Royal Prank

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Ultimate Geek

#730534 11-Dec-2012 15:28

I am with Keewee and Elpie on this.

The so called "prank" and its being put to air was designed to create a story at the known cost of humiliating the radio crew's targets by tricking them into divulging, against their personal and professional ethics, the very private details of a person in their care. The moment it was put to air it was no longer a "prank" in any sense at all as it was not something that the radio audience, the hospital, the nurses and the patient could all laugh at together. It was clear that at least the last three would not have regarded it as a joke at all.

The immaturity of the radio staff continues with their claiming that they tried 5 times to call the hospital to get permission to play it to air. So it seems they knew that it was a situation where it really would have been the right thing to get permission, yet they do not seem to have had the intelligence or maturity to know that such permission would never have been granted.

While the death of the nurse was unexpected, I am not totally surprised. I have been close to a number of people over the years who have been treated abysmally by the media and seen how some of those not used to such abuse have been deeply hurt. One of those occasions was with respect to a very solid senior executive in Australia who I knew well. I believe he only survived emotionally from the bitchy media attacks on him (which were totally unfounded) by the solid support of his colleagues, one of whom gave him a senior role in his own company in another country in order to give the guy a fresh start.

I am surprised though, by those here who think such behaviour by the media is just fine. Perhaps it is just because school is out.

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#730543 11-Dec-2012 15:40

John2010: I am with Keewee and Elpie on this.

The so called "prank" and its being put to air was designed to create a story at the known cost of humiliating the radio crew's targets by tricking them into divulging, against their personal and professional ethics, the very private details of a person in their care. The moment it was put to air it was no longer a "prank" in any sense at all as it was not something that the radio audience, the hospital, the nurses and the patient could all laugh at together. It was clear that at least the last three would not have regarded it as a joke at all.

I disagree with your initial comment. I know what my personal and professional ethics allow me to do, regardless of anything else. I know right and wrong and no radio station would have me giving out information I wasn't authorized to give out for any reason (Trick,prank or threat). (and Yes I have experience with this, having been offered OBSCENE amounts of money to give up information and would never do).

The nurse didn't undertake what I would consider to be even the most perfunctory of verifications as to the validity of the identify of the caller. I don't need company policy to know as part of my own common sense to verify identity. The patient doesn't seem to phased by it, the impersonated individual made a joke of it himself.

I am not saying it's a good situation, or that the radio station isn't culpable in some way, but the point that the nurse has not done herself any favours and has been humiliated by not using a little common sense.

The right thing to do was not to air it, when they realized they got through and information that shouldn't have been obtained was obtained.

qwerty7

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#730544 11-Dec-2012 15:41

How could she of not realized it was a prank. In a job where patient confidentiality is an issue the call should never of been put through. For those who have not heard the call search it up, it is clear the dj's never expected it to get put through. The only reason no one is questioning her actions is because she is dead. I believe this case directly effects political correctness going to far and no normal person would top themselves solely because of this, regardless of what anyone, family etc says.. she must of had suicidal tendencies to begin with.

You cannot tread on thin ice all the time. I wake up call for radio stations etc to think about their actions and the effects yes. The dj's should be punished no. I think it would be a very sad day when radio stations cannot make such calls just because of the slight possibly they may tread on someones toes.

If a person drives to a shop for an item and the item is not in-stock and that is the last straw for that person is the store to blame? no.

Sh*t happens. No one could of reasonably foreseen that it would result in her taking her life and I am not going to withhold my comments while society turns politically correct lunacy.

networkn

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#730554 11-Dec-2012 15:48

qwerty7: How could she of not realized it was a prank. In a job where patient confidentiality is an issue the call should never of been put through. For those who have not heard the call search it up, it is clear the dj's never expected it to get put through. The only reason no one is questioning her actions is because she is dead. I believe this case directly effects political correctness going to far and no normal person would top themselves solely because of this, regardless of what anyone, family etc says.. she must of had suicidal tendencies to begin with.

You cannot tread on thin ice all the time. I wake up call for radio stations etc to think about their actions and the effects yes. The dj's should be punished no. I think it would be a very sad day when radio stations cannot make such calls just because of the slight possibly they may tread on someones toes.

