As Nurses, we are constantly on the move. We are on our feet 8 hours a day at work, sometimes even longer if we are pulling doubles. One of the things most nurses overlook are shoes. we go to Walmart and get the fisrt affordable shoes we can find. some of these shoes are not meant for walking. Here are some tips of how to choose the best shoes for you nursing career:
- Get the right shoe size: getting your shoe size right is the most important part of shoe hunting. Go to a store and pick the shoe size that fits you best, not too tight and not too loose. if you are shopping at a nursing supply store then you will have your choice for the best Nursing shoes that will fit you well, if you are visiting a athletics store, you might need to ask the associate where to find the best walking shoes. Online there are plenty of stores like amazon that sell Nursing shoes
. When you shop online make sure you have the size right.
- Follow the uniform rules: Buy the right color and style according to your Company's uniform policy. deviating from this policy might make your Company bar you from wearing the shoes to work.
- Stay on budget: Do not buy an overly expensive shoe if you can find a cheaper shoe that functions the same and has the same specs. Do not be lured by labels and fashion trends. wear what will be comfortable to you.
- Test drive: before putting the shoes back in the box and heading off to the counter, walk in them. Take a long walk around the store to make sure that you feel comfortable in them. do it even if the associate or customers look at you weird. Do not worry about them, after all, you will be the one hurting if you make the wrong choice.
- Consider inserts: if you plan to put in gel or foam inserts, leave some space to accommodate them. Try your shoes with inserts, even if they are not the desired inserts, to make sure they don't get too tight after putting the inserts.
- Do not over use: Buy several pairs of shoes, so you don't overuse one pair. Having several pairs allows your feet to breathe especially if you move from clogs to laced or slip-on shoes. Worn out shoes will only hurt your feet and make a long day gruelling.
Feel free to share, comment and ask questions. What other methods do you use to Choose your shoes?
Tablet-A tablet is a Must-have nursing tool. It comes handy especially when studying, or pulling out research information. It's light, and can easily fit in a back-pack. There is quite a huge range of Tablets in the market today. I find the 10" tablets the best size. Samsung has a new tablet that is to die for. its 10.1inch screen is HUGE and its 1.6GHz processor makes it fast. it has a generous memory to allow for you to save pictures and videos. if the $379 price tag is too much, you can opt for the 7" Samsung galaxy 3 for $1.99. Then there is the Amazon Kindle. Amazon has revamped its Kindle line with the Kindle Fire HD 16GB for $269 (you can get it with 32 GB for $299). It's smaller that the Samsung at 8.9", but its resolution is terrific, and it comes with wifi and custom Dolby audio and dual stereo speakers for crisp, rich sound. The kindle fire gives Nurses access to the amazon massive library of movies, books, magazines and apps. As a nursing tool, one cannot go wrong with the kindle fire (their 7" Kindle fire HD goes for an affordable $159). Then there is the Apple iPad products, the cheapest tablet right now is the Apple mini, with a 7.9" screen and the same features as the Kindle and Samsung galaxy. it retails for $335. The Apple iPad 3 retails for $4.99, it comes with 4G. So for the Nursing student and licensed nurses alike, you are pretty well covered with what tablets to choose to add to your nursing tools.
Smart Phone-Another tool to add to your must-have nursing Tools is a Smart phone. Smart phones have become necessary in the industry and in life. You carry your notes on your smart phone, access vital nursing apps and even ebooks. There are a variety of affordable smart phones like the unlocked quandband 2 sim with android 2.3 OS that retails for only $68. It can be a hustle to find a carrier and download apps on it, so beware. At the same price range there is the No-contract Motorola Droid at $77, and the HTC Droid for verizon at $79.99. At over $100 There is the galaxy ace at $144. This is a nice phone with 3G, 5MP Camera, WiFi and GPS on a 3.5" screen. it's light, decent size and affordable. If you wish to have a bulkier, more expensive phone there is the Samsung Galaxy S with a 5 MP camera, GPS, 4" Screen, dual SIM and 3G. There is of course the iPhone. Right now the iPhone 4 is going for between $290-$400. It comes with 16 GB, 3G and 5 MP Camera. On the high end is the iPhone 5 at between $700 and upto $900 depending on the carrier and storage. it comes in 16 GB and 32 Gb
Memory Notebook- For the visual learner, a nursing memory notebook would come in handy. The memory notebooks come with a collection of visual images and mnemonics to help increase learning and memory. the memory books retail anywhere from $18 to upwards of $50. You, however, do want want to invest too much in this. As a quick reference, this is a very good Nursing tool for learning concepts.
Medical Organizer Kit-Now this will come in handy as a Nursing tool, while in College during clinicals, and out of College working as a Licensed Nurse. There are a variety of Medical nursing organizers that provide a way to store medical items. most come with a pair of scissors, penlight and even a chart pen. they come with enough pockets to keep your equipment within reach. They range in price from $5-$30. This is a nursing Tool every nurse needs to avoid fumbling through your pockets to find equipment.
BP Cuff and Stethoscope-A BP cuff and Stethoscope is always a must-have nursing tool. You will need them for clinicals and while on the job. Not having a BP Cuff and stethoscope will make one look unprofessional.They go for a decent price from $15-$50.
