Ask a Nurse: What Are the Best Watches for Nurses?

In our Ask a Nurse series, experienced nurses provide an insider look at the nursing profession by answering your questions about nursing careers, degrees, and resources.

Our team independently chose these products. If you click on a product link, we may earn a commission. Learn more here.

According to the healthcare professionals we interviewed, no one watch is perfect for all nurses. Each person has different needs and preferences. When looking for your watch, decide which features are most important to you and find one that meets those needs.

Our contributors agree that the best watches for nurses are fluid-resistant.

Working in a hospital or around patients, there is a potential your watch will get wet. Nurses wash their hands frequently throughout the day. While you may not submerge the watch, it will likely be splashed consistently throughout the day.

Clara Sutton worked as a nurse in the early stages of her career, before making the switch to human resources. She prefers a watch with a self-illuminating face, perfect for nurses on the night shift.

She also recommends watches with a durable band that is easy to clean during and after each shift.

Amanda Haas, a registered nurse of more than 14 years, prefers a watch with a second hand that is always visible. “The best nursing watch, for nursing alone, is a basic analog watch with a solid silicone band,” she says.

Krista Elkins is a registered nurse and paramedic with 20 years of experience working on ground and helicopter ambulances. She advises that if your watch is digital, it should have an easy-to-read analog-type function with a second hand.

Bands and batteries should be easily replaceable. Finally, the watch should be easy to clean, with no nooks and crannies where dirt and pathogens might hide.

The best watches for nurses are functional and don’t require a lot of fiddling to use. Haas recommends nurses avoid watches with metal links and fabric bands.

“Clip-on or pin-on watches are cute, but require the nurse to hold away from their body to read. Often both of our hands are busy when we need to see our watch,” she says.

Sutton recommends nurses avoid watches that can’t withstand the wear and tear associated with work. “Nurses should avoid watches that are not water-resistant, have a small face, or a weak band,” she says.

Some nurses just prefer digital smartwatches. Elkins prefers a watch with multiple functions. However, she warns there are features that nurses should avoid.

“Sometimes, nurses find themselves in a dark environment (for example, a flight nurse working on a dark scene call),” she says, “and he or she may need their watch to light up well in this particular environment. Also, we often have both hands tied up, so if a nurse can quickly look down at their watch and get a timer for those times they need one, that would be best.”