Meet Jacqui
Jacqui is the founder of Under Snugs. Jacqui has been nursing for many (many) years across adult & paediatric sites in Australia & in the United Kingdom.
Jacqui has nursed in hospitals in metropolitan & remote areas caring for adults, children & their families. For much of her career, Jacqui has worked in intensive care units with adults originally, then more recently with children. Looking after sick children & supporting their families has been incredibly rewarding - it has been a wonderful career.
Combating the cold
Throughout her career Jacqui has worked rotating shifts, mornings, lates or afternoons/evening & night shifts. In every hospital she has ever worked in Jacqui & her colleagues have found hospitals cold – in fact they are freezing overnight! This is particularly true when you are tired – you can even feel jittery from being tired & cold! You know exactly what we're talking about, it’s the middle of the night & you are so very tired & cold to the bone! Some areas of hospitals, such as operating theatres & radiology, are cold 24/7. It was being so cold on night shifts that gave Jacqui the idea for Under Snugs.
Warmth & Comfort
Hospital scrubs are practical & comfortable but they are not very warm - everyone who has ever worked in a hospital knows just how cold they can be! Under Snugs are designed to be worn under scrubs or your hospital uniform to offer you a layer of comfort & warmth. There are two types of Under Snugs - a lightweight soft-as-silk bamboo fabric that is perfect for warmer months or daytime wear anytime of year. The other fabric is a wool blend, a little thicker but soft, snuggly & perfect for night shifts & those cooler months of the year. Both fabrics are designed to be lightweight yet warm. We are using quality fabrics that are fully machine washable & can be thrown in the dryer & come out looking like new. Just like Goldilocks - they are not too hot or too cold - they are just right!
Infection Control compliant
The design of Under Snugs complies with all infection control principles – the sleeve stops just above the elbow. We all know the World Health Organisation directive to be ‘Bare Below the Elbows’.
‘Bare Below the Elbows’ is an integral part of contemporary hospital infection control to protect patients from hospital acquired infections. Being ‘Bare Below the Elbows’ means that staff can avoid potential cross contamination between patients by thoroughly washing their hands. In Australia, every State Health Department endorses the ‘Bare Below the Elbows’ principle when providing clinical care as part of their hand hygiene bundle. The Australian Guideline for the Prevention & Control of Infection in Healthcare (2019) encourages all health care workers to wear short-sleeved clothing when delivering patient care as this ensures their hands can be decontaminated effectively.
Comfort, Style & Modesty
Another bonus of the sleeve being longer than the standard scrub shirt or uniform sleeve is around modesty. Whether it be for religious or personal reasons, many nurses like to be more modest in the amount of bare skin they show. The Under Snugs sleeve provides coverage down to the elbow which, means that you can be well covered when providing patient care, whilst still complying with infection control guidelines.
