Nursing is considered by many to be one of the most active jobs in the world, as a nurse would need to move from one room to another and check multiple patients in just a short span of time. So, because of how active they are in terms of moving around hospitals, clinics, or nursing facilities, nurses should always have the most comfortable shoes so that their feet wouldn’t hurt too much after hours of walking or running.
Thankfully, finding the best shoes for nurses is relatively easy today due to how many comfortable shoes there are on the market. Here is a nurse’s guide to finding the best shoes.
What Shoes Should Nurses Wear?
Thankfully, there are no strict rules in many hospitals, clinics, and nursing facilities when it comes to what shoe nurses can wear. So, nurses are free to wear whatever shoes they want, although it is important to keep in mind that medical facilities may sometimes have a color code, which usually limits nurses to wearing only white shoes.
The running shoe is arguably one of the best types of shoes that nurses can wear, as it has enough cushioning to absorb impact from the ground to a nurse’s feet. In addition, running shoes are also lightweight, so they are very comfortable for hours of wear.
Besides running shoes, nurses may also wear tennis shoes and low-top basketball shoes as alternatives, as these two types of sports shoes are also comfortable. However, tennis shoes and low-top basketball shoes provide better support for lateral movements, although nurses rarely move from side to side, unlike tennis and basketball players.
There are also shoes that are specifically designed to be worn by nurses. These shoes usually have an upper made of rubber, so they are similar to foam clogs but are shaped more like shoes instead of sandals or slides. These nurse shoes are light and durable, although they don’t provide the same level of comfort as running shoes.
Things to Consider When Buying Shoes for Nurses
Because there are dozens of different options when it comes to nurses’ shoes, a lot of nurses may have a hard time finding shoes that are suitable for them. But there are different aspects of shoes that they can focus on so that it will be much easier for them to know which pairs provide the best comfort, protection, and support for their feet. Here are the things to consider when buying shoes for nurses.
Wear the Right Size
If you want to get the best comfort and support from running shoes and other types of shoes you can wear as a nurse, you should always get the right size. If you have been wearing shoes for a long time, then you already know your true size. For shoes that you are going to use for nurse duties, sticking true to size is the way to go, although you may need to test the fit of different shoes to know if they are too loose or too tight for your feet despite being true to size.
Get Shoes Made from Lightweight Upper Materials
For the best comfort, you should wear shoes that are made from lightweight materials, which include textiles, mesh, and reinforced fabric. A lot of running shoes today have a lightweight upper, so you wouldn’t have difficulties finding very light shoes online or in sporting goods stores.
However, you should keep in mind that the weight of the midsoles and outsoles also matters, so make sure that those two sections of the shoes are lightweight as well. You can know how light the shoes are by reading descriptions or details in online stores or by simply trying them out.
Know the Midsole Material of the Shoes
Besides the upper, you should also know the materials that are used on the midsoles of the shoes. There are two popular midsole materials used by different brands, and these two materials are polyurethane and EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate). Polyurethane is found in classic or retro sports shoes and is considered to be comfortable and durable.
However, polyurethane is much heavier compared to EVA, which is primarily used in modern sports shoes because of how light and bouncy they feel. For nurse’s shoes, you should go for the ones that have EVA midsoles since they would be more comfortable to wear for hours of moving around the facility.
Read More About Different Cushioning Technologies
Aside from the midsole material, you may also want to read more about different cushioning technologies developed by various brands. These cushioning technologies add extra comfort and impact protection to the shoes, so they are designed to make the shoes more comfortable and safer for wearers.
One of the most popular cushioning techs is Nike’s Air technology. This tech comes in the form of an airbag or air pocket that provides impact protection and bounce for the feet. So, for better comfort and cushioning, you should know about the different cushioning technologies and pick the one that will benefit you the most for nursing duties.
In today’s era, picking shoes that can offer comfort and support for nurses is very easy, although you will still need to find specific features that will give more benefits to the wearer. Try on different running shoes and other types of sports shoes and see which one is the most comfortable to wear for longer periods of time.