Hospital Nurse Who Took Kate Hoax Call Found Dead

[Angelskates]

Nurse 'criticised hospital staff' in suicide note

[bek]

Nurse 'criticised hospital staff' in suicide note

I think its obvious the hospital was angry and maybe even fired her for putting the call in.

[MacMadame]

I think its obvious the hospital was angry and maybe even fired her for putting the call in.

You just love to make stuff up, don't you? There is no evidence that she was fired. Or what her criticisms of the staff and hospital even were.

[IceAlisa]

From what I understand, the Baton Rouge General Medical Center is being overly generous in their interpretation of HIPAA and I suspect they are just hoping people follow that and don't push it. It would be great if a lawyer could weigh in though.

Though HIPAA doesn't apply in the UK or Australia so I guess it's moot.

Don't they have their version of HIPAA? I'd be surprised if they didn't. Brits? Aussies?


Even with HIPAA or a version of it, I don't think the nurse was in the wrong giving information to someone she believed was family.

[cruisin]

Don't they have their version of HIPAA? I'd be surprised if they didn't. Brits? Aussies?


Even with HIPAA or a version of it, I don't think the nurse was in the wrong giving information to someone she believed was family.

This is a problem for any hospital. Even if the patient signs a release for specific family members, loved ones to have information. Over the phone, there is no way to prove who you are talking to. That is why I put the onus on the DJs. They knew what they were doing was wrong. They were invading a patient's right to privacy. The nurse had no way of knowing, with certainty, who she was talking to. If the Queen was on a release form, nothing the nurse did was wrong.

[*Jen*]

Don't they have their version of HIPAA? I'd be surprised if they didn't. Brits? Aussies?


Even with HIPAA or a version of it, I don't think the nurse was in the wrong giving information to someone she believed was family.

There are privacy laws, but nothing directly equivalent to HIPAA from what I can tell. But normally, you have to answer a LOT of questions to prove your connection to the patient before they answer questions. Sometimes there's a pin or a password. And sometimes someone thinks the Queen is calling and throws all the regulations out the window

[IceAlisa]

This is a problem for any hospital. Even if the patient signs a release for specific family members, loved ones to have information. Over the phone, there is no way to prove who you are talking to. That is why I put the onus on the DJs. They knew what they were doing was wrong. They were invading a patient's right to privacy. The nurse had no way of knowing, with certainty, who she was talking to. If the Queen was on a release form, nothing the nurse did was wrong.

I don't think the nurse did anything wrong.

[AxelAnnie]

Nurse's Death

Yep, unfortunately, she hung herself and left 3 suicide notes. Just an overall tragedy that could easily have been prevented.

It is a tragedy. But why do you say it could have been "easily prevented"? By whom, and how?

[cruisin]

I don't think the nurse did anything wrong.

I knew that, I was agreeing with you.

[Kasey]

This is a problem for any hospital. Even if the patient signs a release for specific family members, loved ones to have information. Over the phone, there is no way to prove who you are talking to.

Yes, there is. We give every patient's significant other a 4-digit PIN number (part of their patient ID number), and tell them to share it with anyone who may call to ask for information. No PIN number on the phone, no information, period. It is actually quite simple, provided that it's followed.

[cruisin]

Yes, there is. We give every patient's significant other a 4-digit PIN number (part of their patient ID number), and tell them to share it with anyone who may call to ask for information. No PIN number on the phone, no information, period. It is actually quite simple, provided that it's followed.

That is a great procedure. But, I don't think the hospitals here follow it. I didn't have any pin numbers when I needed info about either of my parents. But, they didn't give me much info, either. They had the doctor or a nurse call me back.

[Twizzler]

That is a great procedure. But, I don't think the hospitals here follow it. I didn't have any pin numbers when I needed info about either of my parents. But, they didn't give me much info, either. They had the doctor or a nurse call me back.

Many hospitals do follow it, and the ones that don't are risking hefty lawsuits if private info is given out.

[cruisin]

Many hospitals do follow it, and the ones that don't are risking hefty lawsuits if private info is given out.

So, if they don't have something like this in place, how can they blame their staff?

[aftershocks]

You just love to make stuff up, don't you? There is no evidence that she was fired. Or what her criticisms of the staff and hospital even were.

Apparently quite a few posters have been speculating and making assumptions based on a variety of information in media reports unsubstantiated and otherwise, in addition to voicing heated opinions over an obviously emotional topic of discussion.

[Twizzler]

So, if they don't have something like this in place, how can they blame their staff?

I have no idea how it works in England, but in the US, all people employed at a hospital are taught, as part of their training, not to give out private information about patients. They are told that if they do, they can lose their jobs and the hospital could be sued. If they choose not to follow these policies, they are putting themselves and the hospital at risk.

[cruisin]

I have no idea how it works in England, but in the US, all people employed at a hospital are taught, as part of their training, not to give out private information about patients. They are told that if they do, they can lose their jobs and the hospital could be sued. If they choose not to follow these policies, they are putting themselves and the hospital at risk.

Right, but when my parents were hospitalized, they signed forms stating who could be given information. I was with my dad and his social worker when he signed that it was alright to give me any and all info. But, how do they know it's me, on the phone without a protocol like Kasey described.

[*Jen*]

Right, but when my parents were hospitalized, they signed forms stating who could be given information. I was with my dad and his social worker when he signed that it was alright to give me any and all info. But, how do they know it's me, on the phone without a protocol like Kasey described.

Actually, the Guardian newspaper (a credible paper) is reporting that the hospital has a policy with high profile patients of taking their names and then calling them back. In this case, because Jacintha thought the call was credible, she put it through. The hospital claims it was standing by her, but who knows. The point is, there was a policy and it was ignored.