Abstract:
An ICU/CCU/NICU garment for a patient during hospitalization includes an upper portion of the garment, a lower portion of the garment, and a rear portion of the garment. The upper garment portion includes a pair of front panels releasably connected to each other and to a neck panel leaving an open back. The lower portion of the garment includes an abdominal panel having a pair of leg extensions and a central genital panel extending downwardly therefrom leaving an open back. The rear portion having a rear panel is releasably attached to each of the upper portion and the lower portion to provide a desired degree of coverage, while facilitating a selective exposure of the posterior of the patient.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a garment worn by a patient during a stay in an intensive care unit (ICU), coronary care unit (CCU), or a neurointensive care unit (NICU) of a hospital. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The requirements for hospital gowns in ICU/CCU/NICU settings are distinctly different than the requirements for conventional hospital gowns. Known hospital gowns substantially encircle the patient. When a caregiver such as a physician, a nurse, or ancillary personnel (e.g., a laboratory technician, a radiology technician, or a physical therapist) conducts a care procedure on a patient in an ICU/CCU/NICU setting, convenient access to the patient&#39;s body is often essential. However, there needs to be a balance between access to the patient&#39;s body, and the patient&#39;s desire for modesty and dignity when the patient is being dangled at the bedside or minimally ambulated, for example, prior to a transfer to a medical/surgical unit. 
         [0003]    Furthermore, ICU/CCU/NICU gowns that encircle the patient have a potential to gather or “bunch up” between the patient and a bed surface. The bunching up of the gown material undesirably results in pressure points on the posterior of the patient. Skin irritation and the potential for skin breakdown and bed sores can result from pressure points when the patient is bedridden over a period of time, for example, when the patient is severely ill or comatose. With natural exposure to microorganisms in the hospital environment, and the subsequent infections that result therefrom, serious conditions can arise that may further compromise the patient&#39;s health. 
         [0004]    There is a continuing need for an ICU/CCU/NICU gown for a patient who is essentially bed bound, but may be minimally ambulated. Desirably, the ICU/CCU/NICU gown provides a balance between caregiver access to the patient and the patient&#39;s modesty concerns, and minimizes the potential for infection due to skin irritation and breakdown. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In concordance with the instant disclosure, an ICU/CCU/NICU gown for a patient who is essentially bed bound, but may ambulated minimally, for example, prior to a transfer to a medical/surgical unit, and which provides a balance between caregiver access to the patient and the patient&#39;s modesty concerns, and minimizes the potential for infection due to skin irritation and breakdown, is surprisingly discovered. 
         [0006]    The invention includes a garment worn by a patient during a hospital stay in an ICU/CCU/NICU setting. The garment provides accessibility to various parts of the patient&#39;s body while providing a satisfying amount of coverage for the patient. 
         [0007]    The garment is composed of a single layer of material. The single layer of material is cut in such a manner so that an upper portion is divided into two panels covering the upper torso of the patient. The upper portion includes a left upper panel and a right upper panel. The left upper panel has a neck panel that is permanently affixed thereto. The neck panel goes behind the patient&#39;s neck and is releasably attached to the right upper panel by a snap. 
         [0008]    The left and right upper panels of the upper portion of the garment are cut at angles from the shoulders and meet at approximately the mid-breast bone area of the patient. The left and right upper panels of the upper portion are releasably attached by a snap at the mid-breast bone area of the patient. The left and right upper panels cooperate with the neck panel to form an opening for the head and neck of the patient. 
         [0009]    The garment also includes a lower portion having an abdominal panel at a midline, e.g., a mid-hip level or a navel level, of the patient. The left and right upper panels of the upper portion are releasably attached by snaps at their respective inferior edges to a superior edge of the abdominal panel. The abdominal panel also has two leg extensions extending downwardly therefrom to cover the fronts of the legs of the patient. The leg extensions terminate at hemlines disposed approximately at a mid-calf level of the patient&#39;s legs. Pairs of releasable snaps are disposed at the mid-calf level of each of the leg extensions. The pairs of releasable snaps can be mated to cause each of the leg panels to encircle the hemline only of each mid-calf region over which they are respectively disposed. 
