The BCDP data indicate that NURSE is somewhat variable, between [œ: ~ з​:] . Hughes and Trudgill (1996: 55) have WM [œ:].

According to Wells (1982: 360–361, 363), Northern accents often have [з​:], but some western Midland accents (such as Birmingham and Stoke) typically have . He suggests that merger with SQUARE may variably occur in the WM dialect (probably as [з​:]). For Sandwell, Mathisen (1999: 108–109) notes that while teenagers and elderly both typically have  , teenage women and middle-class speakers prefer the RP-type [ə:] . Some speakers, especially the elderly and working class, have  . Heath (1980: 87) has Cannock .

Painter (1963: 30) has BC  , realized as . He notes that speakers using  for NEAR do not also use the “common free variant”  for NURSE.

Written evidence (note conventions) suggests a typically non-RP-like pronunciation in various cases. Given that typically the same conventional spellings are used as for (some) FACE, START and THOUGHT words, the intended pronunciation may be in the region of [eə ~ e:] , which may in turn represent a merger or near-merger for dialect writers. Examples include:

(1) Bm <Baernegum> Birmingham, <taerned> turned; Bm/BC <taernip(s)> turnip(s); Bm <Gaertie> Gertie; BC <shaerty> shirty; Bm <thaerteen> thirteen; BC <baerk> burke; Bm <waerks> works; BC <caercumstonces> circumstances; Bm <Aerbut> Herbert, <distaerbed> disturbed; BC <’aeard> heard, Bm <baerd> bird, BC <waerd> word, <occaerred> occurred; <Baertha> Bertha, <baerthday> birthday, <naerse> nurse, <paerse> purse, <caerse> curse, <faerst> first; Bm <thaerst> thirst, <naerves> nerves, <service> service, <Waerthingtons> Worthington’s; BC <paerchase> purchase, <chaerch> church; Bm <early> early; BC <waerld> world.

(2) Bm/BC <werk> work; Bm <shert> shirt; BC <werds> words, <tern(ed)> turn(ed).

(3) Bm <Pairsher> Pershore.

(4) BC <wourkin> working.

There is written evidence for shortened realizations (  ) before historical /rs/ in BC <fust> first (though compare <faerst>), <puss> purse, <cuss> curse (but compare <caerse>), <wuss/wussen> worse, <wust> worst (but compare <wurse>). Written evidence also suggests shortened realizations in Bm/BC <gansey> guernsey ‘long johns’ ([a]) and BC <gel> girl ( [ε] ).