to feel even less sympathy for the Australian DJs after watching their interview?

[miamibeach]

Especially the guy.

The woman said she hopes the public respect the privacy of the nurses family.

Shame she didn't show the same respect of Kate's privacy.

If I remember correctly the late nurse put the phone call to the matron (senior nurse) who actually did reveal sensitive information to DJs. For me it's a case of scapegoating gone wrong.

I don't think they'd be allowed to apologise at this stage- as that would be admitting liability and could cause many problems for them legally (something like that is probably written into the terms of their contracts). I do feel sorry for them, they look so young and naive and are getting all the heat. I would have liked to hear in the interview what sorts of things don't get passed by the "team".

I know what I've written sounds quite cold, and as much as you'd like to hear them profoundly apologise, I don't think their lawyers would let them.

Because I think if you accidentally cause harm or damage to someone you should still apologise. Just because it was an unintentional consequence of your actions, its still a result of your actions

But that is based on the assumption that the prank is the reason why she killed herself.

No one knows that.

She wasn't even the person that they spoke to, she just transfered the call.

But yet when the story first broke, the media made it look like the nurse that killed herself was the one that spoke on the radio show.

My thoughts are with the ladies family.

I'm pretty sure that any human would feel bad to think they played a part in another's suicide. The whole thing is so desperately sad it isn't as cut and dried as who to 'feel sorry' for.

However I was struck by them saying they thought 100 people would have tried the same thing already. Did they really think a hospital would have nothing better to do than take their 101st prank call then?

The clip should not have been played without the permission of those involved. Especially once they realised that English was not necessarily the nurse's first language so their 'crap accents' would not be picked up. And who is going to question the Queen?

I feel sorriest for the nurse's family, then the other nurse involved, then Catherine and William - what a thing to have hanging over your first pregnancy - and then at the end I do feel a very small bit sorry for the DJs, who, I agree, could not have foreseen all this.

RIP Jacintha.

The male DJ was giving off a very, very angry vibe.

A long time ago I remember being told "actions have consequences, think about the consequences before you take action"......

OK, taking your life in response to something like this is an unlikely event but it was entirely possible that someone stood the chance of losing their job because of their prank but that didn't stop them. "We couldn't believe we got through"...so why not leave it at that and say so rather than broadcast the actual recording - perhaps there would have been a "better" and more useful story in saying that they had breached security by getting through?

I don't doubt that they feel remorse and regret, but I'm afraid it's too late now, someone has lost their life, and a family has lost a mother, wife, daughter etc.. They will have to live with what their foolishness has brought about for ever, and I'm afraid that is a consequence of their action that they should have considered.

How on earth would you ever forsee someone taking their own life as a consequence of this?

Do people really think that is the one and only reason why this lady made the decision to kill herself?

Amberleaf,
They couldn't foresee what would happen when they set out to play a trick on nurses doing their jobs.
That's exactly why they shouldn't have done it and their management shouldn't have permitted it.
And now the latest disgraceful episode - the station is trying to bribe their advertisers to come back by saying they will donate a couple of weeks' profit to the family.

AmberLeaf, nobody could've predicted this particular outcome but the fact is that the outcome just as important as your intention. They didn't think they would get far with the phone call but they did and they had a choice to leave it at that. Because potential outcomes could've been:

• the person who didn't realise it was a prank, looses their job, can't pay the mortgage and the family looses the house;
• in Australia nursing jobs, especially low grade, are taken by women from the Philippines and it's well known that they support whole families back in their countries with their wages so loosing job means loss of income for a family with children.

Those were potential outcomes that they didn't foresee not because they are dim but because they are arrogant and lack empathy.

"I wondered if it played better to their home audience . . ."

I suspect it did. Someone from an Australian organisation was recommending they (DJs) get counselling ASAP because of the death threats etc. Various Australians commenting on the BBC or reported in the UK are (quite reasonably) wanting to remind the public that the outcome could not be forecast and the DJs have feelings. Seems maybe some in Australia are playing down the distress of the family of this nurse, which is where we may be concentrating our thoughts.

