Southland District Health Board nursing leader Leanne Samuel was appointed to the new joint role by regional chief executive Brian Rousseau last month following the resignation of Otago's chief nursing officer Teresa Bradfield.
Ms Samuel's job became effective from the beginning of this week.
However, both New Zealand Nurses Organisation industrial adviser Glenda Alexander and Public Service Association organiser Julie Morton spoke out this week about the lack of consultation on the matter.
Both emphasised they had no issue with Ms Samuel's abilities.
Ms Alexander and Ms Morton learned of the change when they returned to work following their summer break this week.
Ms Morton said it was clear Mr Rousseau told all staff on January 23, but her union did not appear to have been officially notified. She had been informed by one of her members.
"I don't get it."
She said she was not making any judgement about whether it was a good idea. "It might be a good idea. Who knows?
"We haven't had a chance to talk about it."
Ms Alexander was also concerned at the lack of consultation and said the move did not fit with the safe staffing committee of inquiry report findings on unsafe staffing.
Direct access to nursing leadership at the highest level at all times was necessary and that would be difficult for one person to achieve across two regions.
The inquiry said chief nursing officers, who had input at executive level, were an important part of all boards.
Feedback indicated nurses in both boards were not convinced it was the best decision and Ms Alexander was concerned at the effect on nurses' morale.
She said she was in favour of moves to share services but there would be better ways to improve efficiency than by removing clinical leadership at that level.
It was important to remember the boards employed about 3000 nurses, the bulk of the clinical staff of the two boards, she said.
Chief nursing officers' roles were not confined to hospitals, either. They were also concerned with delivery of primary health-care services.
Mr Rousseau said he had been faced with the decision of recruiting someone when Mrs Bradfield tendered her resignation and had decided to appoint Ms Samuel to the regional job.
His experience with other regional appointments suggested it was easier for one person to lead collaboration than to get two people to agree.
"You can't argue with yourself."
He accepted not everybody would be happy with his decision. However, he did not expect there would be special difficulties created by Ms Samuel having to work across two geographic areas.
Mrs Bradfield began work this week with the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind as executive director of direct client contact services.
It is understood she will commute between Dunedin and Auckland.
