Patient gown

Abstract

A patient gown includes a garment having an access opening overlying a portion of a patient's body when worn; and a drape attached to the garment for movement between a covered position in which the drape covers the access opening to conceal, and maintain patient privacy of, the portion of the patient's body, and an exposed position in which the drape is uncovered from the access opening to expose, and enable access to, the portion of the patient's body. The patient's modesty is maintained while at the same time allowing unfettered access by a health care professional to different portions of the patient's body. The gown is medical personnel convenient especially for medical procedures, while retaining wanted coverage of the patient so as to avoid embarrassment due to unavoidable, undesired exposure of the body of the patient.

1 . A patient gown, comprising: 
 a) a garment constituted of a soft, flexible sheet material and having an access opening overlying a portion of a patient's body when worn; and    b) a drape constituted of a soft, flexible sheet material and attached to the garment for upward movement from a covered position in which the drape covers the access opening to conceal, and maintain patient privacy of, said portion of the patient's body, to an exposed position in which the drape is uncovered from the access opening to expose, and enable access to, said portion of the patient's body, the drape constituting a panel having an upper edge sewn along a generally horizontal seam along the garment above and spaced from the access opening, the panel being freely suspended from the upper edge entirely over the access opening in the covered position, the panel having reinforced edgings at opposite sides thereof to maintain a shape of the freely suspended panel in the covered position.    
   
   
       2 . (canceled)  
   
   
       3 . (canceled)  
   
   
       4 . (canceled)  
   
   
       5 . The gown of  claim 1 , wherein the drape is generally rectangular in shape.  
   
   
       6 . (canceled)  
   
   
       7 . The gown of  claim 1 , wherein the access opening bounds a predetermined area, and wherein the drape has an area greater than said predetermined area.  
   
   
       8 . The gown of  claim 1 , wherein the access opening is bordered by a border edging to maintain the access opening constantly open.  
   
   
       9 . The gown of  claim 8 , wherein the border edging is circumferentially complete.  
   
   
       10 . The gown of  claim 1 , wherein the garment has a front side, and wherein the access opening is located on the front side of the garment.  
   
   
       11 . The gown of  claim 10 , wherein the access opening overlies at least one of upper and lower regions of said portion of the patient's body.  
   
   
       12 . The gown of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one of the upper and lower regions of said portion of the patient's body is a chest area, and wherein the access opening is a generally circular area overlying and exposing the chest area in the exposed position.  
   
   
       13 . The gown of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one of the upper and lower regions of said portion of the patient's body is a groin area, and wherein the access opening is a generally U-shaped area overlying and exposing the groin area in the exposed position.  
   
   
       14 . The gown of  claim 1 , wherein the garment has a rear side, and wherein the access opening is located on the rear side of the garment.  
   
   
       15 . The gown of  claim 14 , wherein said portion of the patient's body is a buttocks area, and wherein the access opening is a generally U-shaped area overlying and exposing the buttocks area in the exposed position.  
   
   
       16 . The gown of  claim 1 , wherein the garment has a front side and a rear side, and wherein one of the sides is split to comprise split sides, and wherein the access opening and the drape are located at the other of the sides of the garment, and wherein the split sides are tied together with a tie.  
   
   
       17 . The gown of  claim 1 , wherein the garment is constituted of a sheet cloth material and has a neck opening, a pair of sleeve openings, a front side and a rear side, and wherein the access opening and the drape are located at one of the sides of the garment.  
   
   
       18 . The gown of  claim 1 , and another access opening overlying a different portion of the patient's body when worn; and another drape attached to the garment for movement between another covered position in which the other drape covers the other access opening to conceal, and maintain patient privacy of, said different portion of the patient's body, and another exposed position in which the other drape is uncovered from the other access opening to expose, and enable access to, said different portion of the patient's body.