head nurse

head nurse — noun

1. the nurse who is in charge of a hospital ward or department, responsible for man

1.nounB1
Definition

the nurse who is in charge of a hospital ward or department, responsible for managing the nursing team and overseeing patient care

Example

Dr. Chen asked the head nurse to prepare a room for the new patient.

head nurse in a hospital hierarchy

Fatima was promoted to head nurse after ten years on the ward.

Common collocations
  • appoint a head nurse
  • promoted to head nurse
  • the head nurse on duty
  • head nurse of the ward
Synonyms
  • charge nurse

    Common in American English; may imply a rotating or shift-based role

  • nursing supervisor

    Broader term; may oversee multiple wards or an entire facility

  • ward sister

    Traditional British term, now less common; specifically for a female head nurse

Usage Note

Used mainly in hospital and healthcare settings. In American English, 'charge nurse' is often used with the same meaning, though some hospitals treat 'head nurse' as a more senior position.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Head nurse and charge nurse are the closest synonyms, both referring to the nurse who leads a ward or unit. In American hospitals, 'charge nurse' often describes a role that rotates among senior nurses each shift, while 'head nurse' typically suggests a permanent management position. A nursing supervisor oversees multiple wards or an entire facility, ranking above a head nurse in the hospital hierarchy. 'Ward sister' is a traditional British term now falling out of use; it originally referred only to female nurses in charge of a ward. Use 'head nurse' or 'charge nurse' when talking about the nurse directly responsible for one ward's daily operations.

charge nursenursing supervisorward sister

Common collocations

Nouns

  • head nurse position
  • head nurse role

Phrases

  • act as head nurse
  • serve as head nurse

Prepositions

  • head nurse of
  • head nurse on

Etymology

Old EnglishLatinEnglish

The term combines 'head' (meaning chief or principal, from Old English 'heafod') with 'nurse' (from Latin 'nutricia', meaning nourisher). The compound 'head nurse' emerged in the late 19th century as hospitals formalised nursing hierarchies.