Nursing board urges healthcare employers to be diligent after ‘imposter nurse’ put life in danger
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – After a grand jury indicted a woman accused of pretending to be a nurse and putting a patient’s life in danger, the New Mexico Board of Nursing spoke with KRQE News 13 about how they make sure people are who they claim to be.
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The board said they’ve seen a few similar cases this year in smaller clinics. They said that often, what might happen is that criminals search nurse databases for real nurses with similar names, then steal their identities to create fake licenses. “It is sad when somebody would violate the public’s trust in this way, and especially when it’s your loved one,” said Executive Director of the New Mexico Board of Nursing Sheena Ferguson.
The New Mexico Department of Justice said a certified nurse assistant, 26-year-old April Hernandez, stole three nurses’ identities and provided care for hospice patients without a license. In one case, prosecutors said a patient almost received a fatal dose of morphine.
In August, a grand jury indicted Hernandez for 19 counts of misconduct, and if convicted on all counts, she faces nearly 28 years in prison. The New Mexico Board of Nursing urges health care employers to keep close tabs on who’s working for them. “If someone seems to not know something that they should know as a licensed nurse or certified assistant personnel, ask questions,” said Ferguson.
The board has a portal on it’s website where anyone can check if someone has a nursing license. They also have a place to submit concerns. The board investigates those violations and may make referrals to law enforcement.
One of the companies who employed Hernandez sent KRQE the following statement:
“Luna Del Valle Healthcare Services is grateful for the swift actions of the legal system in
bringing charges against April Guadalupe Hernandez. We are thankful that the judicial
process is moving forward efficiently to address these serious allegations of fraudulent
nursing licensure.
The arraignment of Ms. Hernandez represents an important step in ensuring
accountability for actions that jeopardized patient safety and violated the trust families
place in healthcare providers. We are grateful that our immediate reporting to the New
Mexico Board of Nursing and the further escalation of the concerns has helped to
prohibit individuals from being impacted by such dishonesty.
Luna Del Valle Healthcare Services is a locally owned and operated home-based
healthcare company that was established with an unwavering commitment to our
patients and then community, with a specific focus on rural and underserved
communities. Through this process, our focus has and continues to be the members of
our community.
We remain fully committed to transparency throughout this legal process while
respecting the ongoing judicial proceedings. Our patients and families can continue to
trust that Luna Del Valle Healthcare Services maintains strict adherence to all federal
and state regulatory requirements, ensuring the compassionate, professional hospice
care they deserve during their most difficult times.”
The New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez sent KRQE this statement:
“We put our health, our safety, and our lives in the hands of our healthcare providers, and it is deeply troubling when our trust is betrayed by imposters. In this case, an imposter’s mistake on a medication order could have led to a fatal dose of morphine for a vulnerable patient.
Patients and those who love them should be able to trust their caregivers, and the New Mexico Department of Justice will not tolerate anyone who seeks to endanger patient safety for personal gain. Anyone who impersonates a healthcare provider or provides fake credential will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, as we work to protect the people of our state.”
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