After a scheme where three South Florida schools sold thousands of fake nursing diplomas, nurses are reminding people that they should remain confident in their health care systems.Federal prosecutors estimate that out of the more than 7,600 people who bought fake nursing diplomas, about 2,200 of them were able to pass something called the NCLEX, which qualifies someone to become a nurse. Only nursing diploma recipients are eligible to take the NCLEX. Department of Justice officials said this scam not only undermines the nursing profession but puts lives in danger. Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 NewsThe scam was orchestrated by individuals at three South Florida schools, including the Palm Beach School of Nursing in West Palm Beach.Veteran nurses like Dr. Joy Longo, associate professor and assistant dean of undergraduate programs at the Florida Atlantic University Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, said they aren't sure how many of those people that passed the exam were able to get and hold onto nursing jobs."My first instinct would be that if they were not afforded a proper education, they would have difficulty passing that nursing exam, so the likelihood that they would get a license and practice would probably be low,” said Longo.As of now, 25 people have been charged as a part of this scheme, where nursing diplomas were sold for about $15,000 each. All three schools where the fraudulent documents were sold have since been shut down.Right now, the executive director of the Florida Nurses Association, Willa Fuller, said while she understands people may be worried about their health care, medical facilities are able to weed out nurses who aren’t actually qualified."We can have some confidence in the way the system is set up in that you have multiple caregivers caring for you in any given period," said Fuller. "I know we would often be able to detect if there were some irregularities or mistakes in the system by having people follow each other and having system to be able to check those things."I would say you can still have confidence in the care you’re receiving because if you think about it, I mean, 2,000 sounds like a large number, but there are several million nurses, but now that we have discovered this issue, it makes everyone aware, and there will be even more systems in place to take care of it,” said Fuller.Share with us: Upload your photos and videos via uLocalFederal prosecutors said as of now, they have not learned or uncovered any evidence of patient harm as a result of this scam. They're asking health care systems to be on the lookout for nurses who potentially purchased fraudulent diplomas. Longo reminds all students pursuing a career in nursing to make sure they apply to an accredited nursing program.“We want nurses. We know that. There is a definite need for nurses just for anyone who is interested in going into the field, making sure when that they’re going to an accredited school and they’re going to get the education that allows them to pass the NCLEX and then practice,” said Longo.