Very poor pay, clear for a nurse cut by subterfuge (7-8)

'very poor' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'for a nurse cut by subterfuge' is the wordplay.
'for a' becomes 'poverty' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should believe this answer much more).
'nurse' becomes 'sen' (abbreviation for Senior Enrolled Nurse).
'cut by' is an insertion indicator (some letters cut into others).
'subterfuge' becomes 'trick' (subterfuge is trickery or deceit).
'sen' enclosing 'trick' is 'stricken'.
'poverty'+'stricken'='POVERTY-STRICKEN'

'pay clear' is the link.
I am not very happy about this link. Some or all of it may belong to another bit of the clue.