When the Remedy Is the Weapon: Covert Bullying and Weaponised Complaints in Nursing Academia

Bullying, harassment, and other negative workplace behaviours are unfortunately all too common in nursing. In this discursive paper, we illuminate the darker side of nursing by summarising prominent negative behaviours in nursing academia, exploring their causes, and considering the weaponisation of complaints as a covert form of bullying. Informed by published peer-reviewed literature on bullying in nursing, bullying in academia, organisational justice, workplace fairness, complaints processes, and weaponisation, as well as specific negative workplace behaviours, we report on how nursing academia shapes professional culture and patient care, yet negative workplace behaviours persist. Weaponised complaints perpetuate bullying in nursing academia, harming academics' wellbeing and reputations while undermining universities' credibility. Such practices damage organisational culture and risk graduating nurses into environments where harm is normalised, ultimately undermining the profession's commitment to safe practice. Addressing weaponised complaints is important to protect nurse wellbeing, foster collegiality and ensure nursing students inherit cultures grounded in procedural fairness, integrity and safe practice. Recognising and preventing misuse is important to safeguarding wellbeing, integrity and collegiality in nursing academia and beyond.