Men's Laced Nursing Shoes

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Hello. I've been looking on a lot of the nursing shoe forums in here, and it seems like all of them suggest crocs or something similar. I'm starting nursing school in august and for shoes, I have to have "comfortable, clean, white nursing uniform shoes with clean, white laces." Does anyone have any suggestions? The Nike shox sounded good, but I'm not sure if they're "nursing uniform shoes."

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Most of my fellow students have gone the way of crocs, but I personally don't like them. Maybe because I'm male? I don't know why.

I graduate this December and have been using just white pairs of K-Swiss tennis shoes during the four years of school. Don't get too hyped up on specialty or 'nursing' shoes. Just make sure they are comfortable and you don't mind standing in them for hours at a time (Surgical rotations will require that). Personally I believe comfort factor is much more important than anything else.

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Specializes in Rodeo Nursing (Neuro).

It would probably pay to check with your nursing advisor, or one of the instructors. My workplace requires "predominantly white," so sneakers with a bit of colored accent are okay, but schools may be stricter. Also, they should be all leather, not fabric that can be permeable to fluids. I suppose vinyl would be okay, if you had an objection to animal products.

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New Balance makes 811s in white with white laces, I just got a pair...

Mark

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical Telemetry.

I had used a pair of all-white Reeboks. If I had found any while shoe-shopping the first time, I would've opted for all-white New Balances, since New Balance are big on producing Wide sizes and comfy -- my 'regular' tennis shoes are New Balances and they've been as comfy as any other Nikes, Reeboks, or Adidas that I've owned/worn in the past.

I don't really like the look of the crocs, but I'd still wear them if I thought that they were any more comfy than sneakers. Great advice imho for a profession that spends a lot of time on your feet is 'protect your feet' (and your back!) so I spare no expense for finding good shoes. I have gotten some feedback from two different co-workers that the crocs basically made them trip more so one stopped wearing them, and the other still wears them occasionally but is more careful when he does. Only thing I can think of that might cause that is perhaps that the less-flexible body of the crocs aren't fastened around the foot as well as a laced-up pair of leather sneakers and that causes some people probs. For myself on that matter, I decided to stick w/ sneakers since the ones I've got fit me well, are now broken in, and are comfy enough (bought some inserts for them too). I don't think that I could really expect much better than that from crocs so no need to fix what isn't broken. I think that the next pair of 'nursing shoes' I go for will be all-white New Balances if I can find them.

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical Telemetry.

Schools will specify white nursing shoes -- very standard and accepted. Some clinical instructors might let you slide w/ shoes that aren't totally white, like accents, borders, or swooshs on them, BUT some will not and I've heard of classmates warned to not show back up to clinical if they show up next time w/ shoes that weren't all-white, so may as well not chance it. You can prob look in the phonebook and find some uniform stores that have a stock of nursing shoes to try on. I've tried some on and didn't notice that they were any more comfy than sneakers, and most of them look funkier than what I'm used to asides from being priced more (for I don't know what). Just do the easiest thing and find yourself some comfy all-white sneakers, imo.

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I originally bought a pair of New balance 811 and my feet KILLED me! They were far too flat, and not very cushiony! I went to zappos.com (free shipping both ways in the USA) and ended up with a pair of Etonics Minado MC. Lots of support and cushion and they are white leather! I love then for work! I guess they are a running/walking shoe, do i use them for running? No, I have a pair of Saucony's Triumph 5 that I just purchased and love! Give the Etonics i try, I was skeptical at first. I first thought Etonics = golf shoe, wrong!!

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Specializes in Med Surg, ER, OR.

To each his own, but i do prefer New Balance shoes. Just me though. As long as they are white, your school won't have any problems. Crocs are not appropriate to wear for all colleges, such as mine, but they are comfortable for standing many hours in. Get a pair of shoes that are comfortable for YOU, not those that are comfy for everyone else. We aren't wearing your shoes, but go to a shoe store to look for a good pair of white comfy shoes, as your school suggests. Don't spend hundreds of dollars on a pair of "nursing shoes," just go with comfort. Good luck...

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Thanks for all the great responses. I think I'll check some of the scrubs and uniform stores in the area, but I'll definitely keep an eye out for the brands you suggested.

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Specializes in ER, Med/Surg.

I wore New Balance 336 one semester, NB 8?? I think the next and Nike something the last two. I didn't really like any of them. My lower back hurt after a day of clinicals. I got a pair of crocs to wear at work and my back doesn't hurt.

But as someone else said before, check with your school as to what you can get by with as far as color/accents etc.

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my uniform requires all black shoe, so i just got myself a all black shoe, just that the swoosh is white, so i had no choice but to "colour" the swoosh black with a marker, and that hurts a lot.. *sigh*

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

I used all white nikes....they worked well enough...besides, nobody really looked at my shoes that much...

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