11 Low-Budget Products That Will Make Nurses Say "That's Genius"

    Including a hard-working hand cream that will nourish constantly washed hands.

    Ailbhe Malone
    by Ailbhe Malone

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Tim Lane/ BuzzFeed

    We hope you love the products we recommend! Just so you know, BuzzFeed may collect a share of sales from the links on this page.

    1. These genius massaging insoles that will support your feet during long shifts.

    amazon.co.uk, Disney

    When you're on your feet all day (and night), put your shoes to work with these magic insoles. They're a little more expensive than other insoles on Amazon, but they come with a money-back guarantee and are designed to absorb the impact on your feet. They're only available in women's UK size 6-10, and men's UK size 8-14, but you can cut them to fit your shoes.

    Promising review: "Magic insoles, gave a new lease of life to my shoes and made them so comfortable, would certainly buy them again." – Elizabeth Ferguson

    Get them on Amazon, £17.50

    2. These filling but healthy snacks for when you don't get a break and are starving.

    amazon.co.uk

    I prefer these protein balls to others like Bounce – they're not too sweet, and contain no dairy. Each pack contains six balls: for reference, I find 2-3 to be a good keep-you-going snack. I'm not saying sub these in for your dinner, but I often sneak a pack of these into my nurse friend's handbag before she goes on shift.

    Get them on Amazon at 10 packs for £20

    3. An insulated water bottle to remind you to stay hydrated.

    amazon.co.uk

    There are plenty of insulated water bottles available, but our readers really like this one by Simple Modern.

    Promising review: "Brilliant little bottle. I have tried this with hot and cold drinks. I put ice and water in this and left it as long as possible to see how cold it would last – after 9 hours there was still ice in it, after 24 hours it was still very cold as though it had been in a fridge, [and it was] still cold after I emptied it after 30 hours. I put boiling water in around 9pm and I made a cup of tea from it at 8am following morning and it was perfect..." – David

    Get it on Amazon, £12.99

    4. This hand sanitiser that won't dry out your hands and smells like a summer day.

    5. This dreamy sleep balm to help you nod off after a stressful day.

    amazon.co.uk

    Promising review: "I wouldn't really say it knocks me out immediately, but definitely calms me down after a stressful day and relaxes me, maybe over a 30-minute period, into sleep. Would recommend for people that get anxious or stressed out." – Amazon customer

    Get it on Amazon, £7.97

    6. This triple-pen pocket clip that means you'll never lose a pen again.

    amazon.co.uk

    Promising review: "Amazing product that I never knew of until I saw a colleague with one recently. Perfect! I now have my pen light, scissors and pen in one place without them falling out on the floor when I bend down. If only there were four slots for a spare pen :)" – Miss CMK Hall

    Get it on Amazon, £1.67

    7. This real AF colouring book for when a patient has been driving you up the wall all day.

    amazon.co.uk

    Promising review: "This is one of the funniest adult colouring books I have seen. The comments through it are full of thoughts that you can imagine any tired stressed nurse would understandably have at times. I gave this book as a gift to a nurse at my local hospital after I had been a patient there and it was well appreciated by all of the staff. This is a brilliant book, and makes a perfect gift for anyone in the nursing profession. I doubt they have much time on shift to use it, but just a quick glimpse through at some of the comments is sure to bring a much needed laugh into their busy days." – La Strega

    Get it on Amazon, £6.99

    8. This hard-working hand cream that will revitalise constantly-washed hands.

    amazon.co.uk, amazon.co.uk

    Promising review: "My husband has always suffered terribly with his hands. Dry, cracked, really bad deep splits. He's had lots of prescribed lotions and potions from the doctors but never been able to get on with anything consistently. All either too greasy or doesn't soak in etc. We have been using O'Keeffe's for just over a week now and the results are amazing. There are just 10 days between the pictures. Although we have only just started using, based on the current results, I would definitely recommend." – Kelly Fluffle

    Get it on Amazon, £5.59

    9. This mug that reminds everyone who exactly is in charge.

    supermug.co.uk

    Get it on Supermug, £11.99

    10. This clever necklace that will mean you don't lose your ring while on shift.

    etsy.com

    Promising review: "Great quality and super cute! Excited to have somewhere easy to wear my ring since I work in a lab and can't wear my ring under gloves." – BB

    Get it on Etsy, £21.35

    11. This bestselling eye mask to block out sunlight when you're sleeping in the day.

    amazon.co.uk

    Promising review: "Fantastic! I am a nurse and work night shifts a lot, I have never slept well but now I am straight to sleep. I love the fact you can open your eyes, rather than them being squashed. There is a tiny bit of light leak around the nose but it doesn't bother me and it depends what position you sleep in. Would definitely recommend to any night shift workers" – Kel Warwick

    Get it on Amazon, £8.90

    Reviews have been edited for length and clarity.