What is "matron"

Matron \Ma"tron\, n. [F. matrone, L. matrona, fr. mater mother. See Mother.]

1. A wife or a widow, especially, one who has borne children; a woman of staid or motherly manners.

   Your wives, your daughters, Your matrons, and your maids.
   --Shak.

   Grave from her cradle, insomuch that she was a matron before she was a mother.
   --Fuller.

2. A housekeeper; esp., a woman who manages the domestic economy of a public instution; a head nurse in a hospital; as, the matron of a school or hospital.

   Jury of matrons (Law), a jury of experienced women called to determine the question of pregnancy when set up in bar of execution, and for other cognate purposes.

late 14c., "married woman" (usually one of rank), from Old French matrone "married woman; elderly lady; patroness; midwife," and directly from Latin matrona "married woman, wife, matron," from mater (genitive matris) "mother" (see mother (n.1)). Sense of "female manager of a school, hospital, etc." first recorded 1550s.

n. 1 A mature woman; a wife or a widow, especially, one who has borne children; a woman of staid or motherly manners. 2 A housekeeper; especially, a woman who manages the domestic economy of a public institution; a head nurse in a hospital.

1. n. a married woman (usually middle-aged with children) who is staid and dignified

2. a wardress in a prison

3. a woman in charge of nursing in a medical institution [syn: head nurse]

Matron is the job title of a very senior or the chief nurse in several countries, including the United Kingdom, its former colonies, such as India, and also the Republic of Ireland. The chief nurse, in other words the person in charge of nursing in a hospital and the head of the nursing staff, is also known as the senior nursing officer, matron, nursing officer, or clinical nurse manager in UK English; the head nurse or director of nursing in US English, and the nursing superintendent or matron in Indian English, among other countries in the Commonwealth of Nations.

In the United Kingdom, matrons today "have powers over budgets, catering and cleaning as well as being in charge of nurses" and "have the powers to withhold payments from catering and cleaning services if they don't think they are giving the best service to the NHS." Historically, matrons supervised the hospital as a whole but today, they are in-charge for supervising two or three wards.

The chief nurse is a registered nurse who supervises the care of all the patients at a health care facility. The chief nurse is the senior nursing management position in an organization and often holds executive titles like chief nursing officer (CNO), chief nurse executive, or vice-president of nursing. They typically report to the CEO or COO.