When people have been sexually assaulted, the last thing they need is to feel victimized when evidence is collected. Phyllis S. Coker and her team of sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) make sure that doesn't happen.

In her nursing role, Coker provides compassion, clinical skills, education and medications to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.

BARRY WILLIAMS/Special (ENLARGE)

RELATED LINKS: • Complete list of Nursing Excellence Awards nominees • Celebrating Nurses

"Before I do anything, I talk to them, show them the equipment that I'll use and explain the sequence of the exam," she said. "It eases a lot of anxiety and, some have said, makes a horrible experience bearable."

Instead of waiting for hours in an emergency room, victims are treated and receive counseling in private rooms.

"Law enforcement loves having SANE nurses, because we are trained to give a consistent and thorough exam," said Coker, 49.

Cobb Public Safety Director G.M. "Mickey" Lloyd attributes a large part of the county's Sexual Assault Response Team's success to the "hard work, dedication and compassion of Ms. Coker," who volunteered to train as a sexual assault nurse examiner and to coordinate and manage the program. Lloyd nominated Coker for the award.

"She spends countless uncompensated hours on call and has always been available to our agency for advice and assistance," Lloyd said.

"For me, being a SANE is a perfect blend of both my career worlds," said Coker, who became Acworth's first female police officer in 1978.

After Coker received EMT training, she realized that she liked helping people from a medical point of view. She graduated with a nursing degree from Kennesaw State College in 1984.

Coker, who works in the pediatric emergency room at WellStar Cobb Hospital in Austell, loves the variety of that setting, where "something new is always coming through the door, and the kids look to you to help them."

Coker's job goes beyond helping victims feel better. Once, a peeping Tom was caught and convicted as a rapist, based on DNA evidence that she gathered.

"I can't think of anything I'd rather do than nursing," she said.