 The chief nurse serves as "the head of the general staff of the hospital" and is obeyed by his/her subordinate nurses.Traditionally, chief nurses were called "matrons" and wore a dark-blue dress that was usually darker than that of her subordinates, who were also known as "sisters", in addition to a white-starched hat.As such, matrons usually "provide strong leadership and act as a link between Board-level nurses and clinical practice."