As a nurse, you will frequently have to take and record breathing and heartbeat rates. Sometimes, you may not have a clock nearby but will still have to chart meds, tests, and assessments accurately. For this reason, you should get a good medical watch.
Which is the Best Medical Watch for Nurses & Nursing Students?
To find the best medical watch, there are a number of factors you should keep in mind. In particular, you want a watch that is dependable, durable, and accurate. Read on for an overview of the best watches for female nurses.
But first, check the comparison table below:
Best Watches for Nurses – Comparison Table
| WATCH | IMAGE | FEATURES | RATING | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caravelle by Bulove Nurse's Lapel Pin Watch |  | This is an elegant choice for those who prefer wearing a watch on the lapel rather than the wrist. | 9.5 | See Price on Amazon |
| Swatch White Bishop Watch |  | This watch features an elegant white strap and background with gold colored numbers and accented time hands. | 9 | See Price on Amazon |
| Casio Women’s LRW3200H Watch |  | This popular watch features a multi-color hour marker design with a separate date window. | 8 | See Price on Amazon |
| Forté Women’s Leather Nurse’s Watch |  | This is true military time watch with a luminous glow dial. However, the price may put it out of reach. | 9 | See Price on Amazon |
| Whimsical Watches White Leather Watch |  | This fun novelty watch will bring in the compliments. However, it does not have advanced features. | 9 | See Price on Amazon |
| Dakota Leather Casual Women’s Watch |  | This nurse watch has colored quadrants that help with taking vitals. It is higly water-resistant and can handle frequent hand washing. | 9.5 | See Price on Amazon |
| Prestige Medical Nurse Cyber Gel Watch |  | This affordable watch features a gel band that withstands handwashing. However, its smaller watch face can be difficult to read. | 9.5 | See Price on Amazon |
| Fitbit Ionic Smartwatch |  | The Ionic is far more than just a watch, coming with apps, music, and fitness trackers. However, you’ll have to use the stopwatch function for taking vitals. | 9 | See Price on Amazon |
| Speidel Scrub Watch |  | The watch has an easy-to-read face and its red second hand is key for monitoring vitals. The silicone watch bands coordinate with many standard scrubs colors. | 10 | See Price on Amazon |
| Nurse Mates Uni Watch |  | This is comfortable watch with a large face and military time markers. This is our top recommendation. | 10 | See Price on Amazon |
When looking for a nurse watch, choose one that is easy to read, even in low light. The watch should have a strap and case that will not be affected by frequently being exposed to water. The watch should also have an accurate second hand for taking vitals.
Guide to Buying a Medical Nurse Watch
What is one feature that all best watches for nurses have? The answer is accuracy.
All the nurse watches we have reviewed below, apart from Fitbit, are analog with quartz movement. Quartz movement is known to be accurate than both automatic and mechanical movements.
Below are other factors to keep in mind when looking for a nurse watch:
Comfort and Style
Consider the feel of the watch you would like to buy. Keep in mind that you’ll be wearing the watch with your outfit. Therefore, you want a model that looks great and is stylish.
If you work in a clinic with a “bare below the elbow” policy, i.e. no jewelry, nail polish or watches are allowed, your best option would be to get a fob watch.
If your nursing school program requires you come with a medical watch, find out whether there is a specific model that is recommended. Also, check the policies of your work area regarding wearing watches before you go shopping.
Watch Bands
Nurses need to be clean at all times in the ward. Get a watch whose band can be easily sterilized with alcohol or through another method to ensure your hand hygiene.
Ideally, you want to avoid watches with leather bands. The bands are difficult to clean and can soak up water. However, the watches are comfortable.
Note: If you prefer to remove your jewelry and watch when washing your hands, then you can be flexible with the band you choose.
Readability
When you want to take respiratory and heart rates, you will need a watch with a second hand that is easy to see. The watch should also be large enough to make it easy for you to see the numbers, even in poor light.
Most hospitals use military time. Therefore, make sure you get a watch that will help to quickly translate the hours to 24-hour time.
Water Resistance
As a nurse, you will have to wash your hands dozens of time during your shit. Most of the time, you will be using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Moreover, you may have handling fluids in different ways, for example, through accidents or spills, administering baths, and so on. Therefore, make sure you get a watch that can handle getting fully wet.
Best Medical Watches for Nurses and Nursing Students
#1. Caravelle by Bulove Nurse’s Lapel Pin Watch
If you are in a setting where you cannot wear a writs medical watch, you should get a fob watch. The Caravelle by Bulove is the medical fob medical watch on the market. The lapel pin watch can be pinned on your scrub pocket to allow you to see the time easy. The watch can also be conveniently hung upside down to enable you to see the time with the 12 at the top of your vision.
