Since January of this year, nurses have been encouraging patients to ditch traditional hospital pyjamas in favour of their own clothes. 

Rebecca McLellan, the clinical nurse manager of the Jack Roney Ward, says the change has meant patients are more likely to be up and moving around the hospital, reducing the risk of deconditioning during their stay. 

"We have seen patients happier and more engaged in their care," Ms McLellan said. 

"Patients, especially older patients, who spend a long time in hospital can experience muscle loss and demotivation." 

The initiative called End PJ Paralysis is a global social movement created by Professor Brian Dolan.  

First implemented in the UK, the project puts the focus on enhancing patient dignity and autonomy. 

It has seen patients in hospitals across the world gain the confidence to overcome power imbalances often seen between patients and medical professionals while also changing perceptions within the medical team. 

"When patients are wearing their own clothes and they are up and about the perception of how sick they really are changes drastically. 

"When you look at people in a hospital bed, wearing ill fitting PJs you might perceive them as more unwell than they actually are, often resulting in longer hospital stays. 

"But when they have their own clothes on we see health care professionals treating them more like people," Ms McLellan said.

For elderly patients, a week bound to a hospital bed can cause significant damage, including up to 10 years of muscle ageing and 1.5kg of muscle loss. 

While the program is only new to Katherine Hospital, staff and patients are responding positively. 

According to CNM safety and quality manager, Tracy Wyber-Hughes, 80 to 100 per cent of patients at the hospital are up, out of bed and in their own clothes on a daily basis. 

"Before we only had one to two per cent of people opting to wear their own clothes as they presumed they had to wear the hospital PJs," she said. 

"We are seeing huge differences in movement and engagement, it has been really positive."

In addition to reduced hospital stays for patients, the program is seeing flow on effects from focused one on one time with nurses. 

"The nurses are enjoying it because it takes them back to patient care, they get a chance to interact while helping people get changed or do their hair," Ms Wyber-Hughes said. 

"Nursing is busy but having this as business as usual gives nurses permissions to practice patient centred care."

In a bid to shift vulnerability back to medical staff, Katherine Hospital will be donning their own PJs next Wednesday at the official launch of the program. 

The official launch starts at 11am on April 3, followed by a lunch at midday. 

The launch will also be an opportunity for health care professionals to explain the program to patients. 

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