Stain resistance, slip-resistance, comfort, support, durability — there are a bevy of reasons nurses need quality shoes to do their best when on the job. That is why nurse.org asked its online community of more 133,000 nurses to recommend their favorite shoes.
The organization took the most recommended shoes and put them to the test for their final review, revealing five quality options for the health care heroes who need to be able to think on their feet without discomfort getting in the way.
Each shoe was ranked on 10 categories: quality, cost, comfort, water resistant, sharps resistant, no-slip, style/fashion, support, durability and ability to clean.
Figs | New Balance 996 Unisex
Figs’ New Balance 996 Unisex earned the top spot. With the top score in all but two categories, the pair was tested by a labor and delivery nurse with five years of experience. The shoes were ultimately found not to be resistant to needles and other sharp objects and only somewhat water resistant. However, their overall quality earned a max rating.
Asics
A critical care nurse with more than 20 years of experience put a pair of Asics Novablast shoes to the test. This pair earned high marks in all categories, scoring a 4 out of 5 in water resistance and support, and a 5 out of 5 in everything else.
Bala
Bala Twelves are designed specifically for female foot morphology with nurses in mind. According to a critical care nurse with more than 20 years of experience, the shoes are perfect — having earned maximum marks in every category.
Brooks
A nurse with 10 years of experience put the Brooks Ghost 12 running shoes to the test, ultimately finding the less expensive $89.93 kicks to be lacking in two categories but still high quality overall. He found the shoes weren’t water resistant, or resistant to needles and other sharp objects. The pair earned maximum marks for overall quality, comfort, support and durability — having earned a four mark rating for cost, slip resistance, style and ability to clean.
Nike Vapormax
According to a critical care and vascular access nurse with five years of experience, the more costly Nike Vapormax earned high marks for style, overall quality and comfort. However, the shoes earned low marks for water resistance, resistance to needles and other sharp objects, and only middling scores for cost and ability to clean.
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