A woman who allegedly pretended to be a nurse in Los Angeles, California has been arrested after she reportedly worked for a month in a hospital tending to patients.
The Burbank Police Department announced on Thursday that Amanda Leeann Porter, 44, of Virginia, allegedly impersonated a registered nurse at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center where she reportedly treated dozens of patients.
Porter does not have a nursing license. She is currently on federal probation for a fraud conviction in her home state of Virginia, according to KTLA, citing police.
She allegedly used a false identity to gain employment with the Catholic hospital in April. Between April 8 and May 8, she saw approximately 60 patients before her co-workers discovered that she was allegedly impersonating a nurse who lived in another state.
Porter managed to collect two paychecks before she was fired from the hospital.
This isn’t the first time she’s allegedly impersonated a nurse; she reportedly did the same thing at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Santa Clarita. Investigators believe she has impersonated nurses at several hospitals.
“In early October, we learned that an employee falsified documents to obtain employment with our hospital,” the Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital said in a statement to NBC Los Angeles. “Once discovered, we took immediate and appropriate action, including terminating her employment and reporting to regulatory and law enforcement authorities. We do not have any indication the quality of care patients received was compromised.”
Both hospitals told KTLA that Porter was fired immediately after they discovered her alleged impersonation.
Neither hospital said she rendered inadequate care during her time under their employ. In both instances she working under probationary conditions and was supervised by qualified training nurses.
She is now facing charges of identity theft, false impersonation, and grand theft, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
“It is further alleged that Porter carried out the offenses with planning, sophistication, and professionalism,” the district attorney said in a statement. “It also is alleged that Porter took advantage of a position of trust and confidence to commit the offenses.”
Porter was arrested on November 7 and is currently being held without bail at the LA County Central Regional Detention Facility.
Her next court appearance is scheduled for December 2 in Burbank.
