Shoes and Shoe Covers

Shoes Overview: The medical profession places as high a demand on the feet of the practitioner and staff as it does on the rest of the body. For this reason a variety of footwear has been designed to support the feet of those who are on the floor for long hours, and whose jobs require that they stand and walk on a regular basis. Nursing Shoes are specially designed for just this purpose.

 

There are several kinds of shoes available, both for nurses and for practitioners. Some shoes are sturdy, breathable, and comfortable clogs, while others are designed to be put in an autoclave for cleaning. Most shoes are styled like tennis shoes or walking shoes, as this constitutes the bulk of their use. Medical uniform shoes are designed with good arch and ball support. Another comfort feature is the degree to which the shoes allow air to circulate to the foot and moisture to circulate away. Many clogs offer a vented upper, and several of the shoes offer vents for breathing as well. 

 

Other styles are also available. For example, Birkenstock offers clog and sandal models, although the sandal model is better in an office setting rather than on the floor or in the lab. This is not due to inferior comfort construction as much as it is due to the unsafe open-toed nature of sandals.

 

Shoes should also be easy to clean, and most medical brands offer leather or other smooth type uppers which is easy to wipe down or polish. As mentioned before, the autoclavable clog is the best example of this kind of shoe. 

 

Types: Clogs, Lace-ups, autoclavable, sandal etc.

 

Prices: $25 to $105+

 

Manufacturers: AllHeart, Keds, Dansko, Reebok, Dickies Nursing Shoes, New Balance, Quark, AnyWear, Shoes for Crews, Birkenstock, Cherokee Nursing Shoes, etc.

 

Accessories: socks, hosiery, laces.

 

Sources: Landau Shoes, Urbane Shoes, .

 

Shoe Covers Overview: Shoe covers serve to reduce static electricity in environments where sensitive electrical equipment is present, as well as to prevent dust and other contaminants from compromising sterile field. Some come with non-slip soles, are latex-free, and disposable. Typical price for a box of 100 is between $5 and $10; discounts apply for some retailers, and box count is only given as an example. Shoe covers can be had at www.atlantamedsupply.com and www.themedsupplyguide.com among others.