Throughout my nursing career, I've noticed a phenomenon I call "weaponized advocacy".
Weaponized advocacy happens when someone uses the noble idea of patient advocacy as a mask for self-promotion, sabotage, or shaming colleagues. Instead of improving patient care, it erodes trust, poisons teamwork, and creates a toxic environment.
Imagine a nurse, Becky, caring for a patient who is complaining of pain. At that moment, pain medication is contraindicated because the patient's vital signs are unstable. Giving it could cause serious harm. Becky is appropriately focused on stabilizing the patient first so that the medication can later be given safely.
Then another nurse, Janet, enters the room after seeing the call light. When the patient mentions their pain, Janet tells them they are entitled to pain medication and suggests that Becky is acting inappropriately by "allowing" them to suffer. To the patient, it now appears that Becky is neglecting their needs, while Janet positions herself as the hero.
In reality, Becky is protecting her patient's safety. Janet, missing key information and motivated by self-interest, undermines her colleague to elevate herself. This kind of behavior damages reputations, erodes patient trust, and undermines teamwork. The result is a fractured care environment where the nurse doing the right thing looks like the antagonist, while the one acting with selfish motives appears to be the advocate.
Weaponized advocacy is not about protecting patients—it is about advancing oneself by tearing others down. It thrives on undermining colleagues in front of patients and families, creating the illusion of superior advocacy while actually destabilizing care. Healthcare is a team effort. Yes, true neglect must be called out and corrected. But this is something different. This is advocacy with dark motives, dressed up to look virtuous, while in reality it sabotages both caregivers and patients.
If you have been in healthcare long enough, you will likely witness weaponized advocacy. And when you do, you'll recognize that it has nothing to do with patient safety and everything to do with someone trying to stand taller by standing on someone else.
Note: I have a great team of coworkers in my unit. So don't try to read into this. We have a great team that is free of this toxic behavior.
I was just thinking about this and felt the need to talk about it, because I've seen it happen to outstanding nurses and have experienced it myself no matter what hospital.
Specializes in ICU/ER/Med-Surg/Case Management/Manageme.
TomBooley said:
Managers often protect the bully.
I haven't had that experience. However, there is always a manager over the manager and in the situation described, I would push on up the ladder. That's part of the issue, as I see it. People stay silent. If immediate manager doesn't rectify the issue, move on up.
I work with a nurse, she is part time where I work full time. She comes in most mornings she works, attention seeking telling of her life saving heroics while working the pediatric floor, (regular pediatrics, not PICU). Saving countless children from stupid doctors and stupid nurses each shift.
And she sprinkles in tales of woe about whatever guy she is "seeing" that week is cheating on her. Staring with zero expression or acknowledgment usually shuts her down pretty fast. 😂
". . .motivated by self-interest, undermines her colleague to elevate herself. "
Nursing is one of the few professions that spends more time shooting itself in the foot than working togather. After 32 years in the profession, I don't recommend it to anyone.
". . .motivated by self-interest, undermines her colleague to elevate herself. "
Nursing is one of the few professions that spends more time shooting itself in the foot than working togather. After 32 years in the profession, I don't recommend it to anyone.
Wesley H. RN BSN.
What profession would you recommend that is free from self interested motivation that undermines colleagues to elevate self? Probably happens at Buddhist monasteries in Tibet. Not a person on earth that isn't capable of that. The trick is knowing the person capable of it is looking right back in the mirror.
I just smile and say " You're so kind but... xxx and xxx. I promise to call you if I need you. " They ussually dust off their halo and move on. If it persists, I mention HR and creating a hostile work enviroment away from the patient.
Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.
Maybe the patients vitals are unstable because they are in pain.
Just saying. IMO if I noticed that I'd have a quiet word with the patients nurse mentioning my observations. Absolutely no reason to say anything to the patient. Run it up the flag pole and check with the charge if really worried
DallasRN
315 Posts
I haven't had that experience. However, there is always a manager over the manager and in the situation described, I would push on up the ladder. That's part of the issue, as I see it. People stay silent. If immediate manager doesn't rectify the issue, move on up.