Hospital Nurse Who Took Kate Hoax Call Found Dead

[cruisin]

The radio station, no doubt, has plenty to learn from this situation, but so does the hospital.

I don't know what the protocol is in the UK. But, in the US the patient has to sign a form listing any and all persons who are allowed information about them. HIPPA is a nuisance when you're trying to get information about a loved one. But, in instances like this, it is a barrier. From personal experience, when my parents were in the hospital, very little information was given over the phone, if I initiated the call. The nurses were very forthcoming when I was there. But, I got most info when the doctors called me.

The purpose of a practical joke is to gets laughs over someone's fear, embarrassment or humiliation, so anyone who's ever played one is a bully.

Heck, we have an entire day dedicated to pranks and practical jokes - April Fool's Day. We have all (mostly) pulled innocent, harmless practical jokes on our family and friends. But, as has been said - in private and we know what they are able to tolerate.

I think it was thoughtless as Kate was sick and did not need to be bothered with this sort of nonsense and that it put the two nurses in a bad position. But I don't believe these two people ever thought they were hurting anyone when they pulled this prank. Conversely one of my mother's friends said her daughter was given flowers and asked to prom and then stood up. She was not popular and this was done as a "prank." It was intentionally cruel. I think there's a difference.

I agree, there is a difference.

I am missing a piece of the information. How did the nurse's name get out?

[Jenny]

I don't know why so many people are focused on the minutae of hospital procedures for sharing medical info with family members, because IMO that's irrelevant to this story. If someone had called and said "I'm Kate's cousin" or "I'm a friend of William's" then surely they would have never got through. But this was allegedly a call from the Queen, so all bets are off. She's the Queen.

The nurse who took the initial call might have been so thrown by the prospect of actually speaking with the Queen of England that she might have momentarily got frazzled and just put the call through. For all we know, William and perhaps Kate's family had already been calling in regularly, so a call from the Queen, as absurd as it sounds to us, might not have been that much of a stretch. Perhaps the nurse had spoken to the Queen or other members of the Royal Family in the past, as this is apparently the hospital they use. As for the second nurse, I don't think it's a stretch that since the call was put through, she assumed it was indeed the Queen.

Wouldn't be surprised if immediately afterward the two compared notes and realized everything that was wrong with that call, and hoped no one found out about their mistake - until of course the DJs starting gloating to the whole world, and millions of strangers started pointing fingers and placing blame.

[cruisin]

I suppose that what I find so sad is that the nurses were made to feel so bad about this. It's really a shame that they were not able to see this for what it was - two jerks behaving badly. That they were innocent of any wrong doing and should not have felt embarrassed. They should have felt some anger that these idiots were so callous and the media and rest of the world should not have focused on the nurses being duped, but the jerks who did it.

[mikey]

HIPPA

It's HIPAA.

[attyfan]

Another article on the donation to the memorial fund:

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2...ead-nurse?lite

Is this a sum likely to teach the station to stop such thoughtless "pranks", or is it a wrist slap?

[AxelAnnie]

DUANE

I think if people want to "blame" anyone for this woman's death, blame the Indian culture where it is ingrained in little girls' head from day one that they are not to bring "shame" to the family. Clearly she erred in transferring the call, and though the hospital said she was not going to be fired, surely some kind of action (a verbal reprimand? Threat of being demoted or transferred?) was discussed. Perhaps this "shame" caused her to believe suicide was the only option.

But again, it's not even yet official that she committed suicide.

Oh - wonderful thought. This, at least, makes it all make sense.

I just keep coming back to this: Why was Kate in a place that was not secure? After Diana, and with all the excitement over William and Kate, and now the pregnancy......didn't they think ahead? How could there not have been a briefing? Clear standards and rules. Her own nurse IN THE ROOM, or at the door. Some official channel of information. And if the Queen of England calls.............(which, first off, you have got to be kidding) pass it off to the right person.

And, prank or not, whomever picked up that phone on Kate's and gave out information........they need to be fired. I don't care who they thought was on the other end.

[orbitz]

I suppose that what I find so sad is that the nurses were made to feel so bad about this. It's really a shame that they were not able to see this for what it was - two jerks behaving badly. That they were innocent of any wrong doing and should not have felt embarrassed. They should have felt some anger that these idiots were so callous and the media and rest of the world should not have focused on the nurses being duped, but the jerks who did it.

But why are the DJs considered 'jerks' ? Anyone who pulls a slight prank now will be considered a jerk? I don't get all the harsh criticisms of what the DJs did. They called the hospital and pretended to be royalty and that was it. It was really harmless stuff: You called a place, pretending to be someone else as a joke to see if you can get information. The Djs did not expect to get anything at all from their call. I'm sure one of the Brady kids did this on The Brady Bunch and countless of other kids have done this in real life. Like some have mentioned, if the nurse committed suicide because of this incident then she had other issues going on. And if the nurse felt bad about what happened then it wasn't the Djs' actions that made her feel bad; It was the reactions of the people around her and the strangers laughing at her in the social media (and her own mental state). So go after those people instead. The DJs are unfairly being blamed for this woman's death.

