I have been working as a nurse for more than three years now and trust me when I say this, “There is nobody in this world that needs the best shoes other than nurses.” I know what you are probably thinking right now. Best shoes for nurses? I mean seriously? Why nurses would need the best shoes and why would anyone come up with a topic titled best shoes for nurses, right? Well, guess what? You might think that best shoes are only needed for the runners and similar people but you were dead wrong. Nurses need best shoes in the same way as others and it is a part of their job. Let me describe you the scenario in details so that it becomes easier for you to understand.
You see, nurses are the ones who perform hard work continuously. A recent study has shown that nurses walk 30 times more in a day than a corporate person in terms of mileage. This tells you the actual story that why a nurse needs the best possible shoes. The shoes that a nurse wears tend to get weaker by a very quick time because of the pressure that he or she has to face. The job of a nurse is troubling and full of action. He or she always has to go from one place to another and respond to immediate calls. These are troubling for her or his shoes too and that is why, if you as a nurse want to make sure that your feet stay comfortable, you need to go for a cool shoe.
It is sad that we have to tell you about the importance of quality shoes for nurses. Nurses do not risk their lives which are true. They are not the ones who get those thank you messages from the patients. On the other hand, they are the one who actually runs and manages a hospital along with the patients but when the time of thinking comes, they are never there. The doctors take all the credits at that moment and the good thing is that all nurses are fine with that. They now do not expect to thank you notes from patients and they just perform their jobs relentlessly.
Anyway, think about the whole scenario in this way. Everyone who uses their feet heavily should for a good shoe. If you are someone from a corporate field then you might not need to think about shoes much. May be because you are rich and you can buy one new shoe in every month but the main reason is that you do not need to have a great one. You are not giving your feet too much trouble. You are not walking or running around every day with that shoe. On the other hand, a nurse is continuously running and therefore, he or she needs a proper shoe.
Another fact is very important to consider. This is a fact that is never considered in our day to day life. See, shoes are generally made so that they can last longer. The shoe is one of the toughest items that you wear on your body. They are never damaged until you make them damaged and this is true for most shoe types. Now, why are shoes damaged? The main reason is because of the surface that you are walking or running on. If your surface is a road, the shoes will face troubles but on the other hand, if your surface is a soft and comfortable bed (we know! This is just an example guys), your shoe will last for years. Now, what about those hospital floors? Are those comfortable for your shoe?
Well, they are not comfortable but they are not as bad as the open roads. They generally fall in the middle of these two categories. Why do you think that it falls in the middle? Well, the reason is because though the hospital floors are generally good when it comes to the structure and built quality but the nurses are always in the rush and therefore, they always move so fast with their shoes that the sole area gets weaker day by day. As nurses walk a lot, the sole area starts to get even weaker and combining everything, the shoe needs a replacement in a few months or one or two years at max.
So, what we are trying to prove is that it is important that you read about the best shoes for nurses. It is important that you know about them and it is even more important that you follow the best path because you do not want to be a patient of that same hospital where you are a nurse now. We have divided this whole review into different sections. Initially, there are a lot of theories that we think are important to address and they are important for you to know about. Remember that if you are an educated consumer then you will always pick the right product for yourself. An educated consumer does not mean that someone with a Ph.D. The degree is coming and buying shoes. Educated consumers are those who know about the market that they buy from. Be one of them and you will always find the best possible product for yourself at the best possible price range.
So we divided these best shoes for nurses review into different segments. If you are not ready to read a big article, simply go down and find the best shoes reviews for the nurses. Otherwise, you can start with the basic sections followed by a very important one about things that you should look for while buying a nurse shoe. Apart from these sections, there is also a section on how to find the best shoe and there are some other important sections too. Let’s start the proceedings.
Are Nurse Shoes Different?
