Shoes

If you have the extra money I'd say go ahead and get Dansko I have a pair of the Pro XPs and after long hours my feet don't suffer. But everyone is different, I did have to break in my Dansko's first and they were uncomfortable the first few times I wore them.

I swear by Dansko. I've worn them for 18 yrs in dentistry and I will continue through out nursing as well. Loooooooove them!

I love dansko. But I've learned it's important not to buy patent leather- it has no give. And it's important to buy xp pros. I have wide feet and need the wider toe box. I also buy the inserts with the metatarsal support.

I have 2 pair of danskos and love them. Just go down in size. I did. I normally wear about a 6-6.5 in regular shoes and ended up in a 36 in danskos which I think is about a 5 in US sizing. They still have plenty of give.

I have had the same pair of danskos for about 10 years and yes it took quite some time for my feet to feel comfortable in the arch area, they are good for standing, but if you have to run be careful as twisting an ankle will be easy to do in these shoes. As for the Ariats, I have several pairs of Ariat boots (I ride horses) and I will not wear any other boot, the comfort and quality is unsurpassed. My boots have been completely submerged in mud and water and no leaks! I know this is not relevant to nursing, but its good to know they are water/fluid proof

Thanks! I ended up wearing the Ariats at work the other night for a few hours at a time and they were comfortable, but I think my feet are just so beat up that they throb because of my other shoes. I'm hoping as I break them in they'll be better. I also decided that since I found a really good deal on a pair of new Danskos on ebay that I would buy those too and give them both a try. I'm sad though that the Danskos for me need to be narrow width which means I'm limited to black or brown and no fun colors. Oh well I guess the most important thing is comfort.

I can't give advice on Danskos or Ariats because I'm a male with size 15 feet. I'm pretty much stuck with running shoes.

I will say this: give the shoes some time to break in. I mean, wear them around the house a couple hours a day for a couple weeks. It takes time for the uppers and soles to form to your unique foot. I've found that my go to shoes, patent leather Reeboks, take about 80 hours to fully break in. Yours may not take as long, but make sure to give them an honest chance before you drop more cash on a different brand.

I would also recommend wearing a pair of compression hose instead of regular socks. It really helps keep the circulation going in your legs, which keeps my feet fresh throughout a long shift. I find the hose are almost as important as good shoes.