Personal Finance / Best White Nursing Shoes
Nursing school has an ample amount of requirements, and one of them is wearing white nursing shoes.
Despite the ever-changing procedures in the nursing profession, there are some traditions that persist: taking the oath at graduation, the pinning ceremony, and perhaps the one we’re best known for – wearing white.
When you buy your first pair, it becomes a symbol of the choice you’ve made to follow the difficult but fabulously rewarding path of becoming a nurse. When you buy your tenth or fifteenth pair, it’s a record of all the trials you’ve overcome and the hard work you’ve put in for the good of your patients.
Whatever point you’re at in your shoe-buying journey, we’ve sorted through all the possibilities out there and narrowed it down to help you check off one more thing on your to-do list.
→MORE: 10 Best Shoes for Nurses
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Overall Best Picks
Dansko:
Dankso is perhaps the most well-known shoe in the nursing world. Dansko offers clogs with great arch support, such as their LT Pro White Box.
Though loved by many, be aware that they can be a bit heavy, so if you have to run they may not be for you. Many report a breaking-in period as well, so be prepared for that.
These are definitely investment shoes, which means they’ll have a higher price tag, but will last for several years. Before purchasing, make sure you check out their video instructing you on how to find the right size clogs for your feet.
Sticky Shoes:
I only just learned about this brand and I’m itching to try them. Not only is the name a hilarious reference to a beloved sitcom, but all of their shoes are waterproof!
Have you ever experienced getting your favorite pair of work shoes soaked in whatever bodily fluid your patient has to offer? That won’t be a problem with Sticky Shoes. Those messes wipe right off.
The pair that caught my eye for nursing students was their Sticky Professional Shoes for Women – Stetho Love. These adorable clogs are white, but they have a subtle design on them of hearts and stethoscopes. What a great way to follow the rules, but sneak in a little individuality as well!
Nurse Mates:
Nurse Mates is a contender for Dansko, as they have their own clogs to offer.
But what piques my interest is their line of shoes with orthotic insoles called “Align”. They promise to “help place the foot in a more optimum position to assist with proper alignment, stability, and support”.
I gotta tell ya, that description got my feet aching for that insole instead of just, well, aching. Although they don’t go quite as high in price as Dansko shoes, these are still an investment.
Go check out their Align™ Arya in white. They have such a cute and unique design! Get them on my feet now!
Alternative for Comfort
Skechers:
Although Skechers is a brand more associated with sports and exercise, they also boast a Work & Safety line for both men and women. If you’re looking for more of a sneaker look, then these are your shoes.
They’re in the same price range as Nurse Mates, so keep that in mind for your budget.
The main reason my feet end up killing me at the end of a shift is because I put all of my weight on my heels. But, Skechers has a solution for that!
I was drawn to their Work: Max Cushioning Elite SR – Serotina. These crazy awesome shoes feature major cushioning and shock absorption. I can already hear my heels sighing with relief.
Crocs:
Crocs are a bit controversial, but if you’re a Crocs convert, you’re converted for life. Crocs combine the convenience and comfort of slip-on shoes with the support and anti-slip soles of work shoes.
Crocs have a specific section on their website for nurse shoes as well to give you some direction. They also have an adorable pack of medical-themed Jibbitz and I’m not going to lie – they are tempting! (Cut to me trying to make Jibbitz stay attached to my regular shoes)
Best Budget-Friendly Option
Walmart:
Nurse friends, I was so poor during nursing school. I lived off of ramen and caffeine and no sleep. I used a $15 pair of generic white Walmart tennis shoes throughout all 5 semesters.
They weren’t the most comfortable shoes and only offered a little support. My feet were always killing me, and the soles fell off by the end of nursing school. But you know what? They were exactly what I needed to get me through. Now I have my favorite pair of fancy nursing shoes, but not everyone can afford those, especially in school.
Walmart also offers more expensive and more supportive brands of shoes if you have the means. They’ll pretty much have something to fit whatever situation you’re in. And, as a bonus, you can pick up some ramen while you’re there.
My nursing shoes of choice:
I can’t recommend all these other shoes without putting in a plug for the shoes that I chose for myself. My shoes of choice are regular athletic shoes that I found on Amazon from a brand called Tiosebon. They fit almost everything I look for in a nursing shoe.
The first pro is that they are slip-ons, so there are no laces to mess with or to come untied. This was important to me because, in L&D, I had to change in and out of my shoes and scrubs every shift. And there is nothing worse than your shoe coming untied during an emergency. Ain’t nobody got time for laces!
Secondly, they are made of a breathable mesh material. My feet get so hot when I’m running around. I need my feet to breathe or else I start feeling almost claustrophobic. The stretch of the material is also important to me because I have wide feet and these shoes don’t squeeze my feet like others do.
Finally, I like the way they look. The look isn’t necessarily the most important thing, but if you can get comfort and cuteness in the same package, why not? The one need it didn’t meet was the insole. But I replaced the insole it came with Dr. Scholl’s WORK Massaging Gel Advanced Insoles. These shoes are still going strong three years later and I only recently had to replace the insoles. So wins all around I would say.
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Final advice on caring for your valuable nursing feet
First: find good socks that don’t rub, don’t leave imprints on your feet when you wear them for twelve hours straight, and that have some breathability. A good pair of compression socks can be a life-saver!
Second: insoles are the best purchase you’ll ever make! Even all these great shoe options can be improved with a better pair of insoles! I want to shout this from the rooftops for all the nurses to hear!
So get out there nurse friends and start shopping! Pamper those feet in between shifts, and remember that you rock my socks!