So, here is that important question. As we are doing a report on best shoes for nurses, a question can arise that whether nurse shoes are different to do such kind of an article or not. Well, the short answer is yes, nurses should have a different type of shoe and that is the whole point of coming up with this article. You see, there are not many kinds of shoes for different people. There are running shoes which everyone can wear no matter in which profession they are in but nurses are special and that is why, they need a different type of shoe. The shoes that nurses wear are designed in a way so that they can feel comfortable, the shoes last long and most importantly, the shoes are healthy for the environment of the hospital. Every shoe cannot be taken as a dressing material when it comes to hospitals. Hospitals are very sensitive and that is why whenever a nurse is picking a shoe, he or she has to make sure that the shoe is going with the rules of the hospital. Excessive leather use or excessive plastic is completely prohibited when it is a hospital surrounding which has to be kept in mind while choosing a shoe for you if you are a nurse. Apart from these basic things, nurses should not pick any shoe that creates noise with the floor. There are some types of shoes which create noise. Your one should not one of those types if you are going for a hospital shoes. Your patients will start to get cranky and noisy if you come up with a shoe that makes that huge amount of noise.
So if we make the long story short, then the point is yes, nurse shoes are pretty different and you need to think about that before you are going to purchase one for your daily needs.
Best Shoes For Nurses
This is the time when we review the best shoes that we have in the market. We tried to review the best ones and there should not be any problem if you go with any of these shoes. Let’s start the review section.
1.Dansko Women’s Professional Patent Clog
The first on our list is the Dansko Women’s Professional patent clog which is one of the most sold nurse shoes around the world. The shoe is simple, elegant and there are lots of variations in terms of colors and sizes to make you feel comfortable. The fabric is mostly leather dependant and the heal size is good. The shoe is very comfortable and you will enjoy wearing it. You marked this shoes as best shoes for nurses.
Pros
- Imported materials
- The sole is human made
- Good heel
- The instep collar is padded
Cons
- Very simple design
2.Dansko Women’s Professional Tooled Clog
The second in our list is the Dansko Women’s professional which is a tooled clog. This is a shoe for women too like the previous one. There are three different dark colors available for people. If you are not a fan of dark colors, you might not like the design because all the models are based on dark colors. The heal size is big and the heel is manmade. The shoe is comfortable, pricy and a bit average in terms of performance. If you do not fall for the color or elegant design, you can check the other products.You marked this shoes as best shoes for nurses.
Pros
- Elegant look
- Manmade sole
- Big heel
Cons
- A lot of people reported that the size did not fit them
- Only dark colors are available
3.Dansko Women’s Professional Oiled Leather Clog
Again there is another Dansko product that we are talking about here. The product looks a bit similar to the previous two versions. The price is very high and this is considered as a premium nursing shoe. If you are someone who loves premium shoes then this is something that you will definitely like. There are a lot of color options along with different sizes for you to choose from.You marked this shoes as best shoes for nurses.
Pros
- Great heel size
- Completely manmade sole
- Leather made
Cons
- Only 67% people said that they are satisfied with the size
This is another very exciting nurse shoe with a lot to offer. There are a lot of sizes available for the consumers to pick from. There are different sizes available too but you have to be very careful about the sizes. We have seen that the international size varies from countries to countries and therefore, you might find that the size is not appropriate for you after you have bought the shoe.You marked this shoes as best shoes for nurses.
Pros
- Completely leather made
- The sole is manmade
- Comfortable
Cons
- The common size issue is here too
This is a product from the brand Sanita which is a popular women shoe maker. They make special shoes for nurses and you can be happy about the quality in most of the cases. Most of the designs are dark colors majorly based on black, brown and some similar ones. The shoe is leather made like the previous one we talked about and the price is decent.You marked this shoes as best shoes for nurses.
Pros
- Elegant looking
- Lightweight
- comfortable
Cons
- The size issue is here too
6.Sanita Women’s Professional Lisbeth Closed Oil Leather Shoe
If you are looking for a shoe that is cheap and easy to go for then this is the option that you should select. There are lots of sizes available for you to choose from but there are only three colors to choose from. That is something bad because we want a lot of color options when the price is low so that we can buy more than one in a year.You marked this shoes as best shoes for nurses.
Pros
- The manmade sole
- Completely leather made
- Good price
Cons
- The heel is not that big
7.Sanita Women’s Professional San Flex Closed
If you want to go for a shoe that is loved by a lot of nurses around the globe, this is the one that you can choose. The shoe is produced by Sanita which is a great brand. You already know about that as you already have seen products from this brand. The shoe has different colors to offer and there are sizes that you can choose from. Make sure to put importance on size because there is a high chance that the size will give you trouble.You marked this shoes as best shoes for nurses.
