The Best Watches For Nurses (Practical, Simple, Affordable)

VAVC Scrub Medical Watch

One of the first watches for nurses that were designed for the job is this Scrub watch from VAVC. Like all good medical watches, it is very fast to read with large black hour markers against a white watch face.

There are also 24-hour markers (ie. military time) on the inner circle and a red second hand that is nice and easy to see for taking pulses and the like.

VAVC has also made this watch super-practical with 50m water resistance (so it can get wet while washing your hands) a sapphire coated crystal to protect against scratches and an easy-to-clean leather band.

All in all, these analog watches tick all the boxes for a nurse’s watch and they are super affordable too. The only thing some people may not like is that it is on the large side for a ladies’ watch at 40mm. There are some smaller options below in the Speidel offerings.

Speidel Original Scrub Watch

Speidel is renowned for its medical watches and the Original Scrub has to be one of their most popular models. And in many ways, it is almost the perfect silicone watch for nurses.

Like the VAVC above, the Speidel scrub watch has a super-easy-to-read face with large hour markers using black on a white dial. The red second hand is easy to read, and there are minute/second markers all around the edge of the face to help count seconds easily.

Military time has been added in a second ring on the inside too, which is helpful if you use that at work.

There are a few key differences with the Speidel scrub watch over the VAVC though, some good, some bad. First, they use an easy-to-wash silicone band. But the water-resistance of this watch is only 30m, so it can get wet, but it’s not as good as the VAVC. Although either works well for medical professionals.

And this watch is also a tad smaller at 38mm, which is great for ladies or people with smaller wrists. Or someone who just doesn’t want a huge watch on their wrist while working.

The other notable thing about the Speidel scrub watch is that you can get a variety of band colors, which means you can choose your favorite, rather than just black!

Speidel Women’s Scrub Petite

There is not too much to say about this smaller model of the Speidel that I haven’t said above. Only that it is a far smaller model and might work better for those wanting a slimmer watch.

The case is 28mm (compared to 38mm on the original) and the strap is also about 20% thinner at 14mm compared to 18mm. So, all in all, it’s a very slim model.

It also comes in a variety of colors like the original too!

Groupcow Silicone Nurses Watch

If you need to check your watch at short notice, or just don’t want to go fumbling around with your sleeves while you work, then this brooch-style hanging watch is the perfect solution. It is a simple lapel pin watch, and perhaps one of the best for nurses.

You just pin it to your scrubs and it is ready to go at a moment’s notice. You just have to slip your hand under it and flip it up to read, then let it go when you are done!

They come in packs of three, in case you lose one. They are super affordable and easy to clean, which is great for medical professionals.

The silicone is easy to clean and the face easy to read with black markers and a long red second hand for taking vitals. The luminous hands are also easy to read in the dark, another plus for those working during the night shift.

Oh, and these lapel watches are water-resistant. Very in fact. All the way to 100m! So, it’s a very practical silicone watch for nurses.

Dakota Nurses Watch

Dakota also has a watch specifically designed for nurses with a unique feature I have not seen on any other. Fifteen-second dividers around the border of the watch to help keep close track of the seconds when counting. A handy idea for sure!

The black numbers on a white dial are a standard in the industry as you can see, so the face is also easy to read. Although it does not have the actual numbers for seconds/minutes so you have to work that out yourself, which is a shame.

They have added a 24-hour inner ring of numbers though, which is handy for those using military time at work. And it comes with 50m water resistance, which is great as it protects it well when washing your hands.

Timex Women's Weekender

Timex makes super-affordable and reliable nurse watches that have been a top seller for decades. So, it’s no surprise they appear in this list of practical wrist watches for nurses with the ever-popular Timex Weekender (which I have reviewed in detail before).

They have been made with a simple design, easy-to-read face and second hand, and a robust case that will last for years. That is what Timex is renowned for.

Timex produces the weekender watch in a huge range of colors and styles, so if you don’t like this blue one – no worries, just pop over to Amazon and choose another. Either way, you won’t be disappointed with your purchase.

Oh, and one last thing. Timex gives all their watches their signature Indiglo which lights it up like a Christmas tree at the push of a button – so it’s ideal for low light/night shift.

Casio Women's Classic (Ref: MQ24-7B3LL)

Casio is another brand that has been making highly functional and reliable watches that anyone can afford – for decades. They are renowned for their old-school digital watches and their G Shock range, but this simple analog watch is a great purchase for anyone in the medical or nursing profession.

This simple watch is an all-plastic affair, with a resin strap. So, easy to clean and great for getting wet – unlike leather straps.

The only thing I would like to see more obvious is the hands, they are perhaps a little thin for counting seconds compared to some of the watches above (with the stand-out red hand).

Casio F91W Classic Digital

If you just want to be able to tell the time and count seconds at a glance, or even run a stopwatch, then a digital watch might be a far better choice.

Casio has been making the F-91W forever, and it has been seen on all kinds of weird and wonderful wrists around the world, including Obama’s back in college.

Why? Because it is a simple, easy to read watch. It’s cheap, and has multiple alarms, a stopwatch and it’s also usually way under twenty bucks, so you can almost afford to throw them out once a year!

Below are the main watch features:

Timex Women's Ironman Transit

Another option if you are looking for a digital display is Timex’s Ironman series. The transit is a simple women’s model, but they have a huge range to choose from.

I like this model because the display is wide and easy to read, it is 100m water resistance, which most of the watches above can’t claim. And, it has a stopwatch that is super easy to use, as well as a built-in calendar which is great for checking your schedule.

And, of course, it’s a Timex sport watch, so it’s reliable, affordable and it has Indiglo – so is a cinch to read at night.

Apple Watch Series 6

It might not seem obvious at first glance but the Apple Watch Series 6 (or 7 if you can get one) is one of the best watches for nurses you can find. Sure, it is on the pricey side, but if you can afford to splash out, the features are really worth it.

First, it comes with Siri voice commands so you can do a lot of things on the fly, hands-free. Things such as appointment setting, note-taking, looking things up online, and a whole lot more. Of course, the watch is also very easy to read with a large watch face. Which is great for a quick look while are you rushing between patients.

Don’t forget the Apple Watch also allows you to do all those things you normally have to pull your phone out for, something you probably don’t have time for on your shift (or are not allowed to do). Functions like checking messages, calls, notifications, and emails are all easy to do right from your wrist.