LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Kentucky nurse is under investigation in connection to a federal operation dubbed 'Operation Nightingale.'
According to federal officials, the scheme involved executives from three Florida-based nursing schools who allegedly sold over 7,600 bogus nursing diplomas for about $15,000 each.
The fake diplomas allowed nursing students to skip hours of clinical training, putting patients' health and safety at risk.
Federal officials accuse some of the students of using those fake diplomas to secure nursing jobs in other states, without proper training.
The Kentucky Board of Nursing confirms they have been working with federal officials for months in response to the investigation.
Board officials said they ran an initial check of nurses licensed in the state and identified one nurse with a fake nursing diploma. They do not believe there are more, but are continuing to check their system.
That nurse, who was not identified, is still working in the state.
General Counsel to the Kentucky Board of Nursing Jeffrey Prather confirms outside of an emergency suspension using evidence of an immediate threat or harm to the public, the board cannot suspend a license until there is a hearing. He said the investigation is on-going.
"This type of event speaks to the need for regulatory oversight regarding nurses and other professions so this doesn't happen in the future," Prather said.
Prather said the Kentucky Board of Nursing regulates more than 90,000 nurses across the state.
According to Special Agent Omar Perez Aybar, with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, officials "have not learned of nor uncovered any evidence of patient harm stemming from these individuals potentially providing services to patients."
Authorities have charged 25 people in Florida, New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Texas. They are now working with licensing boards in each state to make sure anyone who got a fraudulent diploma no longer provides care.
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