No piece of technology can do what nurses could do, but technology can surely make your day-to-day work a little less tedious. One such piece of technology is a smartwatch, which can be a great assistant to nurses like you.
With the help of a smartwatch, you can remind yourself to check on patients, give them medicine, read essential messages without even checking your phone, and much more.
So, if you are a nurse who is busy attending to patients and looking for a tool or gadget that can help in your daily tasks then you have come to the right place. Here, I have selected the 7 best smartwatches for nurses that will make your life easier.
Quick Navigation
- Best Smartwatch For Nurses Comparison Table
- Best Smartwatches For Nurses
- Best Fitness Tracker For Nurses
- Things To Consider Before Buying A Smartwatch For Nurses: Buying Guide
- FAQs
Best Smartwatch For Nurses Comparison Table
IMAGE | PRODUCT | SPECIFICATIONS | VIEW ON AMAZON |
Best Apple Watch For Nurses  | Apple Watch SE 2 |
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Best Fitness Tracker For Nurses  | Fitbit Charge 5 |
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Best Smartwatch For Nurses With Small Wrist  | Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 |
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Best Affordable Watch For Healthcare Workers | Fitbit Versa 3 |
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Best Smartwatches For Nurses
1. Apple Watch SE 2
In my opinion, Apple Watch Series is the best smartwatch for nurses, not just for one but for many reasons. The first reason is its ability to make and receive calls right on the wrist, this way I never missed any emergency or personal phone calls. You can watch my Apple Watch SE 2 call test video to know the speaker performance in the video below.
Apart from calls, using this watch you can also send or receive text messages. It gets even better, as you can even go smartphone-free with the cellular version of this Apple Watch Series SE 2.
Another spec that makes me recommend this watch is the silicone bands. I mean if you go with a leather or cloth strap then you may find them difficult to clean. Exposure to chemicals or water can damage them, that’s why I recommend silicon straps on all smartwatches for nurses.
The importance of cleanliness & hygiene can’t be more clear after the pandemic. Washing hands & sanitizing our watch is an important habit that everyone should continue. And for nurses, it’s even more critical that they wash their hands regularly to protect themselves from germs.
A non-waterproof smartwatch would not be easy to clean as it can get damaged easily. And, taking it off & wearing it again is a very tedious, unproductive task. But worry not, this Apple Watch is water resistant up to 50m so it can easily withstand water splashes while washing your hands.
Furthermore, the smartwatch comes with a fall detection feature. So if you experience a hard fall like falling down stairs or falling down while lifting then the watch will prompt you to call emergency. And, if you haven’t moved for at least a minute then it would automatically dial the emergency services.
Since Apple Watch Series SE 2 runs on watchOS 9 it gives access to App Store, from where you can install apps like Omvana, which can help you better manage stress and meet daily meditation goals. And, I have found the watch’s accuracy to be decent.
Another feature that makes it the perfect smartwatch for a nurse is Siri. Using it you can set reminders, alarms, or start timers. It can be useful if you want to get reminded to check on a patient or give them medicine on time.
Similarly, you can use Apple Pay on the watch to make contactless payments without any human interaction.
Apart from being your work assistant, this watch can also be your fitness companion, as it comes with Apple Health and other fitness-tracking functionalities. Also, it can give you daily weather updates so you don’t forget to take your umbrella.
Overall, the Apple Watch SE 2 is reasonably priced and only works with iPhone but it is still worth it if you are looking for an affordable smartwatch for nurses.
2. Garmin Fenix 7
If you have a small or medium size wrist and are looking for a smartwatch that’s not bulky or doesn’t have a big watch face then this is the best Garmin smartwatch for nurses. It has a 1.1-inch display and a 42 mm watch face which gave me a perfect fit. I know 42mm doesn’t sound small but it is for a Garmin Flagship otherwise their watches are usually around 46-47mm.
As a nurse, wearing gloves is also part of the job. And, it is difficult to use smartwatches while wearing gloves, or even when your hands are wet. Thankfully, you won’t face this issue with Garmin Fenix 7s, as this smartwatch can be used using buttons independently. And, if you like touchscreen then you can do that as well as it is a full touch screen smartwatch.
