A total of 27 people were honored at the 2010 Nursing Excellence Awards recently, including five UNM faculty, staff and students and six UNM College of Nursing alumni.

Leslie Kern, psychiatric outpatient dual diagnosis nurse, Jean Giddens, professor and executive dean of University of New Mexico College of Nursing, Thecla Johnson-Garcia, UNM College of Nursing student, Sheena Ferguson, UNMH chief nursing officer and UNM College of Nursing alumna, Vonda Temple, UNMH staff nurse inpatient II, were all honored at the ceremony.

In addition to Ferguson, the five other UNM College of Nursing alumni honorees were Amanda Conley, Eric Quintana, Cheryl Warren, Megan Ballas, and Cheryl Demerath Learn who is also a faculty emerita at the UNM College of Nursing.

The award ceremony was hosted by the New Mexico Center for Nursing Excellence (NMCNE) and awards were presented by Lovelace Health System. More than 200 nominations were submitted to this year's Nursing Excellence Awards.

The New Mexico Nursing Excellence Awards recognize excellence in nursing practice and honor nurses for the contributions they make to their organizations, communities, and the state.

For more information, visit New Mexico Nursing Excellence.