         [0010]    The garment also includes a rear portion having a rear panel formed from a single sheet of material. The rear panel releasably attaches to the left and right upper panels of the upper portion. In addition, releasable snaps are located on each side of the abdominal panel at approximately the hip level, and can be mated to snaps at approximately the hip level on each side of the rear panel. The rear panel of the gown terminates at approximately the mid-calf of the patient. The rear panel is used only when the patient is dangled at bedside or ambulated in order to provide adequate coverage of the back of the patient. When the patient is lying in bed, the rear panel may be folded and laid on the bed beside the patient, or hung over a side of the bed. 
         [0011]    In one embodiment, a garment to be worn by a patient during hospitalization in an ICU/CCU/NICU setting includes an upper portion adapted to cover an anterior upper body of the patient. The upper portion includes a pair of upper panels, each of the upper panels having a superior edge, an inferior edge, a side edge, and a central edge. Each of the central edges has an angled portion extending downwardly from the superior edge and away from the side edge to a point approximately midway between the superior edge and the inferior edge of each of the upper panels. One of the upper panels has an elongate rear neck panel permanently affixed to the superior edge thereof and extending from the superior edge of the one of the upper panels toward the superior edge of the other upper panel. The neck panel has a free end releasably attached to the superior edge of the other of the upper panels with a cooperating fastener. The neck panel and the front panels define an opening for receiving a head and a neck of the patient when the front panels are releasably attached at the central edges of the front panels with a cooperating fastener, and the end of the neck panel is releasably attached to the superior edge of the other of the upper panels with the first cooperating fastener. 
         [0012]    The garment also includes a lower portion adapted to cover an anterior lower body of the patient. The lower portion has an abdominal panel with a superior edge at a midline level or approximately the level of the navel of the patient. Extending from the inferior edge are two leg panels. The leg panels have hemlines terminating at approximately the mid-calf level of the patient&#39;s legs. Each of the central edges extends upwardly from one of the inferior edges and away from the side edges to an intersection point between a genital area of the patient and the superior edge of the abdominal panel. The central edges, the side edges, and the inferior edges of the abdominal panel define a pair of leg extensions configured to cover the front legs of the patient. The side edges of the abdominal panel, in combination with central edges, the side edges, and the hemline edges of the leg panels are configured to cover the lower abdominal region and leg areas to the mid-calf levels of the patient. The superior edge of the abdominal panel is releasably attached to the inferior edges of each of the upper panels at the midline with a pair of releasable fasteners. There are cooperating releasable fasteners at the inferior edges of each leg panel at opposite corners. These fasteners will enclose the hemline only region of the leg panels and are designed to maintain leg coverage in the event of spontaneous leg motion. 
         [0013]    The lower portion of the garment further includes a genital panel fixedly attached at the superior edge of the abdominal panel and extending downwardly to an area between the intersection point of the leg extensions and the inferior edges of the leg extensions. A remainder of the genital panel is free to move with respect to the abdominal panel and the leg extensions, and is arranged so as to overlap the intersection point between the genital area of the patient and the superior edge of the abdominal panel. The genital panel thereby provides a modest coverage for the patient. 
         [0014]    The garment also includes a rear portion adapted to selectively cover a posterior of the patient. The rear portion includes a rear panel having an upper edge, a lower edge, and a pair of side edges. The side edges of the rear panel are releasably attached to the side edges of one of the upper portion and the lower portion at the mid-hip level of the patient with cooperating fasteners. Opposite corners of the upper edge of the rear panel are also releasably attached to the superior edges of the upper panels of the upper portion with cooperating fasteners. 
         [0015]    The garment completely exposes a posterior of the patient from a shoulder level of the patient to a mid-calf level of the patient when worn by the patient with the rear panel open. The garment also completely covers the posterior of the patient from the shoulder level of the patient to the mid-calf level of the patient when worn by the patient with the rear panel closed. 