Using this watch for nurses, you can also read incoming text messages and see who is calling you when it is connected to your phone. This way I was able to keep the focus on my job and didn’t have to check the phone every now and then.
Another feature that I liked is the three battery modes available on it i.e. smartwatch mode, GPS/HR mode, and UltraTrac mode.
The smartwatch mode offers a battery life of up to 5 days so I didn’t have to run towards a power bank or charger again and again.
Other modes like GPS/HR and UltraTrac mode offer significantly less battery life and are for hardcore fitness enthusiasts. As a nurse, the smartwatch mode will suit your needs better as it offers longer battery life. However, it will disable most fitness-tracking features on the watch.
Also, this smartwatch comes with a transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) Display with LED backlighting. It increases screen readability under sunlight, so whether you are indoors or outdoors, you will be able to read the screen immediately.
Furthermore, the watch has an always-on display, therefore I didn’t have to press any button, use the touch screen, or do any wrist gestures. So you can spend all your energy, nursing patient back to their health.
Talking about the smart features of the watch, it comes with built-in GPS, Galileo, and GLONASS. It ensured that I never lost the GPS signal while hiking or trekking outdoor adventures.
Similarly, Fenix 7 also has several built-in activity modes for running, hiking, swimming, golfing, and many more. So like me, you can track your hike, run, and all your sports activities that you do on the weekends.
3. Fitbit Versa 3
When it comes to health tracking, there are only a few companies that can come close to Fitbit. So if you are looking for a smartwatch with advanced health tracking abilities I think Fitbit Versa 3 is the best value-for-money smartwatch for you. And, I will be happy to tell you why I think so.
First and foremost, the watch comes with a 1.4-inch display which is just the perfect size for a smartwatch be it for men or women. Plus, it uses an AMOLED display which provides excellent visibility even in broad daylight. I have reviewed several smartwatches with an always-on display, and I found that Fitbit Versa 3 offers the best battery life of 2-3 days, with the always-on display feature enabled.
As a nurse, it is vital that your next smartwatch comes with an always-on display. As it allows you to just focus on your work and not press buttons, again and again, to see the time or read notifications.
Speaking of notifications, with Fitbit Versa 3 you can receive notifications from apps like Amazon, so you will know when your package has been delivered. With this smartwatch, I was also able to view my important text messages, social media notifications, and accept or reject incoming calls.
If you have an Android smartphone, you can even send a quick text or voice reply to messages using this smartwatch. Using the onboard speaker & microphone you can even take calls on the watch. I would recommend watching the Fitbit Versa 3 call test video to know the watch’s speaker performance.
Furthermore, Fitbit Versa 3 comes with Alexa & Google Assistant which gives you the ability to ask for weather updates, set reminders, start fitness activities, and more. Setting reminders and timers is a specially useful feature for nurses as you can set reminders to check on the patient, bring medicine for the patient, and make your work more efficient.
Fitbit Versa 3 also comes with Fitbit Pay, allowing you to make contactless payments at outlets like Starbucks, Target, and other similar outlets that allow NFC-enabled payments. Contactless payment is a necessity to avoid the spread of the virus and to protect yourself and your loved ones.
This watch is also water-resistant up to 50m so I was easily able to clean Versa 3 with water or germicide wipes, without worrying about any liquid damage. It is important that your watch remains sanitized, especially when you are dealing with patients on a daily basis.
You can also customize your watch by changing the Versa 3 watch band. It will give the Fitbit Versa 3 a brand-new look.
In short, Fitbit Versa 2 is a great smartwatch for nurses, we know that Fitbit Versa 3 is also available on Amazon but we would say that at its price Versa 2 is a steal!
In short, Fitbit Versa 3 is a great smartwatch for nurses, I know that Fitbit Versa 4 is also available on Amazon but I would say that at its price, Versa 3 is a steal! You can watch my review video below to learn more about the watch’s day-to-day performance.
4. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is one of the most well-received smartwatches from Samsung. Rightfully so, this watch is feature-rich and will be the perfect companion for nurses.
As for nurses washing hands is a must after attending to a patient. Thankfully, this watch is water-resistant up to 50m so I washed my hands as many times as I wanted. It also has a water lock feature, which ensures you don’t accidentally dial someone or open any apps while washing the watch or hands.
