On January 25, 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and law enforcement announced the results of a multi-state investigation titled “Operation Nightingale.” The investigation focused on the alleged selling of fraudulent documents, transcripts, and nursing degrees. These documents permitted individuals to apply to take the NCLEX and, if they successfully passed, permitted these individuals to obtain a license to practice nursing as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or registered nurse (RN). It was reported that over 7,600 fraudulent nursing diplomas were issued by these Florida-based programs to individuals across the United States.
The North Carolina Board of Nursing (NCBON) has cooperated with law enforcement during this investigation and continues to work with law enforcement and other nursing regulatory bodies to gather supporting evidence on individuals who may have obtained a nursing license fraudulently. The NCBON is committed to protecting the public and thoroughly investigating these allegations into any nurses licensed in NC who presented fraudulent documents to obtain a license. Appropriate action, including revocation of a license, will be taken against any nurse licensed in NC who presented fraudulent documents to obtain a license. The NCBON will continue to provide more information as it becomes publicly available. An additional layer of protection is the use of a national licensure database system to report and communicate disciplinary actions to other states. The NCBON monitors and utilizes this system to retrieve reports to prevent nurses from attempting to obtain a license in NC using fraudulent credentials.
If you have any concerns about the authenticity of nurses’ education, please submit a complaint through the NCBON Complaints Portal.