         [0016]    In another embodiment, a method for militating against skin irritation and sores in a patient during a hospital stay in an ICU/CCU/NICU setting includes the steps of: providing the garment as described herein; covering the posterior of the patient by closing the rear panel when the patient is dangled at a bed or ambulated; exposing the posterior of the patient from the shoulder level of the patient to the mid-calf level of the patient by opening the rear panel when the patient is lying in the bed; and one of folding the rear panel and laying the rear panel on the bed beside the patient, and disposing the rear panel over a side of the bed beside the patient while the patient is lying in the bed. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    The above, as well as other advantages of the present invention, will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a garment according to the present disclosure, illustrating an upper portion, a lower portion, and a rear portion; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the garment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , showing the garment worn by a patient with the rear panel closed; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a rear view of the garment illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , showing the garment worn by the patient with the rear panel closed; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a rear view of the garment illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , showing the garment worn by the patient with the rear panel opened to completely expose the posterior of the patient from the shoulder level to the mid-calf level of the patient; 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged, partial rear view of the garment illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4 , showing the snapping of a leg panel to encircle the mid-calf region of the patient&#39;s legs at the hemline only; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of the garment illustrated in  FIGS. 1-5 , showing the patient lying in a bed with the rear portion of the garment opened and hung over a side of the bed. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0024]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1-6 , a garment  10  for a patient  11  in a hospital is shown. The garment  10  is advantageously designed to be worn by or placed upon a body of the patient  11  when the patient  11  is hospitalized in a coronary care unit (CCU), an intensive care unit (ICU), a neurointensive care unit (NICU), or the like. 
         [0025]    The garment  10  includes an upper portion  12  adapted to cover an anterior upper body of the patient  11 . The upper portion  12  has a pair of upper panels  14 ,  16 , including a right upper panel  14  and a left upper panel  16 . Each of the upper panels  14 ,  16  has a superior edge  18 , an inferior edge  20 , a side edge  22 , and a central edge  24 . The central edges  24  have angled portions that extend downwardly form the respective superior edges  18  of the upper panels  14 ,  16 , and away form the respective side edges  22  of the upper panels  14 ,  16 . The central edges  24  extend to a point  26  approximately midway between the superior edges  18  and the inferior edges  20  of the upper panels  14 ,  16 . For example, the angled portions of the central edges  24  may extend to about a mid-breast bone level of the patient  11 . 
         [0026]    The upper portion  12  of the garment  10  also includes an elongate neck panel  28  adapted to cover a rear of a neck of the patient  11 . The neck panel  28  is permanently affixed to the superior edge  18  of one of the upper panels  14 ,  16 , for example, the left upper panel  16  shown in  FIG. 1 . The neck panel  28  may be integrally formed with the one of the upper panels  14 ,  16 , or permanently affixed by stitching, for example. Other means for permanently affixing the neck panel  28  to the one of the upper panels  14 ,  16  may also be employed. The neck panel  28  extends from the superior edge  18  of the one of the upper panels  14 ,  16  toward the other of the upper panels  14 ,  16 . A free end  30  of the neck panel  28  is releasably secured to the superior edge  18  of the other of the upper panels  14 ,  16  with first cooperating fasteners  32 . 
         [0027]    The neck panel  28  and the pair of front panels  14 ,  16  define an opening  34  of the upper portion  12  when the front panels  14 ,  16  are releasably attached at the central edges  24  with second cooperating fasteners  35 , and the neck panel  28  is releasably attached to the other of the front panels  14 ,  16  with the first cooperating fasteners  32 . The opening  34  is adapted to receive the head and the neck of the patient  11  when the garment  10  is worn by the patient  11 . When donned by or placed on the patient  11 , the upper portion  12  of the garment  10  provides a satisfying amount of coverage of the front or anterior of the upper body of the patient  11  while also allowing doctors and nurses access via the releasably attached front panels  14 ,  16  for treatment and care of the patient  11 . 
         [0028]    The garment  10  further includes a lower portion  36  adapted to cover an anterior lower body of the patient  11 . The lower portion  36  may be formed separate from, or be integral with, the upper portion  12  of the garment  10 , as desired. The lower portion  36  has an abdominal panel  38  with a superior edge  40  disposed at about a navel level of the patient  11 . The abdominal panel  38  may extend generally horizontally at waist level across the front of the patient  11 , for example, below an upper hip or navel level point of the patient  11 . The abdominal panel  38  also has a pair of inferior edges  42  disposed at a mid-calf level of the patient  11 , a pair of side edges  44 , and a pair of central edges  46 . Each of the central edges  46  extend upwardly from one of the inferior edges  42  and away from the side edges  44  to an intersection point  48 . The intersection point  48  is between a genital area of the patient  11  and the superior edge  40  of the abdominal panel  38 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the intersection point  48  may be at an apex of a substantially inverse U-shaped edge portion connecting the pair of central edges  46 . 
