Hello!!

I'm an RN working on a medical surgical foor.

I have strong suspicion to believe one of my elderly patients has been subjected to an immersion burn to both his feet.

He has had a stroke, he is diabetic, he is contracted and bedbound, and is cared for at home by his wife. The wounds I see on his feet are consistent with submersion burn patterns I've seen pictures of in child abuse cases. He is alert, and is able to nod and shake head to questions.

When he is asked if he was burnt from hot water he nods, when he is asked if his feet were burned in the tub he nods. But his wife denies his feet wounds have anything to do with water at all, and that they are his "sugars". His injuries are being passed off as "diabetic bullosa".

I cannot seem to find pictures of diabetic bullosa to compare it to abuse burns.

The wounds to his feet are sock-like in nature, with clear delineation between injured skin and healthy skin, with the bottoms of his feet intact and free of wound. There are no blisters, just solid pattern of raw weeping skin.

Can anyone assist me in finding both pictures of diabetic bullosa and immersion burns to hot water??

I need to confirm my own suspicions before I take this incident to my managers, as the doctors do not seem to want to become involved in caring for this patient's safety once he is discharged from the hospital !!

Nurse advocate