Nurse impostor pleads guilty to health care fraud

[TexasTowelie]

A 42-year-old former Goliad woman has admitted to posing as a nurse, U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez said in a press release issued Thursday.

Leticia Gallarzo pleaded guilty to five counts of making false statements relating to health care in federal court.

Gallarzo has no medical training, but obtained employment as a registered nurse at two hospitals and three nursing homes in five Texas cities, including Victoria, over a seven-month period. As each employer discovered the deception, Garza would leave the facility and immediately begin seeking work at a medical facility in another city.

At Thursday’s hearing, Gallarzo admitted she had knowingly lied about being a registered nurse on five occasions to secure employment for which she was not qualified.

Read more: https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2017/jul/06/nurse-impostor-pleads-guilty-health-care-fraud/?mostcommented

[left-of-center2012]

1. I used to work in nursing (now retired)

Over the years I worked in half a dozen states,
and every time I applied for a job the employer would check with the state's registry
to make sure I was licensed in that state, and my license was current and valid,
before I could begin working.

This woman committed a crime,
but seems like some sloppy work on the employers part too.

[TexasTowelie]

2. I also have family members that worked in the medical fields

and have been told that in some fields unlicensed people were working jobs such as respiratory therapist and lab analysts that were not licensed. It is difficult to believe that she was able to find employment without having the employers check the registry. They require more scrutiny to work at 7-11 than at some hospitals.