A post about the trials of trying to find the best shoes for nurses…and I think I’ve found them!

The most frustrating parts of my job:

1. 6 o’clock admissions
2. Hudson/INCA Prongs (scroll to the bottom for a photo of this apparatus created by the devil himself)
3. Working Thanksgiving and Christmas
4. and trying to find a shoe that can actually last 13 hours!

Honestly, you would think it would be a lot easier. Throughout my 7 years as a nurse, it feels like I have tried nearly every brand of shoe. It has been both frustrating + expensive.

SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM TO SEE WHAT SHOE IS FINALLY WORKING FOR ME!

Note: 1) Everyone’s feet are different, this is just my personal experience. 2) Where I’m from we call them tennis shoes, but AKA sneakers AKA gym shoes, AKA trainers, etc.

These were the first tennis shoe that I bought as a new grad nurse and they lasted all of 2 weeks before the pain was just too much to bear:

The second pair that I bought were the Nike Air Max 2012 and they were a God send!

They were so perfect! My feet never ever hurt, not a single second. I had success with these for yeaaarrrsss. I wore these until they had holes in them and then I bought the Air Max 2014 Flyknit. Still amazing. Fast forward to 2016 and Nike. Changed. The. Design. While the shoes are still comfortable, they know longer last me a full 12.5 hours.

Things have never been the same.

All of the shoes I’ve ran through since becoming a nurse:

I am not saying these aren’t comfortable shoes and they all in fact will last you at least 7 hours. For most people in their daily life or even in their jobs, that’s just fine, but that doesn’t work for me. I stand 10-13 hours a shift; that nurse lifestyle hit different.

1. Nike Air Max 2016 and 2017 |can wear pain free for about 9 hours|exchanged for the Nike vapormax
2. New Balance 574 |wear time: about 9-10 hours |I love 574’s just in general, for every day walking and running around the city. There’s something about the look of them that I just think is so dope! kept as a leisure shoe
3. Adidas Ultraboost 19 |wear time: 8 hours| donated to charity 
4. Adidas NMD |wear time: 8 hours| kept as a leisure shoe
5. Nike Vapormax |wear time: 7 hours| kept as a leisure shoe
6. Brooks Ghost 11 |wear time: 10 hours| returned to the store
7. Nike Roche |wear time: 12 hours| For some reason, the design of these is so simple, but they work! They are definitely a good work shoe for nurses. kept as a  second/extra work shoe 

My house is like a graveyard where tennis shoes go to die. As my search for the perfect work shoe just dragged on and on and on, I was rotating between the Nike Air Max 2016, the New Balance 574, and the Nike Roche.

THE MONEY SHOT

I think I’ve finally found the one: Adidas Womens Running Ultraboost Shoe

Last month I ordered these bad boys:

Per the recommendation of @thekatieduke and @iamnursemo, I bought the Adidas Womens Running Ultraboost Shoes. Now, I was very skeptical because I had already tried Adidas, TWICE! But, I trusted the judgement of these nurses, each design is different + I was like what do I have to lose at this point?

Before I purchased these, I had my feet analyzed at Fleet Feet and their salesman also recommended that I try this version of the Ultraboost. Fleet Feet advises, because our feet swell a little after we stand for all of those hours, that you order a half size up, so I did. I am one month into wearing these and since my beloved Air Max 2012, they are the best I have found. One day I ended up having a 14 hour shift and I don’t know if it was the adrenaline or what (it took us 6 hours to stabilize/settle the baby I was caring for and I stood for 5 consecutive hours), but I never felt my feet throughout the entire shift. That is how it should be. When I am focused on a sick kid, my feet should be the last thing in my way.

So far so good and I really hope things stay this way.

What do y’all wear to work? Do your feet hurt??

*not sponsored, but I wish it was*