Nikki Bainton, CPNP-PC

Nikki Bainton, CPNP-PC is a Pediatric Orthopedic Nurse Practitioner, and Clinical Team Leader in the Division of Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery. She has over 20 years of orthopedic experience, joining the Division of Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery in 2008 as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner.  Nikki has been part of the Weinberg Family Cerebral Palsy Center since its founding! 

In her daily work, Nikki can evaluate, diagnose and treat orthopedic patients, order and interpret diagnostic imaging and testing, and provide pre- and post-operative education to patients and parents. Nikki is also an Instructor of Clinical Nursing for Columbia University School of Nursing as a faculty member and is a preceptor for Pediatric Nurse Practitioner students (and has had more than 60 NP students over the last 15 years!)

We caught up with Nikki to learn more about her history at the Weinberg Family Cerebral Palsy Center.

1. Nikki, tell us how you started working with people with CP.

I've been here for 15 years and have worked side by side with Dr. David Roye (until his retirement), Dr. Joshua Hyman and Dr. Ben Roye so I've been helping to care for our CP patients that entire time.

2. You been working with people with CP ever since the CP Center started. Share with us some of your memories and what you’ve done over the years.

There are so many to choose from! Besides seeing patients in the office, I've gone on the ski trip with our patients, we have had a few move-a-thons which were lots of fun. I've also worked on research and written book chapters dealing with CP patients.

3. How does it feel seeing some of your patients grow from young children to adults?

It's satisfying and gratifying to seeing our patients grow into an adulthood and go off to college or careers.

4. What have you learnt over this period?

I've learned so much from my fellow colleagues here in Orthopedics as well as our colleagues in Physiatry and Neurology. I have learned that every CP patient is different and should be treated as individuals. What works for one patient may not work for another so being thoughtful about goals and listening to the needs of the patients and caregivers is very important when deciding on treatment.