If a person drives to a shop for an item and the item is not in-stock and that is the last straw for that person is the store to blame? no.

Sh*t happens. No one could of reasonably foreseen that it would result in her taking her life and I am not going to withhold my comments while society turns politically correct lunacy.

This! She should have known better than to put the call through regardless of anything else. She is partially culpable.

qwerty7

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#730577 11-Dec-2012 16:02

networkn:
qwerty7: How could she of not realized it was a prank. In a job where patient confidentiality is an issue the call should never of been put through. For those who have not heard the call search it up, it is clear the dj's never expected it to get put through. The only reason no one is questioning her actions is because she is dead. I believe this case directly effects political correctness going to far and no normal person would top themselves solely because of this, regardless of what anyone, family etc says.. she must of had suicidal tendencies to begin with.

You cannot tread on thin ice all the time. I wake up call for radio stations etc to think about their actions and the effects yes. The dj's should be punished no. I think it would be a very sad day when radio stations cannot make such calls just because of the slight possibly they may tread on someones toes.

If a person drives to a shop for an item and the item is not in-stock and that is the last straw for that person is the store to blame? no.

Sh*t happens. No one could of reasonably foreseen that it would result in her taking her life and I am not going to withhold my comments while society turns politically correct lunacy.

This! She should have known better than to put the call through regardless of anything else. She is partially culpable.

I agree with your statement though, in retrospect atleast.. it should never of been aired and the producers should of considered whose job it may effect etc..

At the same time am I the only one that thinks it shows alarming concerns for patient privacy. Getting details on how Kate is doing is simple as ringing up and asking seriously? I thought at least they would of had some 'code word' or procedure for contact from the royal family. I thought this would be standard security measures as surely they get impersonation calls all the time.

I don't see any single person to blame and the hospital and radio station would certainly be higher on the blame list than the dj's. Hospital should of verified caller. Should not have been aired knowing it could put soemones job in question.

mattwnz

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#730600 11-Dec-2012 16:20

networkn:

The nurse didn't undertake what I would consider to be even the most perfunctory of verifications as to the validity of the identify of the caller. I don't need company policy to know as part of my own common sense to verify identity. The patient doesn't seem to phased by it, the impersonated individual made a joke of it himself.

We don't actually know all the fact, and how they process calls. It is also a different country with different privacy laws and processes etc. But from my understanding from what I heard, that wasn't actually her job to do that verification. There was a person who managed the call before it was passed onto the nurse, and I presume it is at that stage where they verify the callers identity, and then send it to the nurse. In order for the nurse to confirm identity, it would mean going through records etc and taking up her time, which is something the person who answered the call should have done.

Elpie

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#730729 11-Dec-2012 18:37

mattwnz:
networkn:

The nurse didn't undertake what I would consider to be even the most perfunctory of verifications as to the validity of the identify of the caller. I don't need company policy to know as part of my own common sense to verify identity. The patient doesn't seem to phased by it, the impersonated individual made a joke of it himself.

We don't actually know all the fact, and how they process calls. It is also a different country with different privacy laws and processes etc. But from my understanding from what I heard, that wasn't actually her job to do that verification. There was a person who managed the call before it was passed onto the nurse, and I presume it is at that stage where they verify the callers identity, and then send it to the nurse. In order for the nurse to confirm identity, it would mean going through records etc and taking up her time, which is something the person who answered the call should have done.

From media reports, it appears that the nurse who committed suicide was the one who took the call. Apparently, she answered the incoming call in the early hours of the morning and transferred it through to the nurse who gave out the personal information. We don't know what happened - she may well have led the second nurse to believe it was a genuine call. If anyone is to blame for a nurse being put in this position its the hospital. They claim they didn't reprimand her but who knows? The nurse that disclosed information might have been pretty miffed and laid blame, we don't know.

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Dratsab

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#730742 11-Dec-2012 18:53

Elpie: [snip] we don't know.

This pretty much sums up the entire thread.

gzt

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#730787 11-Dec-2012 20:23

Full audio:

bfginger

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#731688 13-Dec-2012 00:17

India has a more hierarchical culture with greater reverence and deference shown to authority figures and can attach a much greater sense of shame and consequences for personal failings.

