her first name but had a different last name. The investigation revealed that Bardisa falsely claimed to be an "education first" registered nurse—suggesting she had completed nursing education but hadn't yet taken the national licensing examination—before later claiming she had passed the exam.
Video of Arrest
This case highlights significant vulnerabilities in the hiring and credential verification processes that protect patients and maintain the integrity of the nursing profession. The fact that Bardisa allegedly practiced without proper qualifications for approximately 18 months before detection points to systemic weaknesses that require immediate attention.
She now faces multiple felony charges, including seven counts of practicing healthcare without a license and seven counts of fraudulent use of personal identification.
As this case proceeds through the legal system, it serves as an important reminder of why nursing licensure exists—to protect patients and ensure that those providing care have the education, training, and skills necessary to do so safely and effectively.
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