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[0001] This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 60/389,339, filed Jun. 14, 2002, the benefit of which is hereby claimed under 35 U.S.C. §119 and incorporated herein by reference.
[0002] The invention pertains generally to clothing and, more specifically, to shorts for hospital patients.
[0003] Often when a patient is admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) or other hospital department, he or she is unconscious while in need of immediate medical attention. In this case, the hospital personnel must remove the patient's clothes so as to provide the medical staff with access to the patient's body. In order to preserve the patient's dignity and privacy, the hospital personnel usually dress the patient in a hospital gown. However, the current types of hospital gowns are inadequate for various reasons.
[0004] Current hospital gowns offer limited coverage of the lower half of the patient's body, especially when the patient is lying down. This lack of coverage is exacerbated by agitation and restlessness which may be caused by physical discomfort and/or decreased level of consciousness. However, the physician often must have ready access to the groin and lower abdominal areas of the patient for catheterization, groin checks, post-angio treatment, or other procedures requiring access to these areas of the patient's anatomy. Blankets are sometimes used to increase the privacy of a patient for the sake of the patient's dignity and privacy; but blankets are frequently kicked off by the patient or otherwise slide away and may therefore be ineffective, and may cause extra work for the medical staff. Such blankets are also relatively heavy, and may be uncomfortable for the patient.
[0005] Providing appropriate and dignified garments in the hospital setting, including, in particular, the ICU, is becoming increasingly important as hospital visitation policies and practices are becoming more lenient, tending to permit greater access to family members and other visitors. Suitable attire for the patients preserves the patient's privacy and dignity while also avoiding unnecessary discomfiture to the family and friends of patients, as they pass through the hospital.
[0006] Conventional hospital shorts are not practical for ICU wear due to the difficulty associated with donning, or “pulling on” the shorts. Such prior art shorts may not even be an option if the patient has any sort of leg injury that requires external fixation or traction. In addition, sequential compression devices, which may be wrapped around the patient's calves, must be disconnected every time shorts are being pulled up or down, thus wasting important nursing time. Also, if the patient is bleeding, incontinent of stool, or otherwise discharging fluids, pulling the shorts on and off over the patient's extremities risks soiling additional bedding and equipment.
[0007] Shorts and other garments for bedridden patients have been proposed, which alleviate some of the difficulties discussed above. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,611, to McKenzie et al., discloses several garments that are intended for a bedridden patient, reducing the need to pull the garments over a patient's extremities. In one embodiment, McKenzie et al. discloses a pair of shorts having a button-up inseam, a button-up outseam, and an elastic waistband. The shorts disclosed by McKenzie et al. require pulling the shorts over at least one of the patient's legs, because the shorts do not open either at the waist or at the crotch. Also, the button-up seam on an outseam of the shorts requires a relatively large number of buttons, and may not be easily accessed by the medical personnel. Moreover, an elastic waistband may be uncomfortable for a patient, particularly in an ICU setting, where patients may be particularly sensitive.
[0008] There remains a need, therefore, for a modesty garment such as a pair of shorts, that is comfortable for the patient and that is easily donned, or more typically, put onto, a patient in a hospital setting such as an ICU.
[0009] The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by providing a pair of shorts that can easily be wrapped about and fastened around a patient, even an unconscious patient. The shorts not only provide dignity and privacy to the patient and his or her family who are also traumatized by the sudden hospitalization of a loved one, but also provide ready access for medical personnel to perform necessary procedures on the patient.
[0010] The preferred embodiment of the present invention, which can be made in a range of sizes, can be made from a single piece of fabric with snaps disposed generally along the vertical midline of the front of the shorts and along the seams of the inner thighs. Thus, the ICU shorts are wrapped around the patient's waist and then snapped around the wearer's legs and along the vertical midline, giving the appearance of a regular pair of shorts. Indeed, the vertical midline portion, or fly, can be opened in a conventional manner similar to prior art shorts, without the patient or the hospital personnel removing the entire garment.
[0011] In the currently preferred embodiment, a plurality of snaps is used to close the ICU shorts instead of pressure-sensitive continuous hook-and-loop closures, buttons, or a zipper. Snaps can be fastened without putting pressure on the patient's body, which may be bruised, torn, or otherwise sensitive. The spaces between the snaps then afford access to the patient's body by hospital personnel, without having to entirely remove the shorts. If necessary, the caregiver can unsnap one or two snaps to gain access to a certain area. Being able to leave several snaps closed allows that the shorts will stay in place, unlike a blanket. Moreover, snaps are able to withstand repeated, high-temperature cleanings, which is important for repeated use in a hospital environment. Snaps are also less susceptible to being fouled by foreign matter, including biological fluids, that may be encountered.
[0012] The preferred embodiment also comprises a drawstring around the top of the shorts so that the wearer or the hospital personnel (if the wearer is unconscious) can secure the shorts in a comfortable position, if necessary—again, without putting pressure on the patient's body. The drawstring can be used to further secure the garment so that it won't slip off or twist around an agitated patient and also to enhance the regular appearance of the shorts.
[0013] The ICU shorts of the present invention are themselves easy to clean and help keep the surrounding area clean. Furthermore, although the ICU shorts of the preferred embodiment are made of cotton, any other material, such as nylon or other synthetic material, could be used to enhance the durability of the shorts. Additionally, the shorts may be provided with pockets, loops, or strategically placed openings for various purposes.
[0014] The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0015]
[0016]
[0017]
[0018]
[0019]
[0020] It will also be appreciated that locating the snaps
[0021] Although other securement mechanisms, such as buttons, hook-and-pile materials, zippers, and the like may alternatively be used to secure the shorts
[0022] Referring now to
[0023] The upper end of each panel
[0024]
[0025] It will be appreciated now that the shorts
[0026] It will also be appreciated that if medical personnel require access to the patient's lower abdomen, then only the upper fly fasteners
[0027] It will also be appreciated that by providing fasteners that run generally along the center of the shorts
[0028]
[0029] In the preferred embodiment, the shorts
[0030] Although the preferred embodiment has been described with reference to a pair of shorts, it will be appreciated by a person of skill in the art that the length of the leg portions of the shorts may extend down a portion, or the entire length, of the patient's leg.
[0031] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.