Staff counseling specialist. Responding sensitively to workers

Due to changes in the health care environment that have expanded their role, nurse administrators have less opportunity to respond adequately to employee concerns. The position of staff counseling specialist was designed to assist nurse administrators at the University of Minnesota Hospitals and Clinics meet the increased demands of their staff. The staff counseling specialist provides a means of narrowing the gap between the staff and nurse executives by addressing employee concerns such as inadequate leadership, communication breakdown, dissonant physician-nurse relations, and other matters adversely affecting the work climate.