If you like to listen to music while jogging then I am happy to report this nurse smartwatch comes with music storage. You can add your music files, use YouTube Music, or Spotify. You can play music by using the built-in speaker or connecting Bluetooth earphones to the watch.
There is also music playback control support available on the watch. Using it, I was able to focus on my jog rather than stopping every few minutes to change the music.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 also ensures that nurses have a smooth and productive day as the watch also supports notification sync. It allowed me to see all my important notifications like text messages from banks, social media notifications, weather updates, caller IDs, and much more.
Using this watch, you can also pick up or reject incoming calls on your smartwatch. Moreover, the LTE version of this watch will allow you to receive calls and texts without depending on your phone. So, basically, it can be used as a standalone smartwatch. If you want to know how the speaker & microphone perform during calls then you can watch my call test video below.
This watch has a 1.2-inch display which is perfect for nurses with medium or small wrists. It also has a super AMOLED display, which gives you great screen readability even in a bright environment. So the next time you are outside during a break, you won’t have to look for shade just to read your watch.
Furthermore, the watch is powered by Wear OS so it supports various Google services as well. For instance, it comes with Google Assistant so you will be able to set alarms, reminders, or start a timer on the watch.
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 also comes with Google Play Store which allows you to download & install useful third-party apps. I have made a dedicated video showcasing 9 must-have apps for the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 app. You can watch the video below.
Similarly, you can customize the watch face on Samsung Galaxy Watch 5. It can be a pretty useful feature for nurses as it allows them to create a watch face of their choice. If you want to know how to create the best Samsung watch face for nurses then check the video below.
Now, talking about the fitness-related features of the watch. It comes with automatic activity tracking so the watch automatically detects when you are cycling, swimming, jogging, walking, and more. Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 has a built-in sleep tracking feature allowing you to monitor your sleep cycle. Based on that, the watch also assigns you a sleep score based on the sleep quality. As a nurse, you will find it useful in making overall lifestyle improvements.
However, sleep tracking on Watch 5 is pretty average in terms of accuracy. You can watch my full review video below to learn more about the watch’s performance.
You will find all your health data on Samsung Health App allowing you to monitor all your fitness and wellness activities in one place. One downside is that Samsung Galaxy Watch supports only Android devices.
Moving on to the battery life, it easily lasted me a day on a single charge. However, you will need to charge your watch the next morning because the battery is not really long-lasting on it. You can watch my video on “Increase Watch 5 battery life tips” to get the most out of your Samsung Galaxy Watch 5.
Best Fitness Tracker For Nurses
5. Fitbit Charge 4
Unsurprisingly, not everyone likes a full-fledged smartwatch. Nurses who just want a simple fitness tracker with smart features can go with Fitbit Charge 4. This fitness band comes with a gorgeous minimalistic design, which will definitely bring you some compliments.
Talking about its specs, the watch sports a 1-inch monochromatic OLED display, which provides good visibility under any sort of lighting condition. However, the only shortcoming for me is the lack of the always-on display feature. Meaning that I had to raise my hand every time I wanted to read the display.
Still, I found the OLED screen to be pretty useful when it came to reading caller IDs or reading text messages on the tracker. It can be a handy feature if you are preoccupied with handling patients or can’t reach your phone.
Unlike Samsung which requires you to download two separate apps to use health & watch features, Fitbit requires only one. And, the best part is that it supports both Android & iOS devices.
Another feature that I liked is the fact that it comes with Sleep and DND mode. When sleep mode is enabled, the watch’s display won’t turn on for notifications at night time. It ensured I didn’t get disturbed while resting, after a long day of work. Also, if there are a lot of patients in your hospital then just enable DND to disable all the notifications alerts on your smartwatch.
Coming to the fitness-oriented feature of this smartwatch, it comes with an in-built GPS giving you the ability to track your jog speed, distance covered, ride, hike, and more. While on the run, I was even able to control the Spotify music being played on my smartphone using Fitbit Charge 4.
Furthermore, this watch also has heart rate tracking and sleep monitoring features. It tracks your resting as well as heart rates during the workout. Moreover, you can earn heart points when you burn calories at a high heart rate.
I also used to love the fact that you are also awarded Fitbit badges that reward your daily activities, which encourages you to lead a more active lifestyle. However, Fitbit has decided to discontinue the Fitbit badges feature which is a shame as I really liked the feature.
