Work Shoes for Nurses in New Orleans
Work Shoes for Nurses in New Orleans
Fitted in person. Built for 12-hour shifts. Four locations across the metro.
If you're a nurse, tech, or healthcare worker in New Orleans, 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 your car in the parking garage without your knees screaming.
At Orleans Shoe Co., we've been fitting nurses from Ochsner, Tulane, LCMC, UMC, Touro, Children's, and East Jefferson for over 17 years. We're locally owned, voted Best Shoe Store by Gambit readers in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024, and 2025, and every store is staffed by Certified Arch Support Specialists who measure your feet — both of them, every visit — before recommending a thing.
Why nurses don't buy these online
You can order a pair of Hokas from Amazon in 30 seconds. So why do hundreds of New Orleans nurses come into our stores instead?
- Your feet are not the same size. One foot is almost always bigger. We measure both, every time, and fit to the larger.
- 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.
- Arch support is custom. A high-arch nurse and a flat-footed nurse need completely different shoes inside the same brand. We fit you with the right insole, not a guess.
- No restocking fees, no return shipping. 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 — our staff is trained on all of it. Tell us what hurts and we'll narrow the wall down to three pairs in 10 minutes.
The shoes nurses actually buy from us
These are the styles flying off our shelves to healthcare workers right now. Every one of these makes the national "best for nurses" lists — and we'll fit you for them in person.
Hoka Bondi 9 & Bondi SR — The most-cushioned shoe Hoka makes, and the SR version is slip-resistant for hospital floors. If you've never tried a max-cushion shoe and you stand all day, this one feels like cheating.
Hoka Clifton 10 — A little lighter than the Bondi, same cloud-like ride. Popular with nurses who walk a lot of hospital miles per shift.
Cloudsurfer — On's CloudTec sole has a unique compression feel that a lot of younger nurses prefer. Lightweight, breathable, and available in the all-black hospital dress code colorway.
ASICS GT-2000 14 — A stability shoe that pulls double duty for nurses who run on their days off. Great for overpronators.
New Balance Fresh Foam 1080v14 & 990v6 — The 990 is the classic wide-width workhorse. The 1080 is the cushion play. Both come in widths up to 4E.
Dansko Professional Clog — The OG 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.
Birkenstock Boston (closed-back) and Tokio (closed-back, slip-on) — For nurses who can wear clogs to work. The cork footbed molds to your foot over the first week and then it's yours forever.
Visit us — every location is close to a major hospital
Orleans Shoe Co. French Quarter — 541 Chartres Street, New Orleans, LA 70130 Closest to Tulane Medical Center, University Medical Center, and the CBD hospitals. Phone: 504-350-0035 | Mon–Sat: 10am–6pm | Sun: 11am–5pm
Orleans Shoe Co. Magazine Street — 3112 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70115 Closest to Touro Infirmary, Children's Hospital, and Ochsner Baptist. Phone: 504-875-2929 | Mon–Sat: 10am–6pm | Sun: 11am–5pm
Orleans Shoe Co. Metairie Road — 480 Metairie Road, Metairie, LA 70005 Closest to East Jefferson General and the Metairie Road / Old Metairie clinics. Phone: 504-324-7718 | Mon–Sat: 10am–6pm | Sun: 11am–5pm
Orleans Shoe Co. Severn (Metairie) — 3000 Severn Avenue, Metairie, LA 70002 Closest to Ochsner Medical Center and the West Esplanade clinics. Phone: 504-888-7080 | Mon–Sat: 9:30am–6pm | Sun: 11am–5pm
Walk in any time. No appointment needed. Bring your scrubs if you want to see how the shoe looks with your uniform — we encourage it. Find your nearest store and get directions here.
📞 Call us: 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 several Crocs styles are all slip-resistant. We can also point you toward styles that meet specific dress codes (all-black, closed-back, leather-only).
I have plantar fasciitis. Which shoes help? This is our specialty. We're Certified Arch Support Specialists and we carry custom-fit arch supports at every location. Brands that consistently help our PF customers: Hoka (max cushioning), Dansko (rocker sole takes pressure off the heel), and Birkenstock (firm contoured arch).
Do you carry wide and extra-wide widths? Yes — wide and 2E in most major brands, and 4E in select New Balance styles. Tell us what you need and we'll show you what's in stock at your closest location.
Do you offer staff discounts for hospital systems? Yes. Orleans Shoe Co. offers a 10% discount to hospital workers, military, and restaurant workers at all four locations. Just show us your badge, scrubs, or ID at checkout — we'll take care of the rest.
Orleans Shoe Co. — Third-generation shoe people fitting New Orleans since 2008. Piediscalzo means "barefoot" in Italian. Shoes are in our blood.