The Hospital Nurse Who Got Duped In The Duchess Kate Prank Call Committed Suicide

That is some fucked up shit. No wonder I hate answering the phone at work...

RIP, nurse.

*casts side eye at evil baby bump*
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What the fuck dude? And being European is NOT an excuse. - IHateCharityChic 05/10/2012

Submitted by suckandfuck on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:23pm.
Submitted by Ophelias evil twin on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:18pm.

I'm all for pranks because they are fun
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oh yeah I bet you like to watch people drown in lava too

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I sho do - *get TLC on the line ..I got an i-dear for a new reality show!* I'll give you all the credit sucky

Submitted by WendyNerd on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 2:06pm.
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I think I'm overly Ramotional today but WendyNerd's post made me tear up.

Submitted by WendyNerd on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 2:06pm.

It wasn't just the prank call. It might have been the last straw or tipping point that sent her over the edge, but no one commits suicide over a prank call. Especially not someone with two children. Something tells me there had been a lot brewing in that poor woman's life for a while...
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WendyNerd, thank you for your thoughtful and thought-provoking post. Indeed, chronic depression is a virtual hell on earth, and so many out there are at the edge of or fallen into an abyss. We walk down the street each day, and have no idea about the acute pain, sadness, and loneliness that far too many hide behind their saddened eyes.

Bless them all.

Submitted by jerseygirl17 on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 2:17pm.

Lily - did not mean to sound bitchy, I just really feel for this woman, especially after reading the update about how she normally didn't answer the phone. I've seen it a million times. You've got a patient who needs to be changed, a call out to a doctor, someone screaming for painkillers, two family members literally stalking you down the hall, the secretary's gone and the phone rings. You know someone better answer it or the director will be pissed. You answer it, it's not about your patient, your first instinct is to get that patient's nurse.
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Hey Jerseygirl17, trust me, I took no offense to your correct comments. And while I'm not in the healthcare profession, I can certainly understand and respect what nursing staff go through on a day to day/hour to hour basis while on shift. I've seen them in action while visiting patients in the hospital, and I commend them all.

You know, my husband said to me a few moments ago (about this tragedy) that in his opinion there's a very thin line that exists (if at all) between pranks and bullying. His observation certainly made me pause and reflect over this incident.

This is so sad. As soon as I saw the report of this stupid prank I immediately felt for the person who answered the phone. How horrific that this their voice and implied stupidity is being played on every major news outlet across the world. It's not like this woman wanted fame or notoriety and put herself in a position to be in the limelight. She was doing her job. I think these phone pranks are an adult version of bullying and I don't think it's okay. The world is stressful, depressing, and cruel enough. Why do people feel pleasure from other people's embarrassment?

Prince Albert in a can...?

@SFRB, no problem! Just adding my un-asked-for opinion. HA!

Also, loved the stuff you said earlier about too much ass kissing around here!

Submitted by decorative item on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 2:13pm.
Submitted by Whamo on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:45pm.
Submitted by decorative item on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:34pm.
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Edit....it seems it was only for a few minutes, bad timing!!!!

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Strangely bad timing. Feels like destiny.

I had a friend die a very strange, random death. But, knowing the pain she was going though with her fight with depression, everyone around her thought it was probably more of a release for her than anything else. Who knows.

Submitted by decorative item on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 2:13pm.
Submitted by Whamo on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:45pm.
Submitted by decorative item on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:34pm.
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obviously, there was no such procedure in place and we don't know why. Everything else is just speculation until more info is released. I may well come to a different conclusion with more info at hand.
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Very true, and I agree, there is an update saying the woman that put the call though was NOT the regular receptionist and just covering for her.

Edit....it seems it was only for a few minutes, bad timing!!!!

Lily - did not mean to sound bitchy, I just really feel for this woman, especially after reading the update about how she normally didn't answer the phone. I've seen it a million times. You've got a patient who needs to be changed, a call out to a doctor, someone screaming for painkillers, two family members literally stalking you down the hall, the secretary's gone and the phone rings. You know someone better answer it or the director will be pissed. You answer it, it's not about your patient, your first instinct is to get that patient's nurse.

