The word nurse’s is the singular possessive form of nurse. E.g., “The nurse’s uniform is clean.” Furthermore, nurses’ is the plural possessive form. E.g., “The nurses’ lounge is on the second floor.” Also, nurses is the standard plural of nurse. E.g., “The nurses attended the training session.”
The following chart provides a summary of the different forms of nurse.
| Form | Example Sentence |
| Singular | Nurse |
| Plural | Nurses |
| Singular possessive | Nurse’s |
| Plural possessive | Nurses’ |
You can make the plural form by adding an “s” to nurse.
Furthermore, you can make the singular possessive by inserting an apostrophe and an “s” after nurse. In comparison, the plural possessive is made by adding an apostrophe to the end of nurses.
In the following examples, you can see the different forms of the word nurse in context:
- Singular: The nurse will be with you shortly.
- Plural: The nurses are administering the flu shots.
- Singular possessive: The nurse’s shift starts at 8 am.
- Plural possessive: The nurses’ station is always busy.
The difference between the singular and plural possessives is that we are talking about one nurse in the singular possessive sentence. However, in the plural possessive sentence, we are talking about something that belongs to multiple nurses.
Now you have learned the basics of how to use the possessive forms of nurse. However, you should keep reading so you can learn more about each form and how to use them.
Nurse’s
The word nurse’s is the singular possessive of the word nurse. Therefore, you use it when you want to say that something belongs to one nurse.
You can mention things that are a physical part of a nurse or part of her/his character.
- The nurse’s compassion was evident in her actions.
- Our nurse’s dedication to her patients is commendable.
Nurses’
The word nurses’ is the plural possessive of nurse. Therefore, you use it when you want to indicate that something belongs to multiple nurses.
The plural possessive can refer to physical objects owned by nurses, as well as things like results or opinions.
- The nurses’ efforts were praised by the hospital administration.
- Someone reorganized the nurses’ supply cabinet.
Furthermore, the term nurses’ can also refer to spaces explicitly designed for nurses, as well as periods of time that nurses spend without patients.
- The nurses’ quarters are located behind the main building.
- They scheduled a nurses’ retreat to focus on mental health.
Nurses
The term nurses is the standard plural of the word nurse. Therefore, you use it when you want to talk about more than one nurse in non-possessive sentences.
You can use the plural version to mention a specific number of nurses.
- Three nurses assisted in the surgery.
Also, you can use it to refer to all nurses in a general sense.
- Nurses play a crucial role in healthcare.
