Bridging bedside with medtech

Mallory Allinder, clinical digital health lead at Medtronic., served as a preceptor for Ifeoluwa Babarinde. The practicum synthesized coursework in organizational culture and behavior with corporate realities.

For five years as a medical ICU nurse in Dallas, Texas, Ifeoluwa Babarinde, BSN, RN, served at the intersection of acute patient care and medical technology.

Working through the intense pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic, Babarinde found herself routinely operating critical equipment to keep vulnerable patients alive. Yet, as she hooked up lines and monitored systems, a persistent set of questions kept resurfacing in her mind: Who sat at the table to design this connector? Why did they choose this protocol? How can we make these devices safer and more intuitive for the clinicians using them?

Driven by a desire to bring frontline nursing insights into device design, Babarinde sought a program that aligned with her innovative curiosity. That search led her to the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program in health innovation and leadership (HIL) at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing.

Determined to translate her clinical experience into private industry, Babarinde expressed her ambition to Clinical Assistant Professor Ryne Wilson, DNP, RN, OCN, CNE. Recognizing the potential of a non-traditional placement, Wilson connected her with a fellow alumnus of the HIL program: Mallory Allinder, DNP, RN, NI-BC, clinical digital health lead at Medtronic.

While Medtronic frequently hosts corporate internships, welcoming a doctoral nursing student for a clinical practicum was a new endeavor for both institutions. Navigating legal and organizational framework steps, the teams carved out a unique learning experience tailored to Babarinde’s focus.

Under Allinder’s preceptorship, Babarinde immersed herself in the corporate healthtech landscape remotely from Texas. She integrated into Medtronic’s Acute Care and Monitoring team, attending meetings on research and development, remote patient monitoring, and wearable devices.

“As a bedside nurse, I would use products without thinking about who made them,” Babarinde says. “Sitting on the other side of decision-making for medical devices about to be rolled out was such an interesting experience.”

A highlight of the practicum was conducting structured interviews with 15 nurses who had successfully transitioned into industry roles. Through these conversations, Babarinde discovered the vast, highly transferable scope of nursing expertise in medtech—ranging from digital health strategy to health economics and business improvement.

For Allinder, who made her own transition from pediatric nursing to healthtech, serving as a preceptor was rewarding. “Nurses bring a crucial clinical lens to R&D, marketing, and operations,” Allinder says. “We help translate real workflow challenges and ask the tactical questions—like how a device fits into a nurse’s daily routine—ensuring tech solves actual human problems rather than just existing for its own sake.”

The practicum synthesized coursework in organizational culture and behavior with corporate reality. At the conclusion of her term, Babarinde presented a formal report to members of the Acute Care and Monitoring team, advocating for the continued inclusion of nursing practicum students within Medtronic.

Looking ahead toward her anticipated graduation in 2028, Babarinde is eager to continue pushing boundaries. Her next practicum step leads her to Humla Health, a digital health tech startup empowering nurses in workforce management. Ultimately, her goal remains rooted in device innovation, patient safety, and advocacy.

“Taking care of people at their most vulnerable stage is an honor,” Babarinde shared. “Whether through devices, protocols, or policy, I want to drive patient safety at the forefront.”