When I read about this, I just thought, ah fuck no. I listened to that DJ prank call a couple of days ago and I was laughing my ass off because it was so bad. One of the DJs was even barking like the queen's corgis, FFS. I don't think the DJs meant any malice and they probably thought they were going to get shut down immediately. Even they seemed taken by surprise when the first nurse put them through, then the second nurse started blabbing away. I agree with Whamo that the hospital, or better, the royal family themselves, should have put some security protocols down, because wouldn't they expect people to be curious and calling about Kate? If fucking Beyonce and Jay-Z had airtight security when Beyonce (aka their surrogate) gave birth to their kid, why couldn't the royals instill some security measures so all the responsibility and cost wouldn't be put on the hospital staff?

For this I say, fuck this Anglophile devotion to the royal family, fuck this whole royalty bullshit. I feel pity for the nurse's family, but this woman must have had serious mental issues, plus her suicide also seemed an act of passive aggression in that "I'll get the last laugh" kind of way. Just sad, ugly and fucked up all around.

Submitted by WendyNerd on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 2:06pm.

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Thank you, Wendy. Depression ain't funny.

Submitted by The Beaver on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 2:05pm.
Submitted by Whamo on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 12:59pm.
Submitted by The Beaver on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 12:46pm.
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Hey there is an update to this, it seems the receptionist was only COVERING for the regular receptionist!!! So perhaps if the regular receptionist was in place this call would not have gotten through. Perhaps they did in fact have security in place but that wasn't given to this person that covered for her.

Totally different ballgame if THAT's the case!

As I say my argument was IF they had no protocols in place it's the hospitals fault if they DID but in the few minutes the regular TRAINED receptionist stepped away this call came though then that's some bad fuckin timing!

Submitted by Whamo on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:45pm.
Submitted by decorative item on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:34pm.

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that's the thing, you are dealing with the Royals, if there wern't automatic procedures there should have been. You don't get a higher profile person in you care than a Royal so you damn well BETTER have procedures in place and if you've never had a such a high profile patient you should have the sense to put procedures in place and have a special meeting to top it all off. You want to have procedures on every single door in and out of that hospital.
As well the Royal most certainly should expect you'd have precautions in place, that should be a give. The Royals don't ask for special service they expect it.
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I don't disagree with you in as far as what should have been done. but, obviously, there was no such procedure in place and we don't know why. Everything else is just speculation until more info is released. I may well come to a different conclusion with more info at hand.

As far as expecting special service, that's all good and fine, but they have to be told what special services are needed. Perhaps they had 10 guards at every door, but no phone procedure instructions. Who knows what happened, but I'm sure there will be a long investigation.

It's all fun and games until somebody loses an eye. Sure, you didn't intend for somebody to lose an eye, maybe you couldn't have even predicted somebody would lose an eye, if you had bothered to think it through--but you didn't, you didn't even though it happens frequently enough that somebody created a saying for it as a warning.

Submitted by jerseygirl17 on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:19 pm

That really doesn't make it OK. I don't believe in bothering anyone while they are working because that could mess with their paycheck. But hospitals and other emergency services should be off-limits. If commuters can't live without hospital pranks, they either need more or less caffeine.
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I wasn't implying the pranks were "OK". I merely pointed out that, for better or worse, like it or not, there's an audience for these radio phone call "jokes". I totally agree that all medical and security related facilities are a BIG NO for these pranks.

imo this is not a forseeable consequence of that type of prank, and that type of prank is not unusual for those dumb ass "edgy" d.j. teams to do. i did not know those dumb ass "edgy" d.j. teams existed anywhere other than this dumb ass country.

the real background behind Ms.Saldanha's suicide will come out over the next few days. it's not all about this, this was the breaking point

/low life who likes appropriate pranks

"Voodoo is forgetting who's the john and who's the whore." MK, 3/20/12

This is really sad. I wonder if she displayed any signs of emotional distress before taking the call...

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"Dammit, Pam, I've seen that, and now I can't unsee it. There's not enough liquor or therapy in the world to help me forget that..." - Archer

Somebody once called me and asked if my fridge was running. I said yes, then they told me I better go catch it.

