“I moved to Sheffield to do my nursing degree – and stayed ever since!”

“I moved to Sheffield to do my nursing degree – and stayed ever since!”

Nicola Baker – Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) in Orthopaedics

At school in Nottingham, Nicola was never really sure what she wanted to do for a job.

She said: “It was only when it came to looking at universities and careers that I settled; I chose nursing and never looked back.

“I did my nursing degree at Sheffield Hallam University – and stayed ever since! I’m now married, have a child and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.”

Nicola’s career at Sheffield Children’s began in our Emergency Department where she worked for five years before beginning her ANP role. ANPs are educated at masters level and they have freedom and authority to make decisions in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of patients.

“I feel very lucky to be an ANP. It was hard work completing my masters to achieve the qualifications but was totally worth it. It is a challenging job and one where I am always learning, which keeps it interesting. It is highly rewarding, and I am very grateful to be surrounded by such a supportive and friendly Orthopaedic team.

“I’ve always felt extremely supported throughout my ANP training and this has continued after qualifying. I have a special interest in hip preservation and the team are always encouraging me to build on my knowledge and skills.”

Nicola has also experienced visiting Sheffield Children’s as a parent, after her daughter was cared for by the Orthopaedic team she belongs to.

She said: “They were amazing. It was very strange being on the other side of the care but everyone did a wonderful job!

“It’s hard to choose a single favourite moment from my time here, but through my work I’ve met loads of amazing people and made friends for life.”

If you are interested in joining Nicola and working with our wonderful team, take a look at our current vacancies page.