Since 2005
The Annual New Mexico Nursing Excellence Awards ceremony recognizes excellence in nursing practice and honors nurses for the contributions they make to their organizations, communities, and to our state. Created by nurses for nurses, the Nursing Excellence Awards have honored over 3,800 New Mexico nurse nominees since we began.
Proceeds from the Nursing Excellence Awards support the New Mexico Center for Nursing Excellence and its mission.
The Selection Process
The selection of the New Mexico Nursing Excellence Awards honorees is accomplished through a blind review of nominations, each judged by 2 or more reviewers. All essays are blinded and each criterion is rated on a scale. An average score is reached for each nominee. The top scoring nominee is selected as the award recipient in that category. In the event of a tie, an additional reviewer scores the nomination and it may then go to the NMCNE Executive Committee for final selection.
The identity of honorees is not known to the Awards Selection Committee or to any of the individual nomination reviewers until officially announced during the Awards Celebration. The Awards Selection Committee reserves the right to transfer a nomination to a different category if it is decided that category would be more appropriate given the information submitted about the nominee.
Event Sponsorships and Program Ad Opportunities
Show your support to nurses statewide by becoming a sponsor of the New Mexico Nursing Excellence Awards. This special recognition to nurses is possible because of our event sponsors. Become a supporter today!
De Haven Solimon Chaffins
Meet Our Signature Artist
De Haven Solimon Chaffins was born in Portsmouth, VA and is an enrolled member of the Laguna & Zuni Pueblos. She attended the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, NM and received an Associate of Fine Arts degree in 1990. In 1995, she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the College of Fine Arts, University of New Mexico.
In 2017, Chaffins became an advocate for Autism Awareness after her daughter was diagnosed. She is also an advocate for Mental Health & Suicide Awareness.
In 2023 - 24, Ms. Chaffins was a part of an exhibition entitled, "Grounded in Clay." One of her images entitled "Radon Daughter"; an abstract image of her daughter was on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Her mural painting greeted patrons at the entrance of the exhibition.
During the recent Santa Fe Indian Market; three of her new paintings were featured in the Sovereign Exhibition sponsored by Farahn Height Fine Art of Santa Fe, NM.
At this time, her mural painting entitled, "Garden in the Underworld" is on display at the Museum of Fine Art Houston. It is a part of the "Grounded in Clay" exhibition. This exhibition, "Grounded in Clay: The Spirit of Pueblo Pottery" is curated by the Pueblo Pottery Collective, The School of Advanced Research and The Vilcek Foundation.
Ms. Chaffins imagery is registered with the United States Department of the Interior Indian Arts and Crafts Board, Washington, DC.