Kate Middleton's Hospital Nurse Found Dead — Page 2

Not unrelated, at all -- but I still don't think it is blameworthy. No more than when a student failing a test 'as the final straw' might blame the teacher giving the test.

I'm not saying what they did was entertaining or justified or worthwhile -- but can't we put JUST as much blame on the media for making such a big deal over the happenstance? I daresay, the media's over playing of the situation has made a much bigger deal of the act then the actual phone call. And then lets also blame all the idiots that gave her a hard time over it (as Songanddanceman has mentioned).

This whole thing should have been over two minutes after it happened.

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I don't agree with Dramamamma. I think this was a very newsworthy event. Just like the one with the woman being bullied on the bus.Maybe, just MAYBE, a future prankster will remember what can and does happen with pranks and bullying and stop doing it.

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Add me to those who are not fans of pranks. I know that I would not appreciate one done on me. not. at. all.

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Not a fan of pranks or pranksters or prankster shows or their "lighthearted" intentions.

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Perfectly stated. I agree.

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I only heard about this today and I haven't been able piece together all of the information.

Is this the gist of what happened?

Two Aussie DJs called the hospital, pretended to be the Queen, asked to talk to the Duchess, got through, received information, and then the receptionist killed herself?

I must be missing something. Why would the Queen personally call the front desk? You'd think the Royal Suite would have a Batphone or something that goes straight to the Royal Hospital Suite and not go through the main switchboard. (Is that too old fashioned to say?)

Is that correct?

There are so many things I could say or argue in relation to this but I think I want to just acknowledge this one thing at this time. Different hospitals have different policies about how information can be released to whom and how. I’ve worked in a facility where upon admission the patient/and or their family fills out a form with where they list names of who we can give information to. Someone calls and wants to know how Joe Shmo is doing, we would ask who we were speaking to, check the list, and as long as the person was on the list they would get an update. Several facilities do it this way. If the hospital where Princess Catherine was hospitalized did it this way, the nurse did nothing wrong (assuming the Queen were on that list).

The place I work now is frequented by celebrities and powerful people. On admission, patients and or they’re family establish a password. When someone calls for information, we ask them for the password. Some big name people will specify that no one receive information over the phone, and they have their family, personal assistant, and/or publicist release information as the patient and their representatives see fit.

I’d like to also point out if I may, that the nurse did not reveal and significant details about her condition, only that she was resting comfortably. She didn’t give detailed medical information.

Interesting update: On the news this AM, the DJs MAY have broken Australian law by recording a phone conversation without . (Isn't that illegal here, too?) The station (the manager I think?) claims they did not break any laws.

Also commented: both DJs are devastated and in counseling. While much of England (like here) holds them directly responsible, those IN Australia do not.

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I'm just going off what my news said this morning -- they even interviewed a couple -- they made it sound as if their attitude was the norm.

Thanks for the clarification.

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Pranks are made by jerks, for jerks.

There's nothing funny about them. And those who are amused by them only help perpetuate the problem.

They can also have unforseen consequences -- tragic ones --as we have seen here.

As a society, we need to stop applauding the shock jocks, the clowns, the jackasses. And maybe if such behavior were met with anger instead of applause, it wouldn't take place.

And guns, as Sarah Palin reminded us. Those dern British wanted to take our guns away.

Pranks are like bullying: both done with the full knowledge that the "victim" will suffer in some way that the bully/prankster deems "No big deal."

Both acts--pranking and bullying--are done under an assumption of impunity ("Even if if get caught, nothing will happen to us.")

The two DJs, like Dharun Ravi, may be innocent of any criminal wrongdoing, but two lives are lost because of their indifference to common human decency.

I think feeling guilty and SH*Tty for the rest of their lives seems an entirely appropriate punishment.

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Updated On: 12/11/12 at 12:30 AM

Two lives? Please 'splain.

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"But saying that a prank phone call of this nature drove someone to suicide just doesn't make sense."

It precipitated a suicide.

And as several people have explained here already, what might seem "harmless" to the perpetrator or the spectator may not be taken as such by the victim of the prank.

At the very least, "harmless" pranks are childish in the extreme.

It's time for our society to grow up.