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JCH Emergency department manager receives award

Evangeline Barefoot RN,BSN,CEN,CA-CP,SANE, CFN, SANE-A,CMI-II received the Edith Rust Medical Services award from the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault.

TAASA is a statewide organization made of advocates, rape crisis centers, SANE programs and district attorney’s offices that work together to bring legislation and improved services for sexual assault victims and their families.

Edith Rust was a registered nurse working at Northeast Hospital in Amarillo. In 1978, she began the first Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners program in Texas. At that time there were only two other programs in the United States. Rust built her program over the years and it expanded across Texas, the nation, and in the past 10 years, across the world. She recognized the need for compassionate and timely care for victims of sexual assault.

Ms. Barefoot, whom the Williamson County Sexual Assualt Team nominated, is considered one of the pioneers of SANE nursing in Williamson County. For the past 19 years she has received recognition as a diligent nurse in the county. In 1993 she co-founded the Williamson County SANE program, based out of Johns Community Hospital in Taylor. In an effort to boost the number of practitioners in Williamson County, the program was supported by fundraising efforts by the Williamson County Sexual Assault Response Team and donations. With her efforts the county provided $18,000 to send nurses for training.

In 2006, Ms. Barefoot received a generous donation to buy a new, state-of-the-art colposcope and offered to donate the hospital’s retired colposcope to a new SANE program in need. 

Her expertise is widely recognized. She has been a guest speaker in forensic nursing and is a SANE instructor for the Texas Attorney General’s Office. In April 2008, she was honored at the Williamson County Children’s Advocacy Center for her services provided.

One of Ms. Barefoot’s long-term goals was to have other hospitals employ SANE nurses. In 2007, two new hospitals opened in Williamson County, providing administrative support and certified SANE nurses. The three SANE coordinators joined forces and expanded SANE services for the county.

With Ms. Barefoot as the lead coordinator, they have created a strong cohesive team working closely with the SART and meeting the latest standards in forensic nursing practice and technology. When the anonymous reporting for forensic examinations came into place Jan. 5, 2008, the team was ready to maintain compliance.

Portions of the above text appeared in the Taylor Daily Press on March 19, 2009.