Work Shoes for Nurses in New Orleans
Orleans Shoe Co. — Built for 12-Hour Shifts
Work Shoes for Nurses in New Orleans
If you're a nurse, tech, or healthcare worker, your shoes aren't a fashion choice — they're job equipment. A bad pair leaves you limping by hour eight. The right pair carries you through a double, a code, and the walk back to the parking garage without your knees screaming.
Every day, all four stores
10% Off for Hospital Workers
Show us your badge, scrubs, or ID at checkout. Same discount for military and restaurant workers. No forms, no sign-up.
We've been fitting nurses from Ochsner, Tulane, LCMC, UMC, Touro, Children's, and East Jefferson since 2002. Locally owned, voted Best Shoe Store by Gambit readers in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024, and 2025.
Slip-Resistant ShoesOn Your Feet All Day
Or walk in — free fitting, no appointment, four locations.
Why Nurses Don't Buy These Online
You can order a pair of HOKAs in thirty seconds. So why do hundreds of New Orleans nurses come into our stores instead?
- Your feet are not the same size. One is almost always bigger. We measure both, every visit, and fit to the larger one.
- Width matters more than length. Most foot pain on long shifts comes from the wrong width, not the wrong size. We stock medium, wide, and extra-wide in most styles — and narrow, which almost nobody does.
- Arch support is individual. A high-arch nurse and a flat-footed nurse need completely different shoes inside the same brand. We take a free imprint and fit accordingly, not a guess.
- No restocking fees. If a shoe doesn't work after a shift, bring it back. Try another. We'd rather you walk out happy.
- Plantar fasciitis, bunions, neuromas, post-surgical recovery — tell us what hurts and we'll narrow the wall down to three pairs in ten minutes.
The Shoes Nurses Actually Buy From Us
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HOKA Bondi & Bondi SRThe most cushioned shoe HOKA makes, and the SR version is slip-resistant for hospital floors. If you've never tried max cushion and you stand all day, this one feels like cheating.
Women's · Men's -
HOKA CliftonA little lighter than the Bondi, same ride. Popular with nurses who walk a lot of hospital miles per shift.
Women's · Men's -
On CloudsurferThe CloudTec sole has a compression feel a lot of younger nurses prefer. Lightweight, breathable, and available in the all-black dress code colorway.
Women's · Men's -
ASICS GT-2000A stability shoe that pulls double duty for nurses who run on their days off. Good for overpronators.
Women's · Men's -
New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 & 990The 990 is the classic wide-width workhorse. The 1080 is the cushion play. Both in widths up to 4E.
Women's · Men's -
Dansko Professional ClogThe original nursing clog. If you grew up watching a nurse wear these, there's a reason — they last for years and the rocker bottom takes pressure off your forefoot.
Women's · Men's -
Birkenstock Boston & TokioClosed-back, for nurses who can wear clogs. The cork footbed molds to your foot over the first week and then it's yours forever. The Super Birki wipes clean.
Women's · Men's -
SASHandcrafted in Texas for all-day standing, in widths from slim through triple wide. Our answer when nothing else fits.
Women's · Men's -
KizikHands-free. Step in without touching them — worth a lot at the end of a double.
Women's · Men's -
OOFOSNot for the shift. For after it, when your feet are done and you still have to get home.
Women's · Men's
Bring your current work shoes and your work socks. The wear pattern tells us a lot before you take them off — and if the foam is dead, that's usually why your feet started hurting, not your feet changing.
Dress Codes
Most hospital codes want solid black or solid white, no contrast logo, closed toe and heel, and something that wipes clean. Bring the sheet if you have one — we read a lot of them and we'll tell you straight whether a shoe passes. Our uniform and work shoes collection is the part of our floor that meets those rules.
Visit Us — Every Location Is Close to a Major Hospital
French Quarter — 541 Chartres Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
Closest to Tulane Medical Center, University Medical Center, and the CBD hospitals.
504-350-0035 · Mon–Sat 10–6, Sun 11–5
Magazine Street — 3112 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70115
Closest to Touro Infirmary, Children's Hospital, and Ochsner Baptist.
504-875-2929 · Mon–Sat 10–6, Sun 11–5
Metairie Road — 480 Metairie Road, Metairie, LA 70005
Closest to East Jefferson General and the Old Metairie clinics.
504-324-7718 · Mon–Sat 10–6, Sun 11–5
Severn — 3000 Severn Avenue, Metairie, LA 70002
Closest to Ochsner Medical Center and the West Esplanade clinics.
504-888-7080 · Mon–Sat 9:30–6, Sun 11–5
Walk in any time. No appointment. Bring your scrubs if you want to see how the shoe looks with your uniform — we encourage it. Find your nearest store. Call 504-910-2900.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best shoe for a 12-hour hospital shift?
For most nurses, the HOKA Bondi or Bondi SR is the strongest starting point because of its max cushioning. But the right answer depends on your arch height, foot width, and whether you pronate. Come in and we'll narrow it down in one visit.
Do you carry slip-resistant shoes for hospital and OR floors?
Yes. The HOKA Bondi SR, Dansko Professional, and Birkenstock Super Grip are all slip-rated. See our slip-resistant collection. Black doesn't mean slip-rated, so ask — we'll tell you which is which.
I have plantar fasciitis. Which shoes help?
This is our specialty. Brands that consistently help: HOKA for max cushioning, Dansko because the rocker sole takes pressure off the heel, and Birkenstock for the firm contoured arch. Also see shoes for plantar fasciitis and our arch supports.
Do you carry wide and extra-wide widths?
Yes — wide and 2E in most major brands, 4E in select New Balance, and up to triple wide in SAS. We carry narrow too.
What if you don't have my size or width in stock?
We can usually special order it. Call 504-910-2900 with the style, size, and width, or come in and we'll sort it at the counter.
Do you offer staff discounts for hospital systems?
Yes. 10% off for hospital workers, military, and restaurant workers at all four locations. Show us your badge, scrubs, or ID at checkout.
Orleans Shoe Co. — third-generation shoe people fitting New Orleans since 2002. Piediscalzo means "barefoot" in Italian. Shoes are in our blood.