         [0029]    The central edges  46 , the side edges  44 , and the inferior edges  42  of the abdominal panel  38  define a pair of leg extensions  50 ,  52 , including a right leg extension  50  and a left leg extension  52 . The leg extensions  50 ,  52  are adapted to cover the fronts of the legs of the patient  11  when the garment  10  is worn by the patient  11   
         [0030]    The superior edge  40  of the abdominal panel  38  is releasably attached to the inferior edges  20  of each of the upper panels  14 ,  16  with a pair of third cooperating fasteners  54 . Fourth cooperating fasteners  56 ,  58  are disposed at the inferior edges  42  of each of the leg extensions  50 ,  52 . The inferior edge  42  of the right leg extension  50  has the fourth cooperating fasteners  56  spaced apart and disposed at opposite corners of the inferior edge  42 . Likewise, the inferior edge  42  of the left leg extension  52  has the fourth cooperating fasteners  58  spaced apart and disposed at opposite corners of the inferior edge  42 . The fourth cooperating fasteners  56 ,  58  may be releasably attached to permit each of the leg extensions  50 ,  52  to wrap around the leg at the hemline only of the patient  11  at the mid-calf level of the patient  11 . It should be understood that the fourth cooperating fasteners  56 ,  58  are configured such that the rears of the legs of the patient  11  are completely exposed above the mid-calf level when the fourth cooperating fasteners  56 ,  58  are releasably attached to encircle the legs. 
         [0031]    The lower portion  36  of the garment  10  also includes a genital panel  60 . The genital panel  60  is fixedly attached at the superior edge  40  of the abdominal panel  38 , for example, by sewing. The genital panel  60  extends downwardly from the superior edge  40  to an area between the intersection point  46  of the leg extensions  50 ,  52  and the inferior edges  42  of the leg extensions  50 ,  52 . The remainder of the genital panel  60  is free to move with respect to the abdominal panel  38  and the leg extensions  50 ,  52 . The genital panel  60  is arranged to overlap at least the intersection point  48  between the genital area of the patient  11  and the superior edge  40  of the abdominal panel  38  in order to provide modest coverage for the patient  11  when the garment  10  is worn by the patient  11 . It should be appreciated that the genital panel  60  may be lifted to allow doctors and nurses access to provide treatment and care to the patient  11 , as desired. 
         [0032]    The garment  10  additionally includes a rear portion  62  adapted to selectively cover a posterior of the patient  11 . The rear portion  62  includes a rear panel  64  having an upper edge  66 , a lower edge  68 , and a pair of side edges  70 . As a nonlimiting example, the rear panel  64  may be substantially rectangular, although other suitable shapes may also be employed. The side edges  70  of the rear panel  64  are releasably attached to the side edges  22 ,  44  of one of the upper portion  12  and the lower portion  36  at approximately the mid-hip level of the patient  11  with fifth cooperating fasteners  72  and sixth cooperating fasteners  74 . Seventh and eighth cooperating fasteners  76 ,  78  are also disposed at opposite corners of the upper edge  66  of the rear panel  64 , and at the superior edges  18  of the right and left upper panels  14 ,  16 . The opposite corners of the upper edge  66  of the rear panel  64  are thereby releasably attached to the superior edges  18  of the upper portion  12  at about the shoulder level of the patient  11 . 
         [0033]    Where it is desired that the posterior of the patient  11  be completely covered, for example, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , one of the side edges  70  of the rear panel  64  may be attached to the one of the side edges  44  of the lower portion  36  at approximately the mid-hip level of the patient  11 . The other of the side edges  70  may also be attached to the other of the side edges  44  of the lower portion  36  at approximately the mid-hip level of the patient  11 . Likewise, the opposite corners of the upper edge  66  of the rear panel  64  may be attached to the superior edges  18  of the upper portion  12  of the garment  10 . The rear panel  64  is thereby closed and the posterior of the patient  11  is completely covered. 
