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High heels: Why would I go back to wearing them after this?

Would any Hospital Allow its Nurses to Wear High Heels?

Heels are a normal part of a female’s attire, but for a nurse wearing heels to an emergency room can be disturbing and problematic. The nurses have to coordinate with the doctors and stay on their feet longer than the typical eight work hours. However, some hospitals allow the nurses to wear heels at places like the administrative office or any other non-patient area. The maximum limit of heels at most of the hospitals is 3″.

There are various reasons due to which hospitals prohibit nurses and doctors from wearing heels. A Hollywood show is not happening at the hospital, where the nurses and doctors would run in high heels while performing a serious operation. Various hospitals allow their nurses to wear heels, but most nurses ditch the heels, as the hospital environment is not safe to wear them.

Reasons for Not Allowing Heels

The work of a nurse at the hospital is hectic, and comfortable clothing and footwear should be their priority. Several hospitals prohibit heels at the emergency room and patients’ room. The main reason is that the floors of hospitals get slippery, the nurses have to assist the doctors and move quickly, during an operation, blood and other bodily fluids may leak out from patients, and lastly, heels are uncomfortable to work with for a long duration. Nurses’ work shifts are much more than the typical eight hours; they have to stand for a longer period, and heels would for sure give them foot aches and shoe bites.

Common rules that are applicable at hospitals, not permitting its nurses to wear heels include:-

  • Nurses or other medical staff working at the departments where the risk of blood or body fluid is high should wear footwear of closed toes.
  • The sole of the footwear should be flat and made up of soft materials like rubber to reduce the sound created by the footwear.
  • The footing provided by the footwear should be safe and secure.

These are the common rules considered at the hospitals, where the use of heels is prohibited. Leniency is given at administrative offices or non-patient areas, and here the nurses and other medical staff can wear heels up to 3″. But during an emergency room, it’s a clear and normal understanding of the nurse that heels should not be worn there.

Effects of Heel on Nurses

Not only the attire but also the footwear of the nurse’s counts. Comfortable footwear is very important for the medical staff, as they have to work for long hours, and most of their tasks include long standing hours. Here is how the proper footwear affects the work of the nurses and other medical staff members:-

  • Flat footwear is more comfortable than heels. Heels can lead to terrible aching of feet and swollen feet. They can leave the feet with bruises. Hence they are extremely uncomfortable footwear for the nurses because their work demands long standing hours, and heels can only increase the discomfort. It’s best to wear the flats like sneakers as their sole is very comfortable and good for people who have to stand longer.
  • Heels can lead to severe back pain. Though many medical staff members like nurses wear heels at the hospitals, many hospitals strictly forbid high heels. The use of high heels can cause various problems like foot pain, tiredness, circulatory trouble, back pain, and chronic pain. To keep these problems at bay and eliminate the noise produced by the heels, they should be avoided at hospitals.
  • At the hospital, nurses deal with various dreadful chemicals and toxic drugs. Heels can get damaged by such chemicals, and during operation, many liquids can ooze out from the patient’s body, and heels can slip on those. The nurses and doctors should use proper shoes to cover the feet completely.
  • The nurses and other medical staff members should wear footwear with anti-slip soles. Hospital floors are a bit slippery, and heels will never prevent someone from slipping. Try to avoid the footwear with holes and absorbing material to avoid the fluids from coming in contact with the feet.
  • Heels do not have a good grip on the feet compared to flats like sneakers and sports shoes. A good hold of footwear is very important for the nurses as they have to walk fast and sometimes even run. A good grip of shoes will ensure no slip and fall. A strap at the back of footwear will be beneficial for a good grip of feet.
  • Heels are not at all ventilated and can lead to extreme sweating. A pair of footwear with good ventilation is necessary for the nurses to prevent the feet from extra sweating and fungal infection. Shoes with ventilation holes should be worn. Keep in mind the location of these holes. They should be present at the sides to prevent the feet from liquids.

Conclusion

Not all hospitals restrict their nurses from wearing high heels, but the nurses and other medical staff members should understand that they should keep their comfort over the fashion. The hospital environment is not safe for wearing heels because the environment is very hectic there. The nurses have to walk fast over the slippery floor, various fluids and harmful chemicals and drugs are used at the hospital. All these factors make the heels the most unsuitable footwear for the nurses. Footwear with a flat sole made of substances like rubber should be worn to curb the noise produced by the footwear. The fabric of footwear should be non-absorbing and resistant to stains.

For the hospitals where the heels are prohibited, various rules are implemented. The nurses scheduled in the emergency room and patients’ room should avoid the heels, and their shoes should be fully covered to prevent their feet from fluids and bloodstains. The grip of the footwear should be good to prevent from slipping over the floors. It’s alright to wear heels at the administrative offices and the places where there are no patients. Heels are not a comfortable option for nurses, and they can also lead to physical problems like back pain, foot pain, tiredness, circulatory system problem, and other medical issues. Hence, flat sole footwear like sneakers should be worn by the nurses to the hospital. So, the bottom line is hospitals can allow its nurse to wear high heels, but the nurses should choose their footwear accordingly.

About Rachel

Hi my name is Rachel; a registered nurse. I graduated from one of the best nursing programmes and have been working in the medical field for 10 years. As a licensed practical nurse, I understand the plight that comes with the job. While I enjoy taking care of patients, I understand the long working hours that nurses have to deal with. We spend majority of the shifts walking around the medical centre making sure all patients are taken care of and this requires a lot of work and energy on the feet. https://bestnursingshoes.net has been created to help nurses from different parts of the world find the perfect shoes to reduce the strain on your feet and posture and make the job much easier.

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