AliTalks: Nurses Shouldn’t Have to DIY Patient Positioners

 

When patients are undergoing surgery, nurses work to ensure their patients are in the safest, proper position whether they’re lying on their back supine, face down prone, or even inverted in Trendelenburg position. To do this, healthcare providers use foam, gel, or bean bag positioners to properly support their patients, but some hospitals are using makeshift positioners that not only don’t work as well, but can even further injure the patient.

On this episode of AliTalks by AliMed, host Daniel Litwin broke down the issue of proper positioners with Mary Grace Hensell, former director at Allegheny General Hospital, an educator and medical legal consultant, and Steve Dunn, product manager for AliMed.

“Nurses are ingenious in a lot of ways to get a position situated for surgery. About 30 years ago, it was acceptable to position patients with pillows and foam,” Hensell said. “But as we’ve moved forward, we’ve found there are a lot more positioning agents out there to keep our patients safe. We really don’t need to make our own devices as nurses anymore.”

AliMed develops and delivers positioning solutions that improve patient outcomes, offering unique and innovative gel and foam products engineered to redistribute pressure, maximize stability, reduce shear, and improve imaging visualization.

AliMed’s positioners range from adult and bariatric to pediatric and neonatal to support all range of patients.

“It’s about the safety of the patient overall,” Dunn said.

In this episode, Hensell and Dunn also discussed the legal liability that comes with DIY positioners and how they’re helping raise awareness and education of proper positioners for healthcare facilities worldwide.

For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Healthcare Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @HealthMKSL
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

pcp
PCP Attribution Analysis
May 22, 2025

Dr. Sam Ambewadikar, RVP and Medical Director at Anthem National Accounts, joins Brent to unpack the power of primary care attribution analysis—a tool he helped pioneer to spotlight the clinical and financial impact of members not having an established PCP. Drawing from his background as a practicing pediatrician and claims analytics leader, Dr. Sam shares…

Read More
sydney health
Sydney Health Demo
May 22, 2025

In this episode, Christina Firouztash, Executive Advisor of Digital Solutions at Anthem, gives a dynamic walkthrough of the Sydney Health app—Anthem’s flagship digital member experience. Christina showcases how Sydney delivers personalized, simple, and equitable navigation across benefits, including virtual care, pharmacy, financial transparency, and social services access. From contextual chatbots and ID card access to…

Read More
pharmacy
Pharmacy Part 1
May 22, 2025

In this episode, Brent chats with Katie Brennan, National Sales Director at CarelonRx, about making pharmacy benefits more accessible, consistent, and member-friendly. Katie spotlights Carelon new advanced home delivery model, which brings the pharmacy counter—and the pharmacist—into the member’s home. With fewer retail pharmacies offering extended hours and many patients lacking reliable transportation, CarelonRx is…

Read More
inclusive care
Inclusive Care
May 22, 2025

Sammy Gonzalez, Regional Vice President at Elevance Health, joins Brent for a deeply personal and impactful conversation on health equity and inclusive care. Sammy shares a powerful story of medical misdiagnosis tied to cultural assumptions, underscoring how bias—even unintentional—can hinder care quality. He highlights Elevance’s work to improve diversity in provider networks, enhance cultural competency,…

Read More