         [0034]    In a further embodiment, where it is desired that the posterior of the patient  11  be completely exposed from the shoulder level of the patient  11  to the mid-calf level of the patient  11 , for example, as shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , the opposite corners of the upper edge  66  of the rear panel  64  may be released from the superior edges  18  of the upper portion of the garment. Additionally, the one of the side edges  70  of the rear panel  64  may be released from the one of the side edges  44  of the lower portion  36  at the mid-hip level of the patient  11 , to thereby expose the posterior of the patient  11 . The rear panel  64  is thereby opened and the posterior of the patient  11  is completely exposed. 
         [0035]    A pouch panel  80  may be attached to one of the right and left front panels  14 ,  16  of the garment  10 . The pouch panel  80  may be generally rectangular-shaped and is preferably attached to one of the right and left front panels  14 ,  16  at two side edges and a bottom edge thereof to define a pouch. The pouch is sized to receive and/or contain a telemetry pack and leads (not shown) for the patient  11 . A slit  82  may further be formed in one of the right and left front panels  14 ,  16  behind the pouch panel  80  to permit the telemetry leads to pass to the patient  11 . 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , when the garment  10  is placed on the patient  11  lying in the bed on his/her back, the garment  10  provides a satisfying amount of coverage for the front of the body of the patient  11 , while advantageously allowing doctors and nurses convenient access to a variety of body parts, for the purpose of providing treatment and care to the patient  11 . 
         [0037]    As described hereinabove, the garment  10  has a plurality of the fasteners, e.g., the cooperating fasteners  32 ,  35 ,  54 ,  56 ,  58 ,  72 ,  74 ,  76 ,  78 , configured to selectively hold the garment  10  on the patient  11 , for example, when the patient  11  is either dangled or ambulated. The fasteners employed with the garment  10  of the present disclosure may each include a male fastener and a female fastener, for example. In a particular embodiment, each of the fasteners may be a male-female snap, with one of the male portion and the female portion attached to a strip having one end fixedly attached garment  10 , and the other of the male portion and the female portion fixedly attached to the garment  10 . The strip may thereby provide for a selective opening and closing of the garment  10 . Other suitable fasteners may be, but are not limited to, buttons and button holes, other snap designs, cooperating hook and loop strips, and the like. The locations and number of fasteners shown in the figures and described above are illustrative only and are not limiting. One of ordinary skill in the art may select suitable fasteners and locations for the fasteners, as desired. 
         [0038]    The garment  10  may be formed from any desired material, including a disposable material, a biodegradable material, or a machine-washable cloth conventionally used for hospital garments, as nonlimiting examples. 
         [0039]    The present disclosure also includes a method for militating against skin irritation and sores in the patient  11  during a hospital stay in an ICU/CCU/NICU setting. The method includes the steps of: providing the garment  10  as described hereinabove; covering the posterior of the patient  11  by closing the rear panel  64  when the patient  11  is dangled at the bed or ambulated; exposing the posterior of the patient  11  from the shoulder level of the patient  11  to the mid-calf level of the patient  11  by opening the rear panel  64  when the patient is lying in the bed; and one of folding the rear panel  64  and laying the rear panel  64  on the bed beside the patient  11 , and disposing the rear panel  64  over a side of the bed beside the patient  11  while the patient  11  is lying in the bed 
         [0040]    It should be appreciated that the rear panel  64  of the garment  10  may be folded and laid on the bed beside the patient  11 , or hung over a side of the bed as shown in  FIG. 6 , when the patient  11  is lying in the hospital bed. When configured thusly, the rear of the body of the patient  11  is completely exposed. A formation of pressure points due to folded fabric underneath the patient  11 , and the occurrence of related skin irritations and bed sores, is thereby militated against. Where it is desired that the patient be dangled on the bed, or ambulated, the rear panel  64  may be disposed over the rear of the body of the patient  11 , and thereby provide a desired amount of coverage for the patient  11 . 
         [0041]    Advantageously, when the garment  10  is placed on the patient  11  lying in the bed on his/her back, the garment  10  provides a satisfying amount of coverage for the front of the body of the patient  11 , allows doctors and nurses access to provide treatment and care to the patient  11 , and militates against the formation of bed sores and related infections in the patient  11 . 
         [0042]    In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.