Pros
- The heel is around 1.75 inch
- Durable
- Great shape
Cons
- There are shoes with better heels at a better price
8.Sanita Women’s Professional Gwenore Clog
If you are looking to go for a real professional model then this is the one that you should choose. The product looks really slick and the design and the color are the true reflections of elegance. The rubber sole and the leather body will make you fall in love with it. The patented flexible technology will make things even better. The shoe has a great shock absorbing feature so that you do not face shocks while moving around. As a nurse, you can easily run around the hospital wearing this shoe and you will not feel anything in your leg in a positive way.You marked this shoes as best shoes for nurses.
Pros
- Great look
- Professional
- Shock absorbing technology
- Handmade in Poland
- The rocker bottom outsole
Cons
- Again, the size is an issue
9.Sanita Women’s Professional Pearl Clog
If you are a girl then there is a high chance that you love wearing special designs and clothes. There should be nurse shoes that go along with different designs and cloths, right? Well, if you think that way then this is the perfect fit for you. The Sanita Women’s professional pearl is all about different designs and cool features. The company made sure that all fashion icon nurses can wear cool shoes while going for work. Yes, you are a nurse and yes you are there to help the patient but that does not mean that you will have to be away from fun and fashion. Therefore, go for the women’s professional pearl clog. There are tons of color options along with cool designs. The sizes will make you satisfied too.You marked this shoes as best shoes for nurses.
Pros
- Great sole
- Col polyurethane technology which makes the shoe flexible
Cons
- The heel is only around 1.75 inch which is a lot lower than similar products
10.Sanita Women’s Professional Ariana Closed Back Clog
Are you someone who cares for those Vincent looking shoes? If you are that someone then here is the product for you. The Sanita Women’s professional arena closed back clog is a beautiful product when it comes to the Vincent look and arrogant and raw features that it offers. The product is completely different than others of the market. We know that every girl wants to wear something unique that will differentiate them from others. At the same time, as you are wearing these shoes as a nurse in hospitals with a lot of other nurses, the chance is pretty low that you will be able to be unique. Well, this shoe helps you in cherishing that dream. The colors are unique and the designs are too. They do not look professional but they actually are and you can easily wear them in any hospital settings.You marked this shoes as best shoes for nurses.
Pros
- Great look
- Unique design
- Good heel size
- Good platform size
Cons
- If you are not someone who likes stylish products, you will hate it
11.Dansko Women’s Felt Pro Mule
Do you remember those funky looking shoes that were worn by the movie stars back in eighty? Do you want to wear something like that for your hospital as a nurse shoe? Well, those are unique and those definitely have some unique colors and designs to generate interest but most importantly, those are super comfortable. Machines were not heavily used back then and that is why most of these shoes have a human touch with them that make them error free. Unfortunately, you will not find a lot of options while ordering as these are old models. If you are looking for latest designs and models then this is not for you. The color and size options are really limited but if you like any of those within your size range, you can easily go for that one.You marked this shoes as best shoes for nurses.
Pros
- Vincent look
Cons
- Lack of enough color and size options
12.Dansko Women’s Canvas Pro Navy Mule
As you can probably get the idea from the name of it, this is a shoe that reflects those navy color and rugged attitude that you should always go for. If you are someone who finds those interesting and wants to dive in that fun, this is the product that you should select. The canvas is well designed and the synthetic sole will attract you. The sock linings are leather made.You marked this shoes as best shoes for nurses.
Pros
- Cool rugged design
- Anti-fatigue features
Cons
- Only one color is available
Things to Look For While Buying a Best Shoes For Nurses
Now, there are certain things that you should be careful about while buying a nurse shoe. What are those things? How to make sure that you are buying the right shoe? We said previously that being an educated consumer can save you from a lot of trouble. In this section, we will tell you about the things that you should look for while buying a nurse shoe. You do not have to take care of each of the points from here as that would be too difficult. Try to make sure that you are taking care of as many of them as possible to get the best nurse shoes.
