Five years of probation for a Maryland woman who practiced nursing without a license.
Attorney General Anthony Brown announced Thursday that Nicole Lynn Vanhorn, 38, pleaded guilty on January 22 to one count of Medicaid fraud valued over $1,500.
According to authorities, Vanhorn misrepresented herself as a nurse so she could gain employment with Denton Nursing and Rehab in Caroline County.
She used fake credentials of a registered nurse in Pennsylvania with a name similar to hers.
Between August 11, 2023, and August 29, 2023, she worked nine shifts as a registered nurse.
Vanhorn would give medications, care for patients, and supervise other registered nurses.
While posing as a registered nurse, she caused Maryland Medicaid to pay $3,576.20 for nursing services that were not rendered.
“Nursing licensure requirements ensure patients are properly treated by trained health care professionals,” said Attorney General Brown. “When someone poses as a medical provider and practices without a license, they threaten the health and safety of those entrusted to their care – a threat made even more serious when their patients are elderly or disabled, some of the most vulnerable Marylanders in our State.”
The Attorney General's Office stated that the first three years of Vanhorn's sentence will be supervised by the Department of Parole and Probation.