Indians seldom have much ability to differentiate between English-speaking accents. She would've been unable to tell that they weren't genuine, would never have thought that anyone would impersonate the royals, and challenging their legitimacy and access to information would've been unthinkable. If the DJs hadn't had the wild misfortune to strike two Indian nurses their prank would've been too unremarkable for them to even bother airing.

For someone who was "very nervous" at the best of times this pushed her over the edge.

Not many people saw it as they quickly deleted everything but the radio station posted a clip of the duo gloating about the prank on Youtube. Disregard for empathy has become far too normalised in Australia.

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#732025 13-Dec-2012 13:38

The second nurse was also of recent Indian origin? Are you sure? I would not have guessed that from her accent. Perhaps you "seldom have much ability to differentiate between English-speaking accents" ?

Yet again, we really do not know the circumstances and both nurses may have had good reason to believe the call was genuine. The audio quality on an average telephone is terrible and what the nurses heard is completely different to what we can hear on the high quality youtube clip above.

TheUngeek

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#732827 15-Dec-2012 00:24

How far can something be blown out of all proportion? Guess we are finding out.
Seems notes were found written by the deceased critizing the hospital. It would appear there were other factors. The DJs are not to blame.

networkn

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#732829 15-Dec-2012 00:38

mattwnz:
networkn:

The nurse didn't undertake what I would consider to be even the most perfunctory of verifications as to the validity of the identify of the caller. I don't need company policy to know as part of my own common sense to verify identity. The patient doesn't seem to phased by it, the impersonated individual made a joke of it himself.

We don't actually know all the fact, and how they process calls. It is also a different country with different privacy laws and processes etc. But from my understanding from what I heard, that wasn't actually her job to do that verification. There was a person who managed the call before it was passed onto the nurse, and I presume it is at that stage where they verify the callers identity, and then send it to the nurse. In order for the nurse to confirm identity, it would mean going through records etc and taking up her time, which is something the person who answered the call should have done.

Even more evidence that her reaction was well out of proportion to the issue then.

riahon

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Ultimate Geek

#732834 15-Dec-2012 06:00

networkn:
qwerty7: How could she of not realized it was a prank. In a job where patient confidentiality is an issue the call should never of been put through. For those who have not heard the call search it up, it is clear the dj's never expected it to get put through. The only reason no one is questioning her actions is because she is dead. I believe this case directly effects political correctness going to far and no normal person would top themselves solely because of this, regardless of what anyone, family etc says.. she must of had suicidal tendencies to begin with.

You cannot tread on thin ice all the time. I wake up call for radio stations etc to think about their actions and the effects yes. The dj's should be punished no. I think it would be a very sad day when radio stations cannot make such calls just because of the slight possibly they may tread on someones toes.

If a person drives to a shop for an item and the item is not in-stock and that is the last straw for that person is the store to blame? no.

Sh*t happens. No one could of reasonably foreseen that it would result in her taking her life and I am not going to withhold my comments while society turns politically correct lunacy.

This! She should have known better than to put the call through regardless of anything else. She is partially culpable.

And that is a possible reason why she committed suicide. Her cultural background might have played a part. I recall hearing stories of young Japanese students committing suicide for failing exams! She may well have been on the edge with her mental well being, but that plus my assumptions are all that they will ever be, assumptions. I understand a note was written, even that will be interpreted and misinterpreted as we will all read it with our own set of values and morals that can differ within and across cultural and ethnic boundaries.

I personally ALWAYS change a radio channel when I hear a radio station performing a prank call. It just doesn't sit in my sense of humour bag. I am all up for teasing and humiliating someone up front in the name of humour, but that way it leaves me exposed for teasing as well. When you make a prank call the recipient has no way of retribution (unless they pick up it is a prank early).

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#732839 15-Dec-2012 07:41

networkn: This! She should have known better than to put the call through regardless of anything else. She is partially culpable.

Your comment is premature to say the least. For all we know she followed procedures to the letter but was blamed in some way by colleagues and it was the second nurse who should have identified the caller. Makes more sense to me.

If I call a hospital and ask for a ward they will put me straight through. If I call the hospital and ask for a person, they will ask for the ward and then put me straight through. Only from there if I ask about the condition of the person will they want to identify me.

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