To feel sorry for the Australian DJs?

[andapartridgeinaRowantree]

Obviously more sorry for the nurse's family. I wonder how long she was having suicidal thoughts for? I can't think this could have been the only cause,

But these pranks have been going on for such a long time and those DJs could not have predicted such a result and are going to have to live with it for the rest of their lives.

It's such a tragedy and I feel very sad for all concerned.

I am in the lucky position that I got to my mum at the nick of time, and was able to help her. She just had a very sore neck. I got to keep her for 20 odd more years and she is now reliving her youth in her mind from a care home.

I still think what a different direction our lives had taken if I had been just 10 minutes later. Or 5. Sends a shiver down my spine.

I never blamed my father. I was pretty angry with him though for not showing her more understanding for her depression and mental health issues. This was not the first time, but he never really took her seriously. Until then. As a family, we had a lot to work through after this event, and we did come through on the other side.

Well, that was just a digression. I dont think there is ever just ONE reason in such a complex issue, but I think it is possible to pinpoint the straw that broke the camels back.

In this case, on might assume the straw was the hoax call to the hospital, the high profile of the patient, and the hospital; both their lack of night duty receptionist and how they potentially handled the situation internally (but this is a big unknown) and their potential lacking procedures.

Until someone very close to you kills themselves you have no idea whatsoever how you will act. None. So spare me please your anecdotes from mother.

You have no idea what my experience of suicide of.

I know what you mean Pumpkin. I remember when a member of my extended family committed suicide and there was an element of anger amongst some members at the anguish and heartbreak she had left behind her. Of course, the poor woman wasn't thinking normally, but it was just a reaction from people trying to cope with the fallout.

Yes, it's irrational, but then, as a child, I was angry at a close relative just for dying. It wasn't suicide, but there you go. Not necessarily a lot of rhyme or reason to people's reactions.

I think they deserve to feel horrible, but at the same time I though their interviews were self indulgent and undignified. They are not the ultimate victims here and showing up on tv blubbing and looking shaken was a tasteless display of self centeredness. They should have turned down the opportunity and expressed their grief privately to the family, not turned it into a public spectacle.

The DJs had been getting away with their pranks for a long time, including getting a minor to speak of being raped and I think they are a heartless pair of chancers whose only concern was their ratings (and salaries).

Suicide leaves people very angry as well as bereft. And guilt stricken for the anger. It is an act with enormous ramifications.

The hospital should have a privacy policy in place where no caller no matter who they say they are should ever be given updates on a patient's condition over the phone. Or a policy where only one (for instance) named individual will ever be given any information about a patient if that individual can repeat a certain code to the switchboard operator. Patients should also have the option of not having any post or flowers or other gifts sent to them, have their names not included in the hospital patient directory.

No pumpkin I don't because you've never said. I just guessed at your attitude to me you had no experience of it.

I don't think it was those djs who were involved in the interview with the girl who was raped.

If they hadn't appeared in public to express their remorse they would have been widely criticised.

I haven't seen anyone, myself included, be anything other than than polite and reasonable to you on this thread, Everlong.

Obviously you feel differently.

Totally agree math especially your first paragraph.

I don't think it was those djs who were involved in the interview with the girl who was raped.

No, it wasn't. Believe that DJ is still on air. Although from what I've read, the mother seemed more culpable than the DJ, who didnt know she'd been raped. Supposedly the mother did, and still agreed to it all. mind boggles

I agree with LtEve -- no way should they have phoned a hospital. They did it out of hubris, thoughtlessness, a sense of being teflon coated and untouchable imo. No other consideration was as important to them as their show.

Aside from the fact that hospitals are busy places and they had no right to take the time of the nurses, they were willing to risk the jobs of those they would be speaking with in the event they were put through, the jobs of people paid far less than they were (for a function far more important than their contribution to society but that is beside the point). They should have assumed that ordinary people would bear the brunt of their joke and that should have given them pause.

