When dressing a client with an affected/weak right arm, which gown step should be performed first?

• A. Gloves on
• B. Remove left side gown first
• C. Button 3 buttons
• D. Gives choice of shirt

Answer: (B)

When one arm is weaker, the goal is to minimize movement of that arm to protect it and make the change comfortable. The first gown step is to remove the gown from the unaffected side. In this case, that means taking the gown off the left (strong) side first. By freeing the strong arm first, you reduce the risk of pulling on the right (weak) arm and set up a safer, smoother sequence for guiding the weak arm through the dressing process. After the gown is off the strong side, you would proceed with dressing the weaker arm first when applying a new gown. The other options aren’t the initial gown action: gloves aren’t required for this task, and buttoning or offering a shirt aren’t the first gown-related steps.