Hospital gown

For other uses, see Gown (disambiguation).
Surgeons in gowns ready to perform heart surgery

A hospital gown, also called a johnny gown[1] or johnny[2] is "a long loose piece of clothing worn in a hospital by someone doing or having an operation."[3] It can be used as clothing for bedridden patients.[4]

Utility

Hospital gown worn by a patient

Hospital gowns worn by patients are designed so that hospital staff can easily access the part of the patient's body being treated.[5]

The hospital gown is made of fabric that can withstand repeated laundering in hot water, usually cotton, and is fastened at the back with twill tape ties. Disposable hospital gowns may be made of paper or thin plastic, with paper or plastic ties.

Some gowns have snaps along the top of the shoulder and sleeves, so that the gown can be removed without disrupting intravenous lines in the patient's arms.

Used paper hospital gowns are associated with hospital infections, which could be avoided by proper disposal.[6]

Design

In November 2006, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation gave a $236,000 grant to a team at North Carolina State University to design a new gown based on "style, cost, durability, comfort, function" and other qualities. Studies had been done on updating the garment first used when most patients had to stay in bed, but not designed for modesty when patients got out of bed.[7] NCSU professor Traci Lamar said, ""Now doctors want patients up and walking quickly."[8] Still, traditional gowns could be washed many times and could be handled a lot.[8] Lamar's team worked to come up with a "more comfortable, less revealing" design. Surveys found that nurses did not like the ties in the back because knots could form, and some patients wore more than one gown at once, with one tied in front and the other in back. Many patients disliked how lightweight gowns were. In April 2009, the NCSU team showed potential new designs at a reception, and they were preparing to ask for more funding as they developed a prototype. Meanwhile, some hospitals were offering alternatives, including gowns that opened in the front or on the side, and drawstring pants, cotton tops and boxers. These cost more than traditional gowns.[7]

The Cleveland Clinic changed its gowns in 2010 because the CEO had heard many complaints.[8]

Patients awaiting surgery with technologist in the background, all wearing gowns

Many patients feel that hospital gowns are unfashionable, Diane von Furstenberg was commissioned to design stylish hospital gowns based on her fashionable wrap dress by the Cleveland Clinic.[9] The new design was reversible with a V-neck in both the front and the back, with softer fabric.[8]

Iranian surgical technologist in gown with hijab

Joel Sherman in his blog "Adolescent Boys and Genital Exams Reducing Embarrassment" says it is quite common for many teenage boys to be upset when changing into a hospital gown, especially if the wearer associates the look of the gown to women's clothing, women's nightgowns, or lingerie.[10]

Lamar's additional funding came from RocketHub. At NCSU Fashion Week in 2013, Lamar's design was mentioned as "functional and dignified," but not shown "to prevent any patent infringements". A prototype, made of DermaFabric and made at Precision Fabrics in Greensboro, North Carolina, was to be tested at WakeMed.[8]

In 2015, Henry Ford Health System of Detroit was working on its own design, similar to a bathrobe with cotton blend. In tests, patients liked the new design. But any update was likely to cost more, as well as harder to take care of.[8]

According to the BBC, in England hospital gowns are made much more modestly, taking patient dignity into consideration.[11]

Notes and references

  1. ↑ Kobayashi, Erin (May 11, 2007). "If the hospital gown fits ...". Toronto Star. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
  2. ↑ Frey, Rita (1995-12). Introduction to Nursing Assisting: Building Language Skills. Cengage Learning. p. 264. ISBN 9780827362338. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ↑ "gown: noun". Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. Pearson ELT. Retrieved 2013-09-20. 3 a long loose piece of clothing worn in a hospital by someone doing or having an operation
  4. ↑ Carter, Pamela J. (2007-06-01). Lippincott's Textbook for Nursing Assistants: A Humanistic Approach to Caregiving. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 378. ISBN 9780781766852.
  5. ↑ Rosdahl, Caroline Bunker; Kowalski, Mary T. (2008). Textbook of Basic Nursing. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 499. ISBN 9780781765213.
  6. ↑ "Simple techniques slash hospital infections: meeting". Reuters. 2009-03-21.
  7. 1 2 Ruffin, Jane (19 April 2009). "Hospital Gown Getting Redesign". News & Observer. p. A1.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Luthra, Shefali (4 April 2015). "Hospital Gowns Get a Makeover". The Atlantic. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  9. ↑ Jio, Sarah. "Crazy or Cool: Diane von Furstenberg's New High Fashion Hospital Gowns". http://www.glamour.com. Retrieved 13 August 2013. External link in |publisher= (help)
  10. ↑ Sherman, Joel. "Patient Modesty & Privacy Concerns". http://patientprivacyreview.blogspot.com. Retrieved 13 August 2013. External link in |publisher= (help)
  11. ↑ Roberts, Michelle (9 February 2010). "Hospital gown redesigned to save patients' modesty". BBC. Retrieved 15 September 2013.

See also

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