Lightweight
Well, the first thing that you need to be careful about is the weight of the shoe. The shoe has to be lightweight. If the shoe is not lightweight, you cannot wear that for a long period of time and as you are looking to go for a shoe that can be worn for a long time, the best idea is to go for lightweight. How to understand whether the shoe is lightweight or not? Well, if you are buying it from online, make sure that you check the weight of the shoe before placing the order. At the same time, if you are buying it from offline sources, you should wear and test it for at least one minute to be sure that you are buying a lightweight shoe.
Is it easy to clean?
Well, the shoe has to be easy to clean and this is something mandatory. You do not want to buy a shoe that takes ages to get cleaned and that attracts dirt. Therefore, the shoe has to be easy to clean. As you work in a hospital, your shoe can easily get attached to blood, dirt or several other types of issues. While buying the shoe, make sure that you ask the seller that whether the shoe is easily cleanable or not. At the same time, looks for shoes that machine washable. If you can find a shoe that is machine washable, you can easily wash it without any problem.
Durability
The shoe has to be durable. You do not want to buy a new shoe in every other month. As your shoe will have to face heavy and tough issues, the shoe won’t last for a long time if it is not durable enough. Therefore, go for a durable shoe. Remember that durable shoes are priced a bit higher and though it looks tough, it will help you in the long run.
Perfect Fits
Make sure that you are choosing a shoe that fits with your feet perfectly. At times, we see that there are people who buy shoes that do not feet them perfectly. They buy those shoes because either they like the design or they do not understand that these shoes will not fit them. Anyway, be a bit careful while you are buying the shoes and you will be fine with the shoe.
Think about the dress code
Do you have a special dress code requirement from your hospital? Well, there are hospitals that recommend a set of shoe types for nurses. If your hospital has one of those rules, make sure that you are going for a shoe within that limit. If you are not sure about the rules, ask your supervisor for advice and you will always be fine.
Customer Support
Shoes are not tech items and the chances are less that you will need a customer service or support team for your shoes. But if you want to buy the best shoes for nurses, you should choose one that has the best customer support. You do not need them much but having a quality customer support reflects the message that the company is very good. That message is important for you because that will tell you that the product is actually good. Therefore, always choose companies with a quality customer support.
How to Find the Best Shoes For Nurses around You
Finding a nurse shoe can be tough given that they are not very popular everywhere around the world. As they are not something that each and every person buys, it might be a tough task to buy nurse shoes from the location that you live in. The good news is that there is the internet which can help you in this process. The Internet can easily help you to buy nurse shoes from the comfort of your home. There are popular websites that sell nurse shoes. No matter where you buy the shoes from, make sure that you are checking the customer reviews and ratings if possible. If a shoe does not have any customer reviews, you should not probably go for that one. There is a high chance of getting a wrong shoe while buying from online and that is why you should always depend on the popular websites such as Amazon.
Can Men & Women Wear Same Shoes?
Whenever we talk about nurse shoes, we generally mean that these will be shoes for women. Though there are both men and women nurses around us, there is a perception among us that nurses will always be women. This perception reflects on to the shoe industry too. While we did our research, we saw that there are tons of shoe options for women when it comes to nurse shoes but there are only a few options for men shoes. The answer to the pointed question is simple. Yes, there are different shoes for both men and women and they should not wear the same type of shoes. This is not tough to understand. Men and women have the different type of feet and therefore, it is obvious that they will have different types of shoes. Now, can they wear same shoes? Again, the answer is positive. Both men and women can wear same shoes when it is a nursing shoe. Nursing shoes are more of a universal item which does not vary much between men and women. They do not come in different colors and in a lot of shapes. As the basics are quite similar, both men and women can actually wear same shoes. There is a point that you will have to understand here. Men and women have different feet sizes and in most cases, women have smaller feet than men. Therefore, though both of them can wear similar looking and similar type of shoes, the sizes will always vary.