I don't think anyone's disputing that math. Some of us however feel that suicide was a totally unforeseen consequence and it is harsh to blame the DJs for that. Blame them for their stupidity, thoughtlessness, lack of respect to the hospital, it's staff and patients.... fair enough. But it is possible to do all that while still feelling sympathy for the awful predicament they now find themselves in.

Janeatthebarre -- I thought they made a complete meal of their 'remorse'. Christian grimacing? Turning his head away from the camera? I found it quite nauseating. Grieg came across as a bit more genuine but Christian seemed shallow in the extreme. Poor tormented diddums..

Grieg came across as a bit more genuine but Christian seemed shallow in the extreme

He seemed a bit bullish/defensive. No idea whether he really felt that way but not a good interview for him.

However I look at this I don't believe the DJs are responsible for her death.

Very very many valid points have been made on here over the past few days, but as far as I am concerned, the over-riding point is that, sadly if this nurse hadn't killed herself over this, then she would have done so sooner or later.
I am sure everyone agrees that she must have had serious mental health problems, so I really don't think it's fair to totally blame the DJs for her death.

I don't agree that she had serious mental health problems, (I have no idea) nor do I agree that she would have done it sooner or later.

Wow. How can you possibly leap to that conclusion from the facts available?

sussanah you can't possibly know that she would have killed herself sooner or later. Nobody knows.

The prank obviously pushed her to it. And that is why I remain so angry.

She may or may not have had MH issues but without this prank she might not have been driven to despair.

Why don't we ask how the other nurse is feeling? Perhaps any distress she is suffering is also, coincidentally, down to mental health and certainly not a direct result of global humiliation.

God yes the other nurse. I'd forgot about her. I expect and sincerely hope she is being supported by the hospital and family.

She must be devastated.

I left a job in a large modern hospital a few years ago because l couldnt take any more of the office politics and sniping and back biting that went on. When anything however big or small went wrong the main focus was always on who was to blame and everyone scurrying around frantically establishing that it wasnt their fault. They usually pinned it on someone lower down the food chain if possible.

Had this occured where l worked this is what would happen. Firstly everybody in the hospital would be gossiping incessantly about it and it would spread like wildfire. Secondly everybody from the domestics and porters to the ward managers and above would all have a strong opinion as to whose fault it was - if there were more than one person 'in the frame'.

So in this instance there would be two clear camps - those blaming the first nurse for putting it through without proper vetting and therefore 'misleading' the second nurse into thinking she was taking a genuine call. The second camp would say it was the other nurse who gave out all the details etc and spoke more at length to caller without satisfying herself the call was genuine and missing all the obvious signs this might be a hoax.

Everytime either nurse walked into a ward office or canteen everything would go quiet - usually. But sometimes worse still those closest to the two nurses respectively might even have a go at the other nurse for getting their friend into trouble. Or worse still completely ignore the one they have decided was to blame.

The two nurses themselves would very possibly be desperately trying to blame each other to avoid the awful witchhunt disciplinary meetings and procedures etc inevitably about to befall them with anything from two to five managers adjudicating. I have had to attend one of these over a dispute about annual leave (l was exonerated ) and trust me had l been found guilty l was almost expecting the senior manager in the room to don a black cap. Horribly nerve wrecking and intimidating.

Typing this now l am so glad l am out of it and feel so sorry for the lady who took her life and though l obviously dont know, l wondered as soon as this story broke whether her/their experience would be as appalling as l witnessed/experienced whenever things went wrong.

Yes indeed, all this and the death of a colleague to deal with - how do you get over something like that?

But surely the fact that the vast majority of people wouldn't have reacted in such an extreme way, would tend to indicate that she was mentally unstable.

Yes of course the other nurse is suffering, but she didn't kill herself.

The two nurses themselves would very possibly be desperately trying to blame each other

The thought had crossed my mind...

Would all of what you describe have happened within 2 days though?

Sudaname - yes, I have a feeling you're right about that one.

The second nurse was the one that spilt all the confidential information.
I wouldn't be surprised if Jacintha Saldanha had been rounded on by some of the other staff for putting the call through.

As a nurse myself it does seem an extreme reaction - indicating some vulnerability - not necessarily mental illness though.