Operation Nightingale - Frequently Asked Questions​

On January 25, 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigations ("FBI") publicly announced its enforcement actions against a large-scale fraudulent nursing diploma scheme operated by Florida-based nursing education programs.​ The Maryland Board of Nursing (the "Board") has assisted the FBI throughout its criminal investigation and has been a national leader in conducting board investigations into fraudulent nursing credentials. The Board has been diligently and expeditiously working to identify and investigate any Maryland licensees who attended a fraudulent nursing education program. The Board continues its active investigation into this serious matter and will take any actions necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of all Marylanders. Employers who identify licensees who attended a nursing education program named in the FBI announcement should submit the licensee’s name, license number and employing agency or organization to sara.tongue1@maryland.gov​. Thank you for your assistance with this serious matter.

The Maryland Board of Nursing continues to work as quickly as possible to gather information and evidence related to potentially fraudulent practice. As the Board collects evidence, it is taking action, consistent with its lawful authority, to protect the public from individuals suspected of working without the requisite education and training.

Unfortunately, the Board cannot provide you with information about the investigation of any particular licensee or an ongoing investigation. If you have any information about a person that you believe may evidence a violation of the Maryland Nurse Practice Act, please fill out a complaint form and submit it to the Board as soon as possible. You can access the electronic complaint form by clicking on the following link: https://mbon.maryland.gov/Pages/complaint-procedures.aspx​

Sign up for Nursys eNotify​ to receive automated license and discipline notifications of your enrolled RNs, LPN/VNs, and Advanced Practice nurses from participating boards of nursing.​

​Please make sure to check the Board's website periodically for updated information and to access the Board's "Look-up a Licensee" database for information about individual licensees. When the Board takes disciplinary action against a licensee as a result of Operation Nightingale or the Board's investigation into fraudulent nursing schools, it will note any changes in licensure status on the licensee's "Look-up a Licensee" page. Final public orders issued by the Board as a result of these investigations will be posted on this Operation Nightingale page. Thank you again for your inquiry, and please feel free to reach out with any additional questions or concerns."

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) Statement on Operation Nightingale

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The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) applauds the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services—Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Justice Department for their important work on Operation Nightingale. The investigation focused on nursing education programs that were allegedly involved in the sale of false and fraudulent nursing education credentials.

With public safety and welfare as a top concern, NCSBN and our member nursing regulatory bodies partnered with federal and state authorities, helping to identify and monitor individuals who allegedly provided these illegitimate transcripts and credentials that could potentially undermine safe patient care.

Nursing regulatory bodies in affected states have been investigating individual cases and are taking appropriate action, in accordance with their state laws and due process, that includes loss of license.

As the world leader in nursing regulatory knowledge, NCSBN is dedicated to protecting the public and will continue to support our member nursing regulatory bodies as they thoroughly investigate each case, taking the necessary actions to ensure public safety and root out the fraud involved in this case. NCSBN is committed to helping our members identify any additional safeguards and solutions that are needed.

This situation speaks to the importance of nursing regulation and the collective duty to protect the public. NCSBN will continue working with all appropriate nursing regulatory bodies, nursing education program providers, accreditation bodies and authorities to detect, investigate and resolve these matters today and into the future.

Final Public Board Orders

Below is the list of the final public orders issued by the Board as a result of Operation Nightingale and the Board's investigation into the fraudulent nursing schools. The list will be updated as new orders are issued.

​Last updated: October 23, 2023