A state registered nurse holds the firm in contempt (5)
I believe the answer is:
scorn
'contempt' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'a state registered nurse holds the firm' is the wordplay.
'a state registered nurse' becomes 'srn' (this could be a standard abbreviation which I don't know about).
'holds' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'the firm' becomes 'co' (a firm is a company).
'srn' enclosing 'co' is 'SCORN'.
'in' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for scorn that I've seen before include "Slight" , "Spurn" , "Mocking contempt" , "Disgust" , "Open contempt, disdain" .)