Hospital Nurse Who Took Kate Hoax Call Found Dead

[lurvylurker]

Just saw it here: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012...r=Canada+Style

[Jenny]

This is being discussed on the royalty thread.

[BlueRidge]

That makes sense, but can we discuss it here? I think the topic of these kinds of asshole crank calls by radio stations deserves its own thread.

[Norlite]

Statement release of behave of the Royal family

A St James's Palace spokesman said in a statement: "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Jacintha Saldanha. Their royal highnesses were looked after so wonderfully well at all times by everybody at King Edward VII hospital, and their thoughts and prayers are with Jacintha Saldanha's family, friends and colleagues at this very sad time."

It doesn't seem the radio station has made a statement yet. As I expect they will.

Add just to clear up confusion, this is the nurse-receptionist who put the call through to Kate's floor, not the nurse who gave the information to the radio station.

[skatingfan5]

It doesn't seem the radio station has made a statement yet. As I expect they will.

They were still gloating about their "royal prank" barely an hour ago. I would expect they will have something entirely different to say now, but likely will still defend their doing it.

[lurvylurker]

This is being discussed on the royalty thread.

Oh, sorry...I don't usually visit the royalty thread so didn't realize it was there. But I agree with Blueridge, I think this speaks to broader issues, such as society's generally increasing levels of acceptable voyeurism and disrespect for individuals. I can only imagine how terrible that poor nurse felt.

[BlueRidge]

...I think this speaks to broader issues, such as society's generally increasing levels of acceptable voyeurism and disrespect for individuals. I can only imagine how terrible that poor nurse felt.

^This exactly. What is the matter with us? Why does anyone find these kinds of "pranks" entertaining? Clearly radio stations that do this think it will up their audience. I hope this horrible situation prompts a humongous backlash.

[manhn]

Was the nurse criticized for taking the call? I don't know why anyone would be so angry at her.

If the call has anything to do with her death, I am deeply disturbed. Even if the call has nothing to do with her death, I am saddened for her friends and family who will have to mourn without privacy.

[Cachoo]

Was the nurse criticized for taking the call? I don't know why anyone would be so angry at her.

If the call has anything to do with her death, I am deeply disturbed. Even if the call has nothing to do with her death, I am saddened for her friends and family who will have to mourn without privacy.

This.

[Jenny]

Why does anyone find these kinds of "pranks" entertaining?

I'm with you. The other day someone was telling what a great boss someone was, and what a big jokester who was always playing pranks on his staff. All I could think about is how glad I was not to work for him, or in that kind of atmosphere.

I'm all for levity and fun, but not at the expense of others. I don't find humiliating and embarrassing people very funny.

[lurvylurker]

Was the nurse criticized for taking the call? I don't know why anyone would be so angry at her.

If the call has anything to do with her death, I am deeply disturbed. Even if the call has nothing to do with her death, I am saddened for her friends and family who will have to mourn without privacy.

I did hear the hospital's statement, which was very supportive - it was something along the lines of how their nurses and other medical staff are all highly trained medical professionals who provide excellent care to their patients, and they are not trained security or public relations professionals. So I think (at least publicly) the hospital was supporting her.

However, I can imagine that she probably felt just awful once she realized what she had been duped into doing, and what the personal repercussions to others (i.e. the embarrassment to Kate et al) might be. And who knows how much the home press was pestering her about it too, if they had her name...

[BlueRidge]

I despise any kind of "joke" that is premised on humiliating or embarrassing another person. I'm aware that I am particularly sensitive to this so I suppose others are not but it just seems nasty to me no matter what the situation. We don't know if the nurse took her own life, but I can well imagine how she must have felt.

[cygnus]

My problem with the prank is that it was not really a prank on the Royal family as some have called it. The RF can handle such things.

It was a prank on a couple of hardworking ordinary people (the nurse and the receptionist) who are unused to publicity or the spotlight, and it took advantage of their naivety and thrust them into public derision that at least one of them couldn't handle. Sad.

[lurvylurker]

I despise any kind of "joke" that is premised on humiliating or embarrassing another person.

This. If a laugh comes at the expense of another person's embarrassment, it's not humor; it's meanness.

[Alixana]

It was a prank on a couple of hardworking ordinary people (the nurse and the receptionist) who are unused to publicity or the spotlight, and it took advantage of their naivety and thrust them into public derision that at least one of them couldn't handle. Sad.

This x 1000. It could have cost one or both of these people their jobs, which is already a terrible thing to do in this economy. Secondly, we don't know what issues the pranked person has and the prank might be the one thing that puts them over the edge. This is just tragic. Let's think before we act.

[manleywoman]

Wow. From this article:

It is not the first time the radio station has got into trouble with the ACMA for its broadcasts.

In 2009 a 14-year-old girl was pushed into revealing she had been raped while attached to a lie detector live on air.

What is WRONG with people????

[Wyliefan]

My problem with the prank is that it was not really a prank on the Royal family as some have called it. The RF can handle such things.

It was a prank on a couple of hardworking ordinary people (the nurse and the receptionist) who are unused to publicity or the spotlight, and it took advantage of their naivety and thrust them into public derision that at least one of them couldn't handle. Sad.

Exactly.

Both broadcasters who made the call have deleted their Twitter accounts. ETA: Oh, I see that was already mentioned in one of the articles linked above.

What they did was horrible and they should feel thoroughly ashamed, and be penalized, but I confess I'm a little perturbed that now they're getting online threats. First there were comments all over the Web that the nurse should be fired; now that the nurse is dead, there's this. It's a little scary just how rapidly and thoroughly public opinion can change. Deploring what happened is one thing, but I wish people would be more careful about the cruel personal remarks. I mean, what happens if now the broadcasters feel so awful that they commit suicide? Where does it stop?

[orbitz]

I did hear the hospital's statement, which was very supportive - it was something along the lines of how their nurses and other medical staff are all highly trained medical professionals who provide excellent care to their patients, and they are not trained security or public relations professionals. So I think (at least publicly) the hospital was supporting her.

Shouldn't a nurse, and all health care professionals, know that you don't automatically reveal a patient's conditions to anyone that you can't verify? It was an innocent slip up for sure, but the nurse definitely breached patient's confidentiality when she talked about how Kate was doing in the hospital to the pranksters over the phone.


I thought the prank itself was harmless though. It's unfortunate what has happened, but anyone giving the radio hosts death threats are just plain idiots and cowards.

[lurvylurker]

Where does it stop?

In this age of electronically-fueled worldwide mob mentality? Probably never.

[Simone411]

Was the nurse criticized for taking the call? I don't know why anyone would be so angry at her.

If the call has anything to do with her death, I am deeply disturbed. Even if the call has nothing to do with her death, I am saddened for her friends and family who will have to mourn without privacy.

Same here. It's going to be pretty hard for her family and friends, especially being this close to the holidays.