patient/nursing gown

A johnny, also called a “johnny coat”, “johnny-shirt”, “johnny gown” or “hospital johnny”, has been called “the great equalizer” because it puts all hospital patients on an equal footing with the staff. The gown was originally designed to maximize access to the patient’s body by medical staff.

When you attend hospital for an appointment, you may be asked to wear a hospital patient gown for a procedure, for example for an x-ray or colonoscopy. The nursing staff will explain to you what to wear under the gown, as it varies depending on the type of procedure.

In most cases, you only wear your underwear underneath your gown when you have a surgical procedure. When you arrive at the hospital or outpatient facility, your nurse will tell you what clothes you can keep on under your gown, depending on your surgical site.

And, you usually don’t need to wear a bra during surgery because you’ll have the hospital gown and a surgical drape over your chest. You may want to invest in a bra that’s easy to put on and remove if you’re getting arm or shoulder surgery.

Hospital gowns with an open back are designed to allow medical staff easy access to whichever part of the patient is required.