Some FAQ
Well, we know that you have many questions and most of them are not answered in this post. This is tough because there are a ton of questions related to shoes and we only could come up with answers for the most common ones. Let’s try a bit more. In this section of the article, we will try to come up with answers to the most common questions that we see around related to nurse shoes. Let’s crank it up.
Q: How do I know whether my shoe is slip resistant or not?
Well, we understand that it is important to have a slip resistant shoe when you are working in a hospital. It is not easy to figure out whether a shoe is slip resistant or not but it is not impossible either. There are certain certificates that are there to make sure that whether a shoe is slip resistant or not. If your hospital has a policy or if you are very serious about the slip resistant feature of your shoe, make sure that you go for a slip resistant one. Otherwise, simply have a look at the sole end of your shoe. If you have experience then you can tell the difference by looking at the sole part of your shoe. The sole part will not be glossy, there will be hard rubbers there and the price will be a bit more because of that. If you cannot do that either then a good idea would be to ask for assistance from the shop helpers.
Q: How do I find the right size?
Well, this is a common question for everyone interested in going for a shoe. How do you find the right size? The best option is to stick with one brand because if you found out your size number for a particular brand then that will be valid for the lifetime. We also understand that you might want to play around with different brands. In that case, things get a little tougher. If you are buying from a physical store, you have to make sure that you are giving your shoe a trial of at least one minute. The first 10 seconds are never enough to judge a shoe because you will obviously like it in the initial phase. Give importance to the last 50 seconds because that is the time when you will actually understand whether it fits you or not. If it does not or if it slightly itches you, it would be better to take it off and try something else because that slight itch will give you trouble in the long run and when you are operating as a nurse, you cannot take that extra pain. You already are going through a lot of stuff.
Q: Can leather be used with nurse shoes?
Well yes, if your hospital does not have any special recommendation or if you do not have anything against leathers then yes, leather can be used for nurse shoes but you have to make sure that you are not using cheap leathers. Cheap leathers get shrink if they are used in a wet or muddy condition. Therefore, you need to make sure that if you are buying leather-based shoes then those are of good quality.
Q: Can I go for a custom made shoe?
Well technically you can but there are not many companies who take custom orders for shoes. Especially when you are going for a nurse shoe, your options get even more limited. Therefore, you can technically go for a custom made shoe but it is not something that you should spend on unless you have a real reason behind that. For example, if you have a very specific type of feet which is bigger or smaller than other people then yes, you can go for custom built ones. Otherwise, we do not see any reason that why you should go for a custom made one.
Q: What should I select for the upper area?
When we are talking about nurse shoes, our options get very limited. The regular shoes have a lot of options in terms of upper area features. On the other hand, the nursing shoes do not have that much option. In general, the top area of nursing shoes is made of leather and rubber. In some cases, you will find synthetic leather along with some other rubbery materials on the top area. It is tough to find a plastic type one.
Q: How to take care of your shoe?
You bought a great shoe! That is awesome. Now think about it. You have to make sure that you are not going to destroy your shoe because nobody wants to buy a new one in every two days. Therefore, you have to make sure that you are taking care of your shoes properly. The first task is that you need to clean your shoe once in every two weeks. We understand that you are a nurse and it is tough for you to take care of your shoes properly. At the same time, you have to clean your shoes so that you do not have to buy a new one in every month. How to ensure that? Well, cleaning is the base process and you need to clean your shoes once in every two weeks. Well, it does matter though that how you clean your shoes. If you are cleaning it regularly, it might seem a lot of tasks but it is actually not that much because as you are doing it regularly, you won’t have to do those much work. Simply take a wet towel and wipe your shoe off. As you are working in a hospital, you might need to use a dust cleaner or bacteria cleaner while you are using that wet towel. If you see with your eyes that there are dust or dirt in your shoe then take care of that first before you use that wet towel method. Do it regularly and you will be fine with the cleaning needs.
Final Words buying Best Shoes For Nurses
Take your time before you finalize the shoe that you are going to buy. You will not buy a new shoe in every other day and the decision should be treated that way. Think about the comfort factor and give comfort the most importance. If your shoe is not comfortable for you then nothing else actually matters. Comfort is the only feature that you should really focus on. Do not depend on too many experts while buying a shoe. Go with your mind.
