Spindoc - this was a prank where no malice was intended. There are not many people out there who have never been the brunt of a benign practical joke and I'd wager about 98% of us see the funny side and have a laugh along with our 'tormentors'. The other 2% are a bit precious. No-one I know has topped themselves as a result.

It's different when 'jokers' do things that could cause foreseeable harm to the 'victim'- like pulling away a chair as someone is about to sit but even then more often than not the prank is accepted provided there is no adverse effect. However if the intent is to cause loss or damage to person, property, finances or reputation, it all takes on a different hue.

So looking at a wider picture: What about victims of crime? 'Intent' is always considered a factor in the prosecution and judging of a offence but the outcome for the victim is the same. The elderly woman who falls, breaks hip and arm and dies soon after is no better off because the thief who snatched her handbag and caused her to lose balance "didn't mean to hurt her". If he had punched her face and pushed her into the path of an oncoming truck she'd be just as dead, her relatives just as distressed. However there is no way the offender will be as severely penalised for the former scenario as the second.

If a victim of rape subsequently kills his/herself (which actually happens a lot) does that make the rapist guilty of murder? There would be a hellova stronger argument suggesting culpability than the case of 2 pranking radio jocks.

PERSPECTIVE please people! We will never know exactly why Jacintha Saldahna died as she did. It is a tragedy for her family and a sadness for those who knew and loved her but ultimately it was her decision, her action. I hope she has found the peace in death that was missing in life.

The point is that you do not play pranks at hospitals, a place where people are receiving medical treatment, and the hospital staff are there to adminster to the patients; and not to be the brunt of a childish prank!

I have not seen any comments which blame the LAWYER who approved the broadcast. We all know how good legal advice is especially in our Prime Ministers past association with Labor Union Funds.

"confidentiality" is taken very seriously within the health care sector.

This nurse would have been under enormous pressure by the Hospital bureacrats, it is mostly likely she would have been threatened with disciplinary action of some description, even possibly getting fired.

Tragic it is, and those who say it is wrong to prank a hospital are right. I do think, however, that the news media were very clever to point savage fingers and broadcast stories of widespread public outrage as quickly as they did. Just days earlier, they were publishing not-so-nice comments about the nurses who willingly gave information (trivial information, mind you) over the phone to callers of unverified identity. Seriously: she was claiming to be the queen, and they believed her?

There was a prank, then there was a scandal. Both the good folks at Austereo and the tabloid press should hang their heads in shame, though I guess the tabloids have a much wider audience and a much louder voice. They can make mountains out of molehills, then blame the moles for the mountains. They have that power.

JamesH,
We do not know yet if she was under presure from the hospital management. The hospital said before her death that the staff duped would not be repremanded, however I did see another comment that the nurses were due to have talks with management early this week.

Cetainly all the staff would be talking about the incident which I think would include some ridicule and nasty comments.

Then there was the intense publicity both in UK, Aus and India, so no doubt the nurse felt grossly humilated and wolud feel her professional failure had lead to a breech of patient confidentiality.

Of course the radio station was making the most of the coup and gave no thought that their actions would have an impact on the nurses duped. One does not have to be very bright to see that they could be in trouble. I noted in the interview the radio jocks said "don't blame us" but never mentioned any concern for the nurses before the death and are yet to mention any concern for the other nurse, who must be also humilated. I think the radio jocks tears was more from self pity.

Whether the hospital recognized any effect on the nurses is yet to be disclosed, and if so what support were they given.

It was revealed today that a note was left for her family so some more info may become available. The family apparently are seeking a full inquiry into all aspects.