[duane]

Heck, we have an entire day dedicated to pranks and practical jokes - April Fool's Day. We have all (mostly) pulled innocent, harmless practical jokes on our family and friends. But, as has been said - in private and we know what they are able to tolerate.

What if instead of several DJs, some coworkers had pulled this prank on the nurse? Who's knows, but perhaps the same outcome might have happened.

And I disagree that the nurses "were innocent of any wrong doing". That call should have gotten nowhere, and it was wrong that it did.

[duane]

But why are the DJs considered 'jerks' ? ...So go after those people instead. The DJs are unfairly being blamed for this woman's death.

^^^^^ this! Totally agree with the entire post (just didn't feel the need to post all of it).

[zippy]

I don't know the laws regarding PHI in England, but in the U.S., if I were to call your insurance or health care providers to get your information, the person who is in the wrong is the person who gives out the information. The person who obtains the information has legally done nothing wrong, unless they share this information, which is in effect what the DJ's did by broadcasting the stunt. Both parties can be held liable for not protecting the patient's information.

This is my understanding as well, although while the media isn't a covered entity under HIPAA and can share information they get directly from patients (i.e., with permission), I do believe it would be illegal in the US for the media to get and publicize protected health information under false pretenses, as this radio station did. I'm not sure what the penalty is for that, though - probably not as severe as for someone who is a covered entity (i.e. healthcare worker, insurer). In the US HIPAA violations can not only get you fired, but it's a criminal offense that can result in up to $1.5 million in fines for the hospital and prison time for the individual depending on circumstances (up to 10 years I believe). There was a case where a hospital employee tried to take some work home with him and accidentally left his briefcase containing patient information on the subway, and the hospital was fined $1 million. There was also some scandal where it was discovered that UCLA hospital employees were looking up celebrities' medical records. It's especially serious when a case involves a celebrity because the information could be used for personal gain (selling the info to tabloids and whatnot). Being human and making an honest mistake, giving info because you think it's Obama or the Pope on the line, wouldn't be considered an excuse.

So if this happened in the US a stunt like this may not be intentionally malicious on the part of the DJ's, who are young and likely didn't think through what they were doing, but in essence it would be malicious because of the harsh penalties a duped nurse might receive (although legally the onus is on the nurse to not be fooled), not to mention the sketchy ethics of trying to get and broadcast medical info you don't have a right to. I'm not sure exactly what the culture/laws are surrounding private medical information in the UK but I assume it's taken pretty seriously (if not quite such harsh penalties) given the reaction even before the nurse died. Anyway, not that US laws are really relevant here. In any case poor Kate must feel like she has no right to privacy at all, first with those pictures in France and now this.

I don't know why so many people are focused on the minutae of hospital procedures for sharing medical info with family members, because IMO that's irrelevant to this story. If someone had called and said "I'm Kate's cousin" or "I'm a friend of William's" then surely they would have never got through. But this was allegedly a call from the Queen, so all bets are off. She's the Queen.

I really have no idea why it was so easy for the DJ's to get that information out of Kate's nurses, but the woman DJ did identify herself to the first nurse as Kate's grandmother, not the queen necessarily. "MEL GREIG: Oh hello there, could I please speak to Kate please, my granddaughter? NURSE: Oh yes, just hold on ma’am." I don't know if they would have thought it was supposed to be the Queen until later on when she started talking about corgis and the palace with fake dog yapping in the background, at which point surely they realized it was a prank, but the damage had already been done.

[*Jen*]

I am missing a piece of the information. How did the nurse's name get out?

My understanding is it was only released when she died.

I don't know if they would have thought it was supposed to be the Queen until later on when she started talking about corgis and the palace with fake dog yapping in the background, at which point surely they realized it was a prank, but the damage had already been done.

The corgis were played by the producers. People pretending to bark...very realistic.

The station hasn't actually revealed who was responsible for the call going to air. It wasn't the DJs and whatever the lawyers said, someone else was responsible for the final decision.

I read the djs are having intense psychological counselling. So many lives have been ruined through this. I can't help but wonder...if the tabloids had never given any attention to the prank, rather than going into outraged overdrive, would the outcome have been the same?

[susan6]

What if instead of several DJs, some coworkers had pulled this prank on the nurse? Who's knows, but perhaps the same outcome might have happened.

And I disagree that the nurses "were innocent of any wrong doing". That call should have gotten nowhere, and it was wrong that it did.

This. I'm going to go ahead and be "that guy." If I wind up in a hospital (particularly if I'm carrying the heir to the throne), I want every employee of that hospital to be the best of the best. Hospitals by their very nature are places where decisions and basic competence can determine life or death. I don't want them to have an employee who's too clueless to recognize a fairly obvious prank call, who is unfamiliar with basic privacy regulations, and who is mentally unstable enough to "die of shame".