The Caravelle lapel watch has a timeless, vintage look. This gold-toned stainless steel looks classy, has military time markers, and a visible red second hand.
Verdict
We love the red second hand of the classic lapel watch. However, the watch is a little expensive.
#2. Swatch White Bishop Watch
The Swatch White Bishop watch is another excellent medical watch for both nurses and doctors. This watch is elegant, accurate, and affordable. The watch comes with a white strap and background and its numbers are gold in color.
The watch Dial window is made of scratch resistant mineral cover while the band cases are made of a plastic/rubber material. The Swatch is water resistant up to a depth of 30 meters.
Verdict
The Swatch White medical watch is an entry-level watch for nurses and doctors with a small budget. The water-resistant capability makes it an excellent accessory to have during your shits.
#3. Casio Women’s LRW3200H Watch
The Casio women’s watch has a multi-color marker design and a separate date window. This medical watch features a white background display and its hands are protected by a mineral crystal dial windows. Other components of the watch are designed from a combination of plastic and resin materials.
The Casio medical watch is water resistant and will remain functioning up to a depth of 100 m. This watch is an excellent option for nurses that come into contact with fluids in their line of work.
Verdict
The Casio is an affordable medical watch that would be excellent for both female nurses and doctors. However, the white straps are bound to get dirty over time.
#4. Forté Women’s Leather Nurse’s Watch
The Forté is the only medical watch that offers true military time movement. The hour hand makes a 360 degree around the watch in a 24 hours period. The other medical watches on this list have the military time next to the 12-hour time number. With the Forté women’s watch, the hand goes round the dial for 24 hours.
The Forté has excellent water resistance properties and will continue functioning when underwater up to 165 feet. This is a great watch if you usually have to administer baths or engage in other activities that get your wrists and hands wet.
The medical watch has a leather strap that is stitched and passed. The strap has a rugged look which gives the watch an attractive appearance. The watch is also easy to see in low-light conditions thanks to the luminous (glow in the dark) hands.
The Forté is an expensive watch but has great features. This is expected of any high-quality medical watch.
Verdict
We love the high water resistance capability of the water and its ability to show true military time. The luminous hands and numbers are also a plus for the watch. However, adjusting to the military time can be confusing for most people.
#5. Whimsical Watches White Leather Watch
The Whimsical White Watch looks like a tiny diorama filled with miniature medical supplies and equipment. Some of the items in the water resistant case include an aspirin vial, prescription bottle, and a miniscule stethoscope. From this description, it’s apparent that this nurse watch is fun to wear.
If you are looking for a nurse themed watch, then you should get the Whimsical. This watch will make everyone who notices it smile. However, the watch lacks a large clock face, contrasting second hand, and military time markers. We recommend this watch if you work in a hospital setting but are not involved in taking vitals manually.
Verdict
The unique design of the Whimsical nurse watch makes it a conversation starter. However, the watch lacks military time, extras, and has a small watch face.
#6. Dakota Leather Casual Women’s Watch
If you love leather band watches, you should get the Dakota Women’s Watch. The dial of the watch face of this watch is split into four sections by colored bands from the outer edge. Each section is 25 seconds, which can be helpful when you have to measure heart or respiration rates.
The leather medical watch has 24-hour time markers that make it easy for you to convert to military time for documentation and charting. The second hand matches the color of the band and is easy to see on the purple and pink options. However, the color does not stand out on the green and blue options.
The Dakota Leather watch is attractive, stylish and a great doctors or nurses watch.
Verdict
We love the contrasting second hand on the purple and pink options. Moreover, the military time markers and quadrant ring make this watch a must-have nurse gear. However, the leather band may soak some water is can be difficult to clean. Moreover, it is difficult to see the second hand on the green and blue options.
#7. Prestige Medical Nurse Cyber Gel Watch
The Prestige Medical Watch is an affordable model that features a silicone band (also known as cyber gel). The watch is available in purple, pink, and black, all of which come at cheap but different prices.
This watch has military time markers and is water resistant. The black version of the watch has a prominent red second hand. A thick, decorative metal band surrounds the outer clock, making the watch look like a good size. However, the watch face is actually small.
The black Prestige medical watch has a good contrast between the background and the numbers. On the other hand, the numbers on the purple and pink options are not easy to see. On the same note, the red second hand of the black watch is easy to pick out while for the two other colors is difficult.
Verdict
The Prestige is a cheap medical watch that has military time markers and a silicone band. However, we do not rate it as the best medical watch for nurses because it has a small watch face and the purple and pink options are difficult to read.
