Nurse nominated for award

Tawnya Burton, a registered nurse and clinical coordinator for SANE of the 9th Judicial District, has been nominated for the New Mexico Nursing Excellence award sponsored by the Center for New Mexico Nursing Excellence Clinical Teaching Institute in Albuquerque, according to a news release from Roosevelt General Hospital.

Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner nurses deliver medical care by providing improved evidence collection by conducting a medical/forensic exam, provide treatment for sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy prevention, assist victims in completing sexual assault reports, provide knowledgeable testimony, and promote post-assault treatment with referrals to counseling services and support groups.

Burton has been instrumental in establishing the SANE program at Roosevelt General Hospital and helped merge the Portales and Clovis SANE programs, working with the New Mexico statewide SANE coordinator, according to the news release.

Lea, Quay, and de Baca county units have also benefited from her expertise. She has played a critical part in enhancing the area’s SANE services to include child victims of sexual abuse by obtaining specialized training in child sexual abuse and recruiting a nurse practitioner to serve as the SANE medical director to co-practice with her while conducting these exams.

Burton continues to expand her practice in the field of forensics and is now an instructor for the New Mexico statewide SANE training.

She has been an emergency room nurse at RGH for 10 years, with expertise in obstetrics, trauma and critical care. She currently serves as assistant director of nursing.

NMCNE is a non-profit organization whose primary focus is to strengthen and increase the nursing workforce in New Mexico by advocating nursing education, supporting nurse recruitment and retention through professional development, and recognizing nurses within the state of New Mexico.

The award recipient will be announced Oct. 25 at the NMCNE dinner and awards program in Albuquerque.