Multipurpose modesty gown

Abstract

A hospital gown includes a front and back fabric segment that are attached on one lateral side that also includes a first sleeve. Another lateral side is open along a shoulder and below, allowing the torso and chest of the wearer to be readily accessed. The hospital gown can also be ready draped onto and closed about the wearer. An attachment strap extends from the front fabric segment for passing through one or more openings along the other lateral side to enclose the gown. To reverse which side the gown is opened on, the attachment strap can pass through an opening in the front fabric segment, allowing the gown to be reversed. The back fabric segment presents a smooth fabric substrate to avoid skin irritation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A patient gown comprising:
 an attachment strap;   a front fabric segment having a first surface on one side and a second surface on an opposite side that are selectably placed across and against a front side of a torso of a human patient, the attachment strap having one end attached to and extending from the first surface, the front fabric segment comprising:
 a through hole proximate to the attached one end of the attachment strap to receive a free end of the attachment strap to extend outward from the second surface when the first surface is placed against the front side of the torso of the human patient exposing the second surface; and 
 a first half of a neck opening along a top edge; 
   a back fabric segment attached along a first lateral side to the front fabric segment and extending across and against a back side of the torso of the human patient and having a second half of a neck opening along a top edge;   a first sleeve extending from the attached first lateral side between the front and back fabric segments and including an attached shoulder extending from the first and second halves of the neck opening toward the first lateral side; and   a second sleeve comprising a front sleeve panel extending from a second lateral side of the front fabric segment and a back sleeve panel extending from the second lateral side of the back fabric segment, a top shoulder edge of the front and back sleeve panels attachable together from the first and second halves of the neck opening toward the second lateral side; and   wherein a second lateral side of the front and back fabric segments below the second sleeve comprise at least one corresponding edge opening each to attach together the second lateral sides on a selected one of the right and left side of the torso of the human patient.   
     
     
         2 . The patient gown of  claim 1 , further comprising a fastener that passes through the corresponding edge openings in the front and back fabric segments. 
     
     
         3 . The patient gown of  claim 1 , wherein the first sleeve comprises front and back sleeve panels that are attachable along a shoulder seam. 
     
     
         4 . A patient gown comprising:
 a back fabric panel shaped to cover a backside of a patient's torso and shoulders and comprising left and right back fastening members attached to top edges respectively of left and right shoulder portions of the back fabric panel;   a front fabric panel shaped to correspond to the back fabric panel and to cover a front side of the patient's torso and shoulders and joined along lateral right and left edges to corresponding left and right edges of the back fabric panel to form a waist of the patient gown and comprising left and right front fastening members attached to top edges respectively of left and right shoulder portions of the front fabric panel to engage the corresponding left and right back fastening members of the back fabric panel.   
     
     
         5 . The patient gown of  claim 4 , wherein the front and back fastening members comprise fabric ties. 
     
     
         6 . The patient gown of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the back fabric panel comprises left and right waist cinch ties attached to the back fabric panel in alignment respectively with the waist; and   the front fabric panel comprises left and right waist cinch ties attached to the front fabric panel in alignment respectively with the waist that tie respectively to the left and right waist cinch ties of the back fabric panel to reduce a waist circumference of the waist.   
     
     
         7 . A patient garment shorts comprising:
 a front fabric panel shaped to cover a front side of a patients pelvic area;   a back fabric panel shaped to cover a back side of the patient's pelvic area and attached at a lower crotch portion to the front fabric panel;   left and right detachable lateral seams that engage corresponding lateral edges of the front and back fabric panels to encircle the patient's pelvic area.