Looking at the bright side, it is important for smartwatches to be able to make NFC payments. Yes, with Fitbit Charge 4 you can make contactless payments, and leave behind your debit/credit card, as well as your smartphone. Since this smartwatch is also water-resistant up to 50m you can wash your watch as many times as you desire, and avoid carrying germs back home with you.
6. Amazfit Band 7
If you don’t want to spend $150 on a fitness tracker then Amazfit has a band for you. Allow me to present to you Amazfit Band 7 which costs just $50.
Don’t worry, affordable price does not mean it is a bad nurse watch in any way. For example, Fitbit Charge 4 comes with a monochromatic display but Amazfit Band 7 comes 1.47-inch AMOLED display. The best part is that this is an always-on display so I didn’t have to do any gestures to read the display.
This makes it the best fitness tracker for nurses available at a reasonable price. Like me, you will be able to read your time & notifications by simply looking at the tracker.
Moreover, this fitness tracker comes with Alexa built-in so you can set an alarm, or timer, or keep notes using your voice. Another feature that I liked is the fact that this fitness tracker comes with a sedentary reminder. So it reminded me to take a short walk after the end of every hour if it detects I haven’t moved.
Besides my walks, it also tracked my heart rate, blood oxygen, stress, & sleep using the fitness tracker. All the data is synced to the Zepp app which is available for both Android and iOS devices. You can also connect the fitness tracker to Relive, Strava, Google Fit, & WeChat to sync all your fitness activities.
In terms of accuracy, I have found Amazfit to be pretty incredible for the price. And, this is as good as it gets in this price range if not way better. All in all, if you are looking for a reasonably priced fitness tracker for nurses then this one fits the bill.
7. Fitbit Charge 5
Fitbit Charge 5 is the best fitness tracker for nurses money can buy. It comes with all the features you can ask for. It comes with a new heart rate sensor from Fitbit that can even take ECG readings.
Moreover, this tracker can track your stress & sleep which is a pretty useful feature. It has all the usual heart rate & blood oxygen tracking. Fitbit Charger 5 also has 20 exercise modes which will come in handy.
Besides health tracking, this watch also has smart features like Fitbit Pay, built-in GPS, music control, & more.
Compared to Charge 4, it comes with a colorful display instead of a monotone display. It makes this fitness tracker for nurses easy to read when you are in a pinch.
Apart from all that, it has all the usual features of the Fitbit Charge 4 so you won’t have to compromise with features. All in all, it is a great watch for nurses but is a little more expensive than the Fitbit Charge 4.
Things To Consider Before Buying A Smartwatch For Nurses: Buying Guide
1. Waterproof
It is important for nurses to wash their hands several times a day, to avoid germs and to safeguard themselves from diseases. A waterproof smartwatch would ensure that you can wash your watch with water along with your hands several times during the day. Therefore, you must ensure whichever watch you end up selecting is waterproof.
2. Battery
A smartwatch should be able to last for at least a day. Good battery backup will ensure that you remain focused on your work without worrying about your smartwatch dying in the middle of your day.
3. Always-on display
Some nurses will prefer a watch that has an always-on display. Others might want to go with a display that only lights up when they receive notifications, alerts, and so on. While both the display have their own advantages and disadvantages, it boils down to the user’s preferences. So make sure to select a smartwatch that meets your requirements.
FAQs
What Type Of Watch Is Best For Nurses?
Smartwatches are best for nurses, as they have the ability to set reminders allowing nurses to set important reminders like checking on the patient in 15 minutes post-op. Moreover, nurses can keep track of important calls, notifications, and texts, empowering them to focus on their work.
Is Apple Watch Good For A Nurse?
Yes, using the Apple watch nurses don't need to carry their smartphone with them for calls, text, and notifications. It is also waterproof so you can easily clean your watch with water, without worrying about water damaging the watch.
Why Do All Nurses Have Apple Watches?
Apple watch allows nurses to set timers, reminders, keep notes, and much more with the help of Siri. This watch also offers the ability to pick up and reject calls, read or reply to texts without needing your smartphone. All these features allow nurses to focus on their work and make their workflow more efficient.