#8. Fitbit Ionic Smartwatch
The Fitbit is an advanced medical watch that does more than just telling the time. The watch can hold up to 300 songs and provide a lot of important information, for example, how long you are sleeping at night. The medical watch has a built-in GPS system that can show you in real-time how far you have walked during your shift and you can also use it to track your exercise or fitness sessions at the gym.
The Fitbit is water resistant and has a long battery life. The batteries of the nurse watch can last up to four days on a single charge. Moreover, the watch can still remaining function when underwater up to 50 meters. Therefore, you do not have to worry about removing the watch when you need to wash your hands.
The Fitbit medical watch will help you to monitor your patients’ vitals in a different way. When you lift the wrist and check the clock face, you can see the time. To take your patients’ vitals, you can use the stopwatch function of the watch. The watch will also be automatically monitoring your vitals all through the shift to enable you to know how well you are doing at the end of the shift.
Verdict
The smartwatch capabilities of Fitbit make it one of the best medical watches for doctors and nurses. We love that the watch is customizable and water resistant. However, the many advanced features of the watch come with a high price tag.
#9. Speidel Scrub Watch
The Speidel scrub watch is designed to match your scrubs as is evident from the wide variety of colors that it’s available in white, teal, pink, and blue. If you do not prefer any of these colors, there is an option of buying one that comes in a metal band.
The Speidel has a large face and, therefore, is easy to read. Its second hand is easy to see in its bright red color. The face has large black numbers and apart from military hours (13 through 24), the watch also displays minutes and seconds.
The Speidel medical watch comes with a silicone band that is easy to clean. The strap is adjustable and can fit writs ranging from 6.7” to 8.3”. The medical watch is also water resistant and offers a good and snug fit; not too tight nor too lose.
Verdict
The Speidel is also one of the best watches for doctors and nurses. We love the military time markers, silicone band, and colors that match the scrubs. However, the watch is slightly more expensive than other medical watches on our list.
#10. Nurse Mates Uni Watch
The Nurse Mates Uni is one of the best medical watches on the market. This watch is water resistant, readable, comfortable, and has military time markers.
The watch band is made from a buttery silicone that surrounds the watch case to prevent it from getting dirty or trapping germs. Cleaning the silicone band is as easy as using alcohol to wipe off any dirt.
The Nurse Mates Uni watch has a large face (1 ½’). Therefore, you will not have any difficulty reading the watch even in poor light conditions. The 24-hour time is marked near the standard 12-hour numerals to enable you to easily calculate military time.
You can buy either a white or black Nurse Uni medial watch. Both watches have pink accents and feature an electrocardiograph with a heart design on the bottom half of the watch face.
Verdict
We love the large face, military time markers, and silicone band. The only downside is that the watch is only available in two colors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a medical watch different from a regular watch?
Generally, medical watches have a second hand, military time markers, and are water resistant.
Should doctors and nurses use analog or digital watches?
Most medical professionals prefer analog watches. When taking a patient’s vitals, looking at the second hand while counting is easier than looking at digital numbers.
Do OR and ER medical professionals need special watches?
Nurses and other medical professionals that regularly come into contact with bodily fluids and contaminates need watches that can be easily cleaned with alcohol wipes.
Does a medical watch have to be waterproof?
The best medical watches are water resistant. This means that they can handle getting wet from time to time. A waterproof watch that can stay fully submerged for long periods of time, for example, a diving watch, is not really necessary for medical use.
How can I pick the best medical watch?
When looking for a nurse or doctor watch, avoid anything with parts that jut out. These watches can snag on patients; clothes or equipment. Moreover, you should avoid watches that have overly porous bands as they will get wet regularly and can be difficult to clean.
Editor’s Verdict: Best Medical Watches
Most medical professionals find it difficult to carry out their duties without a watch on their hands. A watch is crucial when you have to document treatment, chart assessments, administers, meds, and on. Watches with second hands make it easy to track vitals.
While all the medical watches above are excellent for healthcare professionals, the Speidel Scrub Watch and the Nurse Mates Uni Watch are our favorite. The two watches have large faces, which makes it easy for you to read the time. Moreover, they have silicone bands that are easy to clean. Finally, both watches have military time, which is crucial when working in hospital settings.
Notable mentions on this list include:
Whimsical watch. Great if you are looking for a fun and playful watch to express your personality.
Forté watch. Excellent for those looking for serious water resistance capabilities and strict military time.
Fitbit. A smartwatch that can help you meet your fitness goals and play songs.
Caravelle. Great for anyone that does not like strapping a watch on their wrists.
