Best Nursing Shoes for Women

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If you’re a nurse who loves shoes, this is the post for you. Side note: Hi, I can relate. Do you want to be friends?

Throughout my years as a nursing assistant, then a nursing student, and now a nurse, I can confirm that not all nursing shoes for women are created equal. I’m breaking down some of the ones I’ve tried and hated, tried and loved, and haven’t tried but have heard some tea about it in our list of the best nursing shoes for women below.

Hoka One One (“Hokas”)

Okay okay, I know these are probably the most expensive nursing shoes for women. I am aware. But you guys, there’s a reason. You get what you pay for! I’ve had a few pairs of Hokas throughout the years, including the Hoka One One Clifton 8 and the Hoka One One Women’s Low-top Sneaker, and my favorite is by far the Clifton 8 style. This particular style seems to be the fan favorite among nurses (yes, I asked around extensively before making this purchase.) They are so lightweight, so comfortable, and literally the only shows I’ve ever been able to wear for 12 hours without feeling like my feet are being murdered.

The downside? Yes, they are pretty pricey, and they are definitely not as waterproof as some other options (hellooo bodily fluids.) They will obviously look dirty quicker if you order a lighter color, but damn is it worth it. You can also throw them in the wash when they get too gnarly.

Skechers Women’s Flex Appeal 2.0 Sneaker

Am I the only one who feels like there is a stigma that people who wear Skechers are losers? No? Just me? I honestly don’t even care, because these are the first shoes I got for my first big-girl nursing job, and had they not worn out so quickly (after about 1 year) I would probably still have them.

The biggest perk of these is that they are nonslip and look like a sneaker but are actually 1000% waterproof. You can use bleach wipes or Cavi wipes on these and not worry about the color fading or them getting damaged. The best part is they don’t allow bodily fluids to get on your socks, which is always a huge score. They also have tons of color options, so yes I have purchased a few different ones.

The downside to these (and why I ultimately switched to Hokas) is the arch support. My feet were always a bit achey by the end of the day, though I have heard of some people putting orthotics or more comfortable insoles in their nursing shoes. I have never tried this method because honestly, these shoes are so inexpensive that it always made more sense to just buy new ones.

Brooks Women’s Ghost 14 Neutral Running Shoe

Before Covid times (or BC as I like to call it,) I was training for a half marathon and was in the best shape of my life, running 10 miles a day on average. And before you ask, no I have not ever hit this number again, but we’re working on it.) I figured if I could wear my Brooks Ghost Running Shoes for that long, I would probably be okay wearing them at work.

I have tons of co-workers who have followed the same logic, wear these everyday, and would never switch it up because they love them so much. For me personally, I still felt a bit achey after 12 hours on my feet (much like my nerdy Skechers,) and don’t love that they aren’t very waterproof and are therefore a bit harder to clean. There are several new / other models of Brooks Womens Running Shoes though, which means the price of these isn’t terrible at about $90 on Amazon. This model, however, arguably has the best (and most fun) color selection of any others I have seen, and are versatile in the sense that you can throw them in the wash and then use them to work out. I am all about being able to use your nursing shoes for multiple things (after a good cleaning of course.)

*As an honorable mention, many of my coworkers also have (and really love) the Brooks Women’s Adrenaline GTS 22 Supportive Running Shoe, which have a bit more ankle / arch support. I have these as well and use them for running, and can’t recommend them enough.

Dansko Women’s Professional Clog Slip-on (“Danskos”)

I already know what you’re thinking on this one. I was #influenced to purchase these after seeing all of the experienced nurses on my unit swearing by their Dansko cloggers. Most people’s biggest complaints with Danskos are 1) how hard they are to run in, 2) how ugly they are, and 3) how painful they are to break in. I can confirm 2 of these 3 complaints.

While I didn’t really experience any pain when breaking in my Danskos, I did get a few blisters here and there for the first few days of wearing them. But I never had to walk around the house or do anything other than just go to work with them on to “break them in.” This honestly might just depend on your sizing, because I did have to return a few pairs before I found the size that worked best for me.

I can confirm, though, that if you try to run in these you will likely suffer from one or all of the following: Looking like Bambi on ice, losing one or both shoes, or breaking your ankle(s). I have tripped and rolled my ankle far more in these shoes than I have in any other shoe I have worn in my life. People will also likely hear you coming from a mile away, because there’s really no way to walk gracefully (read: not stomp) in these little cloggers.

I will say, though, that they were very comfortable and had great arch support even after 12 hour days. I never felt the foot soreness, and they were the easiest shoes I’ve ever had in terms of cleaning – just one quick wipe was all they needed. There are also some pretty fun designs available, though I found that the ones I purchased chipped very easily a few months in and looked much older than they were. Maybe go with a plain black or white?

Hawkwell Women’s Lightweight Comfort Slip Resistant Nursing Shoes

While these dainty little slip resistant shoes are definitely not the most fashionable, I did use them throughout nursing school (mostly because our school required us to wear completely white clogs or something that looked similar to that.)

They were comfortable enough, but I knew these weren’t a long-term investment. I didn’t want to buy expensive white Danskos if I didn’t know that I would like them, and I didn’t plan on having white shoes forever, so these were a great, inexpensive purchase.

I also had no issues with comfort, how waterproof they were, or easy to clean they were. A win win really!

Others to mention

Though I’ve never personally tried any of the below brands, I have coworkers who have purchased (and been obsessed with) the following:

Crocs. For the love of god, get the ones without the holes if you work in an area where bodily fluids are flowing. The closed toed ones are easy to clean, slip in and out of, and come in a lot of fun colors. Though their “look” is not my cup of tea, everyone I know who has these never stops talking about how comfortable they are, which is honestly the most important factor in a new shoe!

Clove. Marketed as “shoes for nurses,” these are another sneaker look-alike that are non-slip, waterproof, and easy to clean. I have heard various things about how comfortable these guys are (some people said hell yes, some people said never again.)

New Balance. I’ve actually heard amazing things about New Balance sneakers for long 12-hour days, especially when it comes to comfort. I’ve never purchased these, but I might consider these if I ever become a non-Hoka fan (not likely, but a girl can dream.)

Still not convinced? Here are some things to consider before making your next shoe purchase

If you’re really on the hunt for the best nursing shoes for women, I would encourage you to think about the following before making your purchase.

• Price. Keep in mind that you will likely go through a few shoes throughout your nursing career, so you can start low and then get the best of the best if you’re just trying out new styles.
• Comfort / sizing. Do you require wide toe boxes? More arch support? Or maybe you’re interested in putting orthotics in? These factors will all impact how you get sized. Pro tip: Get sized at a running shoe store, especially if you end up purchasing Brooks or Hokas. It helps tremendously, and some of the styles do run smaller than usual.
• How non-slip they are. The last thing you want is to face-plant!
• Style. Do you want clogs or sneakers?
• Slip on or shoelaces. Do you want shoes that are easy to slip in and out of, or do you not care and prefer shoelaces? I have shoelaces on mine but still slip them on and off everyday, so this one is just personal preference.
• How waterproof they are. Will your socks get wet?
• Ease of cleaning. Can you wipe them easily at the end of each day, or do you need to put them in the wash once in a while? Both are pretty easy, it’s just – again – personal preference.

I hope you found this list of the best nursing shoes for women helpful, and ask that you please leave a comment below if you have any other recommendations (*for research purposes, obviously.)