Are you a nurse who’s trying to find the best pair of shoes to put an end to your worries related to blisters, achy heels, and poor fitting for once and all? We understand the struggle! 

Nursing jobs are one of the most physically demanding lines of work in healthcare, requiring you to be on your feet all day long (for real!). According to the American Nurses Association, working 12-hour shifts is pretty much a norm for nurses in different healthcare settings.  In a job like yours where you have to be walking, running, pushing, and pulling things around for as long as twelve hours on end, over time, if you wear inappropriate nursing shoes, you can end up with aches, balance issues, blisters, and fatigue, enough to make you want to call in sick.

What comes next? Your performance as a nurse takes a blow, especially in the highest paying nursing jobs or emergency medicine jobs where endurance is everything! But how about you change all that? The best nurse shoes make it possible! Let’s explore which ones are those, but first, let’s get a quick idea about the importance of the right footwear.

Why Choosing the Right Shoe Matters  For You As A Nurse

Nurses are truly the backbone of the healthcare system, providing critical care to patients in need in various settings. If you are a nurse yourself, you might know that experiencing burnout and fatigue in this profession is common. ANA reports that almost two-thirds of nurses in the US experience burnout, and compromising on your comfort on an everyday basis by choosing the wrong gear or shoes can make these feelings worse. This is because wearing the wrong shoes in your nursing job can lead to foot, joint, knee, and lower back problems that can impact your overall well-being. 

It’s thus important that you focus on these three factors when looking for nursing shoes: 

Comfort

Make sure your shoes provide you with enough cushioning to absorb shock as you constantly move on hard hospital floors. 

Support

Ensure your shoes fit the width of your feet well and, at the same time, give you ample arch support to keep the risk of foot fatigue and potential injuries out of the picture. 

Durability and Safety

Opt for slip-resistant shoe soles as hospital floors are often slick and slippery, and non-gripping shoes may risk your safety as well as that of your patient.

Top 5 Nursing Shoes Fit For Long Shifts

Keeping the importance and factors in mind, we’ve compiled a list of top five nursing shoes that address the unique needs of your profession and can support you during your 12-hour shifts:

1. On Cloudtilt

If you want comfort and flexibility combined into one pair of nurse shoes, On Cloudtilt is the one for you. They are specifically designed by On to give all-day comfort and unmatched flexibility, making them perfect for nurses like you who are constantly on the move.  Here are some of its unique features:

• CloudTec Cushioning: These shoes make up perfect nursing shoes because of their patented CloudTec cushioning system, which will absorb impact as you move and offer you responsive support with each step you take running from one patient or doctor to another. 
• Super Lightweight: Although these are adequately cushioned, they are super lightweight, making them easy on your feet and joints. 
• Breathability: On Cloudtilt shoes have a mesh upper layer that gives your feet room to benefit from ventilation and keep them dry and fresh even in the most hectic healthcare settings. 

2. Hoka Bondi 8 

Do you want maximum cushioning for those draining 12 to 16-hour long shifts? The Hoka Bondi 8, a favorite and often a prized possession for runners, can be a great fit in emergency medicine jobs and nursing jobs on the whole. 

It has a shock-absorbing design with multi-layered cushioning support that will provide you comfort and endurance when you are tending to patients while being on your feet for long hours. These are some of its features that make it a crowd-pleaser in the footwear world: 

• Maximal Cushioning: Hoka Bondi 8 has a thick EVA midsole that will offer you that cloud-cushion support and bring down the impact of long hours of standing and running around on your feet, ankles, and knees.  
• Wide Supporting Platform: Tired of unstable shoes? These are the perfect replacements as they have a wide base for greater stability. Wearing them, nurses can feel more stable and grounded even when moving swiftly in high-energy environments like the ER or ICUs.   
• Highly Durable: These shoes feature a high-abrasion rubber outsole that will reduce the risk of slip and fall accidents and give you extra support in demanding shifts.   

3. Clove Classic 

Another great nursing shoe option, if you are looking for comfort without compromising on style, is the Clove Classic. They have that perfect touch of style to them without being over the top, and they have the comfort and functionality that nurses vouch for. It has become quite a favorite among healthcare professionals for these reasons. What makes them even better is that you can clean them easily, and they are slip-resistant through and through. So, if you are looking for nurse shoes that can offer you comfort and protection during your tough nursing shifts, these are a great option with exceptional features:

• Slip-Resistant Outsole: Their design has a slip-resistant outsole that can help you avoid slips and falls in busy, wet, or slick hospital settings. 
• Memory Foam Footbed: Memory foam isn’t limited to mattresses alone! Your shoes can have them too. Clove Classic has memory foam insoles that can mold to your foot’s design to give you tailored comfort and alleviate fatigue.
• Waterproof: These are made from waterproof material, which makes them easy to maintain and clean no matter what the shift grows at you.  

4. Asics Gel-Kayano 30 

Asics has earned a reputation for making shoes that focus on both comfort and high performance, and its Gel-Kayano 30 testifies to that perfectly. These are great nursing shoe options for jobs where you will be required to move extensively and need extra support to maintain a good balance and posture, which is the case for most nursing jobs. They will offer you the comfort that running shoes are known for but a design that’s well-suited for the demands of nursing. Here are some of its features: 

• Gel Cushioning: The Gel-Kayano 30, true to its name, has Asics’ well-known  Gel cushioning system. This will provide you with round-the-clock comfort and absorb shocks as you walk long distances throughout your shifts. 
• Stability Features: These shoes also have excellent arch support and a structured design that can give you unmatched stability. 
• Breathable Mesh Upper: Gel-Kayano 30 has a mesh upper that can keep your feet fresh, cool, and dry during those intense shifts where you might sweat profusely. 

5. Nike Motiva

If you want affordable comfort as well as style, Nike Motiva can be the perfect nurse shoes for you! They are true to what Nike is famous for: comfort and effortless style. It can be ideal for nursing jobs where you wouldn’t want to compromise on performance or comfort and benefit from enduring support during your longest shifts. Its features include:

• Soft and High Cushioning: These shoes feature a soft foam collar and soft and high cushioning with a responsive midsole that can support you in every step you take.  
• Easy to Clean: The design is smooth and has a wipeable material, making it perfect for times when you’re dealing with spills and other messes as a nurse and want to maintain your shoes with minimal effort. 
• Slip-Resistant Outsole Pattern: It has a patterned rubber outsole to offer you traction and help you feel stable during your long shifts.  

Conclusion

In the demanding nursing world, having the right pair of shoes can help you stay comfortable, grounded, and focused on your patient rather than your feet and their troubles as you work long shifts. Every pair of shoes mentioned above, from Hoka Bondi 8 to NIke Motiva, can offer you unique benefits so you can ace your 12-hour shifts easily. After all, your comfort can help you provide the best patient care, and your shoes should reflect your commitment to it!