Shoes to buy for the OR

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Hi! Graduating soon and I’m planning on buying nursing shoes as a gift to myself when I pass my NCLEX. I’m 100% willing to splurge, but what do you guys recommend? I’ll be doing an OR residency if that matters at all 

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Specializes in Pediatric OR.

Something comfortable, with good arch support.  Closed toed and heels. I prefer solid shoes (no mesh).  A really good walking shoe is a start.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Ask 20 nurses this question, and you'll get at least 20 answers if not more. A lot of people swear by Danskos, but they literally kill my feet. Get something comfortable- you could even go to some of the higher end shoe stores and get professionally fitted. My podiatrist sent me to a sports shoe store, and I walked out of there with the best pair of work shoes I've ever worn.

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On 4/14/2021 at 9:41 AM, pedirn1977 said:

Something comfortable, with good arch support.  Closed toed and heels. I prefer solid shoes (no mesh).  A really good walking shoe is a start.

I figured mesh would be a bad idea! Lots of nurses have told me to do Hoka, but those tend to be mesh lined

On 4/14/2021 at 5:25 PM, Rose_Queen said:

Ask 20 nurses this question, and you'll get at least 20 answers if not more. A lot of people swear by Danskos, but they literally kill my feet. Get something comfortable- you could even go to some of the higher end shoe stores and get professionally fitted. My podiatrist sent me to a sports shoe store, and I walked out of there with the best pair of work shoes I've ever worn.

I tried Danskos in store they felt odd to me. I think the sizing is very difficult too. Did the sports shoe store professionally fit you? I didn't know they had these options available at stores

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
36 minutes ago, Ready4theOR said:

Did the sports shoe store professionally fit you? I didn't know they had these options available at stores

They did, and they also took into account the custom orthotic inserts

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Specializes in OR.

Shoes are one thing but get yourself some compression socks for whatever shoes you end up with. I like the sockwell socks (amazon, sockwell, some actual stores) and wear the 20-30mmHg compression. My legs feel tired and heavy wearing normal socks after a shift. Those socks last a long time; worth every penny.

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I just bought a pair of the Asics gel nimbus shoes and they are so comfy. Go to a store to try on your size first though because they run small.

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Some OR's require you to have a leather top to help prevent sharps sticks if anything is dropped off the field. Finding a pair of athletic/running shoes with that is hard to find because many of them still have small perforations for breathability. I found that the Nike Janoski Max's (the leather or suede versions) fit the bill for comfort and meet the OR requirement at my hospital.

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