If I prank call the Australian Radio Station.....

[Goldmandra]

....and tell them they're on a charge of corporate manslaughter?

I wonder how funny they would find that

[LadyBeagleBaublesandBells]

As far as I remember Jeremy Beadle's 'victims' had the choice whether their humiliation was broadcast or not.
Jacintha was not given the choice, her and the other nurse (and I wonder how she is feeling now) weren't.
I'm still a bit doubtful about the hospital's spokesman expressing their sorrow, actually.
I bet they gave her hell and put her in fear of her job.

[Loveweekends10]

I do think that Aussies have poked fun of the royals for quite some time. This is all part of a wider cultural anti royalist feeling in Australia.

It sounds as though the nurse had other issues but the bottom line is they took advantage of a sick person just to get a laugh.

But hey they say they haven't broken the law and the presenters are shattered! Oh poor dears. What about that nurses children. How shattered are they?

[Thumbwitch]

The news I've seen here suggests that many people are as shocked by the outcome and unhappy with the prank call as the British; and actually the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are relatively big news here, the speculation in the glossies about her being pregnant has been going on for months (very boringly) and my MIL, when we heard she was pregnant, said "oh God, we'll be hearing about that endlessly now until she has it, and then about the baby".

Not all Aussies want out from under the Monarchy and the Royal Wedding and the visit by Kate and Prince William have probably increased their popularity here.

[thebody]

I think it's so sad for everyone. Lets not turn this into a witch hunt now. Enough lives shattered already

Enough now.

[Viviennemary]

I agree that J Beadle's victims were given the choice about publicity but they didn't know at the time about the prank. It isn't quite the same I admit. And I also agree that nobody's knows for sure if the nurse was reprimanded or taken of that job or any other sanctions. The media created the global storm not the DJ's. I am not a royalist and deplore this hysteria surrounding all things royal.

[Doinmummy]

I wonder if initially the nurse was reprimanded and only later the hospital decided to ' support' her. I can imagine if it happened where I work, the initial reaction would have been' You did what????You stupid idiot . There will be serious consequences ' etc etc'

[HouseOfTinsel]

I still don't understand why it should be a nurse's job to act as a 'security guard' on a hospital switchboard. She should not have been put in that position, surely?

[DayShiftDoris]

Whistlingwaves

Totally agree with yr mum and it was first thing I said...

I think it should provoke a debate about how nurses & midwives are REALLY supported in their roles, especially when an incident occurs.

[janelikesjam]

Idiots for sure. But who are the idiots who are listening to this stuff on the radio in the first place?

[Goldmandra]

Idiots for sure. But who are the idiots who are listening to this stuff on the radio in the first place?

The same people who read the tabloids then criticise journalists when they hound celebrities/royals.

It is sad to note that AFAIK no broadcasters have made a statement saying they won't indulge in this ridiculous prank calling in the future. It is clearly too popular.

[OhDearNigel]

but I can't help wondering why the nurse felt that she had no other way out than to take her own life??

This is only a theory and I may be barking completely up the wrong tree but the nurse was Indian and I wonder if she felt she had brought irrevocable shame on her family ?

[OhDearNigel]

and also agree with those that are saying she was probably expecting to be hung out to dry. that's how public bodies work - foist the blame on the workers and absolve yourself of blame

[Goldmandra]

but I can't help wondering why the nurse felt that she had no other way out than to take her own life??

Anyone who makes or enables prank calls like this knows they are risking causing distress and disruption in the lives of those they catch out. It was inevitable that one day they would do it to someone with terrible consequences. They only had to pick on someone vulnerable. They knew the risks they were taking and it was worth it to them to keep their ratings up.

[hiddenhome]

I was thinking that OhDearNigel. People seem to be assuming that this woman was depressed or mentally ill or something Perhaps she just got a huge shock and couldn't think of how to deal with it any other way

I saw her family on the tv news tonight and they looked shattered and broken. My heart went out to them. I have worked with quite a few Indian nurses and they are always very professional and come across as thoroughly decent people.

[hiddenhome]

All nurses live in fear of the NMC and ending up in front of them one day. In general, the public don't know about this and what goes through a nurse's mind when she/he screws up. It's not only your job you lose, it can be your entire career. If this woman was facing this, in another country, with possibly no support........no wonder she felt so distraught.

Labelling her as 'depressed' or 'having issues' or being 'mentally ill' is just a cop out

[Thumbwitch]

It's not that she was supposed to play security as such, but she didn't follow basic security principles, which she should have done for any patient.

I hate prank calls - I think they are appalling and don't see the humour in the public humiliation of someone - I feel so sorry for that nurse, because I also believe she would have been disciplined for her actions and possibly lost her job and any hope of getting another one. I feel desperately sad for her family too, that she perhaps couldn't see any other way out of the mess but this would have hounded her for some time to come. :(