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EXCLUSIVE: Former nurse speaks out after accused of burning patient with cigarettes

Posted at 4:03 PM, May 02, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-02 23:25:18-04

HAMPTON, Va. - A nurse had his license revoked by the Virginia Board of Nursing after he served time for abusing a patient in 2014, according to state records.

Tuesday, he spoke to News 3 and said he denies intentionally harming his patient.

Records state Barry Edwards was providing care to a patient with dementia in Edwards home in September 2014 when another health care provider discovered the patient had numerous injuries, cuts, bruises and an altered state of mind.

"I was working 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., coming home, cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner and doing everything as best I could. He would fall. He was confused," said Edwards, "He didn't like to be bathed. He was upset over that. His mind was messed up. He was falling. He said he was okay so I didn't take him to the hospital."

Records indicate there was blood on the walls and floor of the victim’s room and he had a swollen eye, his torso was covered in bruises, and he had cigarette burns.

Edwards denies burning the patient.  He said, "We don't smoke here. He (the patient) smoked but he stopped smoking. There was no cigarettes here."

Edwards said the patient was a veteran in his 60's.

"The V.A. came and found him he did look bad and they took him to the hospital and instead of me getting him to the hospital," said Edwards, "I felt bad but like I said I should've taken back to the V.A....  He should've been in a nursing home."

Records state the victim appeared to be afraid of Edwards and said Edwards hurt him. The health care provider took the victim to the hospital where he needed to have his toe amputated due to the severity of his injuries, the records state.

"I just told him to get in the tub he didn't like it. He did it but he didn't like it and he got upset," said Edwards.

Edwards plead guilty of one count of misdemeanor abuse of an incapacitated adult in Hampton Circuit Court on February 26, 2016.

Edwards was sentenced to 12 months with 10 months suspended and six years of probation, according to Hampton Circuit Court.