Night/Hospital gowns with side slits ???

[Trekfan]

Do they make night / hospital gowns with side slits for tubing to thought ? I have a suprapubic catheter and at night have to hook it up to a night bag and I end up every night with tubing coming off my side held by a half roll of tape and then I have to bunch up my night gown to sleep because I cannot get it over the tube . I might as well sleep in the nude it's better then sleeping on a bunched up gown there has to be a better way? .

[I<3H2O, BSN, RN]

I've not heard of anything special but perhaps you could find someone that sews and they could alter your current gowns to suit your needs?

[Mulan]

How about wearing a man's v neck undershirt?

[Boog'sCRRN246, RN]

I read about this line of patient apparel in a magazine a few years ago. I have no idea if they will have what you are looking for, but it's worth a peek.

http://www.healingthreads.com/

[ky_grl82]

You could always have someone make a few custom nightgowns for you. It won't be cheap but maybe advertise what you want done on craigslist and ask for quotes (I do this all the time). I would just make sure the seamtress put a finished edge on any openings you will need, some cheaper model sewing machines don't have the capability.

Also, to avoid being ripped off, buy the fabric yourself (and deliver it) and pay for labor when the gowns are done. My sister is a seamtress and does this with every order.

[Giga]

Put a whole in an older night gown? Maybe buy one from the thrift shop, cut holes in it, and maybe reinforce the holes.

[tntrn, ASN, RN]

Also, to avoid being ripped off, buy the fabric yourself (and deliver it) and pay for labor when the gowns are done. My sister is a seamtress and does this with every order.

I, too, am a seamstress and I would advise anyone getting work to ask advice about kinds of fabric. Often a client want to provide their own fabric and it's Walmart quality and when it doesn't hold up, the client wants someone to blame. When I do jobs for people, I get a deposit. I've been ripped off by clients who promised to pay but never did. I have a contract for clients to sign.

[njmomstudent]

If you need the slit to go all the way up the side, there's no reason someone couldn't open the side seam, then reinforce it, and even add snaps (like on the arms of some hospital gowns for those with IV's). If you only need an opening, thats even easier to do. Forget about buying fabric, it can easily be done to your favorite nighty's.

[tntrn, ASN, RN]

If you need the slit to go all the way up the side, there's no reason someone couldn't open the side seam, then reinforce it, and even add snaps (like on the arms of some hospital gowns for those with IV's). If you only need an opening, thats even easier to do. Forget about buying fabric, it can easily be done to your favorite nighty's.

You can purchase a tape that has snaps on it. And just as you say, open the seam and add the tape to each side. I did this for my DH's PJ bottoms post-prostatectomy to accommodate the Foley he had to use for 3 weeks post-op.

[Trekfan]

You can purchase a tape that has snaps on it. And just as you say, open the seam and add the tape to each side. I did this for my DH's PJ bottoms post-prostatectomy to accommodate the Foley he had to use for 3 weeks post-op.

Thank you all for all the ideas . I love the snaps tape idea but I do not sew and i need somthing now but it may be worth a try. I found a criss-cross mammography hospital gown that looks like it opens on the side . Has anyone seen this type of gown?

[Batman25]

If you need the slit to go all the way up the side, there's no reason someone couldn't open the side seam, then reinforce it, and even add snaps (like on the arms of some hospital gowns for those with IV's). If you only need an opening, thats even easier to do. Forget about buying fabric, it can easily be done to your favorite nighty's.

That's a really good idea. It shouldn't cost too much and you can still wear your fave nightie.

[middleager]

I was recently at St Vincents Hospital in Indianapolis in the cardiac surgery center visiting. the patient had a full length gown on that tied at the side instead of the back. it sounds like what you are looking for, it was open all the way down the side from the armpit down. I assume it had snaps under the arm but did not notice. Can't tell you much more than that other than St Vincents is on 86th St in Indy. They seem to have several variations from the open back mini skirt I C U gowns that every patient hates, hope that helps