[DAngel]

But why are the DJs considered 'jerks' ? Anyone who pulls a slight prank now will be considered a jerk? I don't get all the harsh criticisms of what the DJs did. They called the hospital and pretended to be royalty and that was it. It was really harmless stuff: You called a place, pretending to be someone else as a joke to see if you can get information. The Djs did not expect to get anything at all from their call. I'm sure one of the Brady kids did this on The Brady Bunch and countless of other kids have done this in real life. Like some have mentioned, if the nurse committed suicide because of this incident then she had other issues going on. And if the nurse felt bad about what happened then it wasn't the Djs' actions that made her feel bad; It was the reactions of the people around her and the strangers laughing at her in the social media (and her own mental state). So go after those people instead. The DJs are unfairly being blamed for this woman's death.

Some of us think people shouldn't play pranks on hospitals. Some things should be out of bounds.

Simple as that.

[Cachoo]

I would have a lot less problem with the prank if say Kate and William were skiing and someone was try to call them in their room at the chalet. You can bet though that the concierge would be militant about protecting their privacy. But Kate was ill and I do have a problem when you attempt to pester people in that sort of setting.

[screech]

I really have no idea why it was so easy for the DJ's to get that information out of Kate's nurses, but the woman DJ did identify herself to the first nurse as Kate's grandmother, not the queen necessarily. "MEL GREIG: Oh hello there, could I please speak to Kate please, my granddaughter? NURSE: Oh yes, just hold on ma’am." I don't know if they would have thought it was supposed to be the Queen until later on when she started talking about corgis and the palace with fake dog yapping in the background, at which point surely they realized it was a prank, but the damage had already been done.

I haven't listened to the call or read the transcripts, but based on what you put in your post, they didn't even specify what Kate they were looking for at first. It could have been any random Kate, not necessarily 'the' Kate.

Definitely makes it easier to accept the transfer of the call if the nurse didn't know it was the Duchess they were seeking at that time.

[cruisin]

It's HIPAA.

Yes, , senior moment!

But why are the DJs considered 'jerks' ? Anyone who pulls a slight prank now will be considered a jerk? I don't get all the harsh criticisms of what the DJs did.

They were jerks for the way they handled it afterward. And I think DAngel said it best - you don't pull pranks on hospitals or sick people.

The DJs are unfairly being blamed for this woman's death.

I don't blame them for the woman's death. That, sadly, was her tragic decision. But, I do think what the did was reprehensible. Illness is not funny.

[Alex Forrest]

I don't believe these two people ever thought they were hurting anyone when they pulled this prank.

But that's the problem with a prank. It's usually seemingly clever, funny, and innocuous, until it ISN'T. I posted upthread that elevator prank video, and I admit I laughed at it. Then I thought "What if any of those older people had a heart attack out of fright?" or what if someone attacked the little girl? A funny prank can turn into a disaster quickly, even leading to an unfortunate death.

I also don't think anyone is claiming that this was a totally happy, completely emotionally sound person who suddenly due to this prank caused her to suicide. Who knows what her work situation was? Maybe she felt discriminated against at work, that her coworkers disliked her and made fun of her, her boss was just looking for any thing to fire her on and hovered over her like a hawk, and so she was just walking on eggshells all day? Maybe her life was a living hell in a physically abusive relationship and she was just trying to get through each day, do the right things, and hope it evens out? Then this happens, her name is tarnished, and she couldn't take anymore of it? I go out of my way to compliment people now because that might just be the one nice thing that is said to them that day. I know I've been there, and just one nice thing said to me would raise my spirits up considerably.

I just think that diagnosed mental illness, or even undiagnosed, should not be disregarded or minimalized. If someone had a heart attack on a prank where someone was scared half to death, I'm sure most people would agree, this person would not have had the heart attack and died. Forget that a healthy person who took care of his/her body probably should not have 90% blockage in their coronary arteries and die from a prank. Yet when someone with a mental illness suffers from a prank, it seems more people are likely to just say "Well there was more to it, than just the prank, she clearly had issues". Yeah, well the person who died in fright also clearly had other issues too like cardiovascular disease usually caused by diet and lifestyle.

[cruisin]

[QUOTE=Alex Forrest;3769219] I go out of my way to compliment people now because that might just be the one nice thing that is said to them that day. I know I've been there, and just one nice thing said to me would raise my spirits up considerably.ny

I do that a lot, even to people I don't know. I will tell people that they have beautiful eyes or that I like their outfit or haircut. Most of the time I get a big smile and thank you. But, sometimes I get this weird look. Why is it odd to say something nice to a stranger?

[Cachoo]

Good points Alex and when I saw the elevator prank I was so glad it wasn't me because I would have slugged the girl out of terror and then been appalled when I found out that I had hit a child. I am more lenient with the dj's than the boy who asked the girl to the prom and stood her up because he went out of his way to be cruel. Even so I must admit the dj's set in motion a series of events that turned tragic and the fact that they did not intend the outcome does not excuse their behavior.

[*Jen*]

I haven't listened to the call or read the transcripts, but based on what you put in your post, they didn't even specify what Kate they were looking for at first. It could have been any random Kate, not necessarily 'the' Kate.

Definitely makes it easier to accept the transfer of the call if the nurse didn't know it was the Duchess they were seeking at that time.

Yeah. No. You should listen to it. There was no mistake.