Orderly looked after nurses close to sanatorium (5)
I believe the answer is:
kempt
'orderly' is the definition.
Both the definition and answer are adjectives. Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'looked after nurses close to sanatorium' is the wordplay.
'looked after' becomes 'kept' ('keep' can be a synonym of 'look after').
'nurses' indicates putting letters inside (nurse can mean to hold onto or harbour).
'close to' says to take the final letters (the 'close' to the word).
The final letter of 'sanatorium' is 'm'.
'kept' enclosing 'm' is 'KEMPT'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for kempt that I've seen before include "In a neat and clean condition" , "Neat and tidy" , "Well-groomed" .)