Good Shoes for Nursing

A nurse in any hospital or doctor’s office spends hours on her feet. Depending on the nurse, the length of her shifts and the situation, she might spend as much as 12 hours or longer on her feet throughout the day. To avoid pain in the feet and legs, a good pair of shoes is a vital aspect of any nurse’s outfit. When looking for a good pair of nursing shoes, a nurse should always take her time to find the best for her feet.

Wide in the Toes

Nursing shoes which have enough extra space in the toes are an important part of comfort. The toes need space to spread out while walking to improve balance. When the toes are squished together or the shoes are tight in the toes, put them back and look for a pair which has a wider toe. Phil McPeck, a writer for the website Nurse Week, quotes Tim Grimmer, a shoe manufacturer in California who advised that shoes that have space for the toes allow natural functioning in the feet.
Comfort

Comfort is one of the most important parts of the shoes. Any nurse should try on a pair of shoes, walk around in them for a few minutes and determine if they are comfortable before buying. Every foot is different, so a specific brand that is comfortable for one nurse might be uncomfortable for another. Wearing the shoe for a few minutes is usually long enough to determine if it is comfortable enough to wear for hours. One consideration for comfort is the cushion in the shoes. If the shoes are hard and do not cushion the foot when walking, they will not feel comfortable after a few hours of standing.
Weight

Nursing shoes are best if they are light weight. A light weight shoe puts less strain on the foot and leg throughout the day while a heavy shoe is constantly lifted and makes the muscles ache after a long day at work. A nurse, who might run around a hospital for 12 hours or more, would feel the ache in legs shortly after starting a shift if the shoes are too heavy.
Style

Nursing shoes are often limited in style options. For color, nurses are typically required to wear white. Another consideration for style is the type of shoe. The website registerednursingrn.com suggest avoiding any shoes with holes in them, such as tennis shoes, because nurses must deal with bodily fluids like vomit or blood, which can get into the little holes in the shoes and get on bare skin. Instead, stick to shoes without any holes. Also, nurses can benefit from slip-on shoes for the same reason.