In the nursing field, both women and men share many of the same goals when it comes to finding the right shoes.
Long-term comfort is, of course, a number one priority for a job that involves extensive walking and standing on hard floors all day! Then, there’s the need to comply with hospital dress codes for shoe type and color. Finally, nurses do think about fashion when it comes to footwear (don’t we all?). Fortunately, there are quite a few unisex styles available today that meet all of the above criteria.
The AnyWear Exact is an injection-molded, slip-resistant clog that offers you firm support…perfect for those 12-hour shifts! It has a unique airflow system to keep your feet cool and fresh and, in addition to traditional colors, now comes in fun, vibrant hues like neon pink (pictured), green, blue and yellow.
AnyWear Exact
The AnyWear Exact uses a unisex sizing chart to simplify distribution. Many other unisex shoe brands still have separate designations for men and women, although the styling is the same. Here are several to consider in your search for just the right shoe. Available here at Uniform City
DBL Anywear
The DBL Anywear clog is one of the best known (and a favorite with our Scrubs magazine readers). The versatile clogs come in navy (pictured), pewter, black and coffee bean brown, so no matter how strict your hospital’s dress code, you’ll still be able to walk in comfort! A women’s size 7-8 is a medium, while a men’s size 7-8 is a large.
DBL Anywear clog
Avia Athletic
As you would expect from the Avia brand, this model looks like a runner’s shoe. It’s available in black (shown below), white, and a wide variety of fun color combinations. The Avia Athletic is definitely one of the more stylish unisex nursing shoes, and it has a good entry-level price. This shoe’s claim to fame is the “Cantilever®” system. Avia claims the concave sole design just under the heel works like a trampoline to reduce impact and put a bigger bounce in your step.
Avia Athletic
K-Swiss Athletic Tubes Run
This is a jogger-style shoe with a wavy rubber outsole (hello, extra stability!) and mesh upper. The shoe has a removable sock liner designed both for moisture control and padding. Nurses love how lightweight these kicks are; they come in a variety of colors, such as blue/black (pictured), neon green, black/pink and black/white. They are available here.
K-Swiss Athletic Tubes Run
Dickies Triumph
The Triumph step-in shoe has a soft insole with an anatomical footbed to help keep your feet pain-free during those long 12-hour shifts. The lining is moisture absorbent, and the outsole plate is slip resistant. The Triumph comes in black (pictured) and navy.
Dickies Triumph
What are your favorite nursing shoes? Share in the comments section below.
This article was republished with permission from SCRUBS Magazine.
Hoka are good shoes since they have extra cushioning. They did stop making their white leather shoe though, but you might still be able to find some cheap online.
I could not agree with you more!! I love my Hoka’s!!
My favorite shoe has always been the New Balance. Every pair I’ve ever tried on has fit like it was made for me. I have flat feet and these shoes prevent a lot of the back and knee pain I get from standing and walking. They are also moderately priced ($60-$120). The only problem I ever had with them is that I had to replace them every 4-6 months when I was running the floor…I was also severely overweight and therefore very hard on shoes. But at those prices it was easy to buy a couple of new pairs and alternate them on different days.
I always loved Easy Spirit shoes, when I was still tromping a floor! They really kept my feet from screaming!
MBT shoes are far and away the best for avoiding plantar fasciitis, the bottoms are rounded, this means they need getting used to, once you have adjusted, no more soreness of the bottom of your feet!! they are about $180 a pair and last 2-3 years, I have been using the ‘sport 3’ model