No, the DJs should not be hounded or get death threats. Yes, they did something rotten, but in line with 'radio pranks' (perhaps a bit wilder in Australia than we have in UK?) but at the same time with the high profile of the Royal family here (and in many commonwealth countries) surely knew the fallout would be career changing for the nurses - yet is seems the career changing they were thinking about was their own, as they became (in)famous overnight, for this call.

Someone earlier seemed to blame the hospital more than the radio station. I find that awful and wrong. Yes, the hospital was not blameless, and should have taken measures to deflect the media. However the radio station could have taken a different approach and reported only on the fact they did talk to staff (without airing the whole tape).

The security lapse was enough to get staff disciplined (whatever they are saying now) and given shifts etc, the radio station, after failing to get to speak to the nurses for permission (said to have tried 5 times) should have given up on airing the call, and could have done the responsible thing and spoken to senior management in the hospital [without saying when the call was made, thus reducing chance of dismissals/disciplinary proceedings against the nurses]. It may be that dozens of stations tried to get through and only the regular switchboard staff knew of the numbers, but nurses were clearly not prepared for this.

blonderthanred - "their 'crap accents' would not be picked up. And who is going to question the Queen?" - well put. However much we might laugh at bad attempts at accents, at 05:30 possibly after a long shift, one can be forgiven for not challenging someone on the phone, cos you are on a loser if you challenge any of the Royals, just as much as answering the media.

Why has the radio station given £300k to the nurses memorial fund?

Whenever someone not in the public eye is suddenly thrust into a situation of public humiliation as a result of a prank, there is actually no way of predicting how they will react. They may laugh it off, or the disgrace and ridicule could be just unbearable - especially if they feel they have brought disgrace on their family.

You could say that this tragic outcome could not have been predicted, on the other hand equally there is no outcome that could be definitely excluded either. You can't just put a lid on the possible consequences.

The prank was just reckless. The nurse was already in a highly charged situation being responsible for such a high-profile individual and it was irresponsible (even without the benefit of hindsight) to humiliate her in such a way that was almost certain to impact on her professional standing and reputation.

Why has the radio station given £300k to the nurses memorial fund?

Pure cynicism and greed. They haven't actually given the money.
They have said they will donate the advertising profits for the rest of the year (not a very long period!).
If you remember they were shocked when major advertisers pulled out of the station. This latest action is simply an attempt to persuade the advertisers to come back, so that the income can be donated.

How was an Indian nurse to tell the difference between hrh the queen and a fake queen with a slightly Aussie accent? I wouldn't fancy my chances of spotting someone with an Aussie accent if we were speaking French.

Pure cynicism and greed that's was my feeling.

Stinks of 'its not our fault, but please don't sue us'

I think this case is awake up call to all of us who contribute to a culture that gets its kicks from humiliating, embarrasing or gossiping about others.

It's enlightening but nit surprising that they say pramking is just part of evryday life for them. Not once did they think about the wisdom of appropriateness of even pranking a hospital, never mind the rest of it.

Screwy moral compasses.

Terrible ipad typing

Somebloke. I agree. The very fact you do not know someone, and have not obtained permission to air the piece, is reason enough not to air it. You cannot know how they will predict.

React not predict

Yes not linked at all, the nurse just woke up one morning and thought yes today I will kill myself for no reason whatsoever, the DJ prank had no effect at all.

Are people deluded? Of course they are linked. Whoever does not get this must be thick and heartless.

Are you serious?

No one knows a thing about her mental state.

Are you that deluded that you can't see that maybe she had other things going on in her life?

That maybe her decision to kill her self had nothing to do with the DJs prank?

Yes totally serious. You really believe the two are not related? And are 100% sure that she had other mental health issues? You cannot possibly know that. But what is 100% clear is she took her life 3 days after the event, I am no Miss Marple but it is clear the two are related. These people who say she must have had other mental issues are judgemental and are belittling the nurse and the effect it had on her. The DJ,s did not expect to happen but it did and they need to accept responsibility. I repeat thick and heartless.