Shoe recs for clinicals

Nursing Students General Students

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Hey y'all,

I start nursing school this spring and for my budget, I need to research good shoes to buy for clinicals. The requirement is black or white rubber or leather with closed toe/heel and not clogs. I prefer white shoes and comfort is a huge thing for me (high arches, wide feet, and knee pain). Any recommendations? So far, I've found a pair of geriatric looking New Balance shoes that have the Rollerbar technology to prevent any ankle wobbling and are amazingly comfortable to stand in.

My school requires white shoes for clinicals as well. I bought a pair of sketchers, with memory foam and I'm totally in love with them! They were on the higher end of my price range I wanted to spend for shoes just for school, but they're worth it to me. Good luck! ☺️

Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.
How do you break them in? I've been wearing a pair to do small errands around town for months, and still don't find them comfortable.

If that's the case, they may just not be the right shoes for you. I've found that it takes about 2 weeks of wearing them every day for a little bit for them to feel like they are "ready" . I've had 3 pairs, and this was my experience with all of them (2 Dansko, 1 Sanita). To break them in, I wear them around the house for increasing lengths of time over several days, then finally start wearing them out and about (we don't wear shoes in the house, so once they've been worn outside, they no longer are worn inside) before entering them into the work rotation.

They're not for everyone. I had an impossible time finding shoes that work for my feet, and I resisted spending that kind of money on shoes for school, but after trying several (and having to return them for various reasons), I had to shell it out. I have seen other nurses wearing white Danskos, but I haven't worn mine since nursing school. I am still debating having an artist friend of mine mark them up for me.

Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

Can anyone recommend a good insole? I bought a bad one, and my toes were numb after the shift, and hurt for days with neuropathic pain! I was afraid I had permanent damage, but I'm okay.

Have you tried Superfeet? Head to REI or a running store, and ask one of the salespeople to help get you into the right ones. Take your shoes with you, and try them in your shoes.

Specializes in ED, Pedi Vasc access, Paramedic serving 6 towns.

We were not allowed to wear even white sneakers in clinical :arghh:, much to my feet's dismay! We had to wear white "nursing" shoes, no clogs. I started limping my feet hurt so bad and the nursing instructor felt bad so she said go buy some white sneakers and I won't tell anyone! :yes:

So fake a limp and maybe they will let you wear what you want!

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