I've been cutting myself ever since. :(

It wasn't just the prank call. It might have been the last straw or tipping point that sent her over the edge, but no one commits suicide over a prank call. Especially not someone with two children. Something tells me there had been a lot brewing in that poor woman's life for a while.

I think this is a perfect example of how often mental or emotional illness can be dismissed in our society. So many people who suffer from depression often go undiagnosed and untreated because it is just dismissed as "nerves" or "being a wimp." Countless times people who are legitimately afflicted are basically told by everyone to "get over it" and that "they don't have real problems." As a result, the chemicals go on being unbalanced and the anguish, self-loathing and misery builds up and up and up until.....

She's probably spent years telling herself she's worthless, dumb, ugly, fat, a crappy mother, something like that. There probably weren't enough people telling her otherwise, and even if there were, she probably wasn't able to process anything positive because the chemicals inside her head wouldn't let her. Probably continued for a while. And then? She gets pranked in the most public manner possible, in a manner that could have resulted in her accidentally spilling some highly HIGHLY sensitive information about the most powerful family in Britain, and the prank is not even done by talented pranksters and then every horrible thing she believed about herself, in her mind, was confirmed, and everyone around her knows and reminds her of it and so finally she thinks, "No, I should end it. It is the rational thing to do. I almost endangered the life of my country's future figurehead. I almost created a leak in national security. I do no one any good. I have humiliated my family, friends, country, workplace. I fail in every possible manner and I am a threat. Everyone would be better off."

It doesn't even enter her mind that 1) Chances are that the number they got was HIGHLY classified, so logically, the only people who should be calling would be the royals, even if they sounded weird. Only they should have that number, right? 2) She didn't do anyone any harm 3) It wasn't even her job to man the phones, so she shouldn't be expected to be able to spot a prank 3) She was probably so stressed and overworked trying to make sure the DUCHESS OF FREAKING CAMBRIDGE was able to recover, maintain her pregnancy, and be guarded from the press and rest in peace that it would cause anyone a momentary lapse in judgment 4) That, being a nurse, it shows that she has a kind, nurturing nature, and a pretty sharp mind for science 5) That being the nurse ASSIGNED TO THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE she must be a REALLY REALLY GOOD NURSE, probably one of the best in the country, and therefore REALLY SMART AND GOOD AT HER JOB 6) That she's probably a wonderful, beautiful woman beloved by her family and friends who would be devastated without her

But things don't work that way inside your head when you're sick. And this woman was sick. Very, very sick.

And that's what depression is. That's how suicide happens.

Not trying to be pretentious, but this just really really hits home to me and it just drives me nuts when sick people aren't treated like they're sick. I'm seriously crying right now.

Butterfly in the sky
I can go twice as high
Take a look
It's in a book
Pig-fucking movie
Pig-fucking movie

Submitted by Whamo on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 12:59pm.
Submitted by The Beaver on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 12:46pm.

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Oh, no - the hospital is very much part responsible and I referenced that. At least they took responsibility, verbally, at this point and I hope people are fired over it - even before this horrible turn of events. That's a MASSIVE f up. No doubt about it. I have a friend who's high up and a major city/university hospital and her response was heads would have ROLLED if that happened here and I'm sure behind the scenes between the palace and the hospital, it was getting ugly even before this.

However, these two douchebag DJs KNEW what they were doing, what they aimed to do, and knew they were getting someone's private information and STILL broadcasted for the WORLD to hear. Putting aside that it's the Duchess, that's just wrong and gross violation of anyone's privacy. They placed a call to do harm (ie. try to violate someone's health privacy, impersonate someone else to do so - although badly), and got what they wanted. I'm not buying the "We're just a couple of wacky morning DJ's *insert honking horn noise*. We had bad accents! How DIDN'T they know?!" Find moral ground and either hang up or take it off the air. If they followed through with the call, the world did not have to hear the result. They released it for their own fame, and IMO, that's just as bad the hospital having the breach. Again, a lot of live radio shows are on delay to avoid things like this here in the states and had it happened here, the FCC would have dropped huge fines.

Submitted by suckandfuck on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:22pm.
Submitted by snowpiece on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:20pm.

*covers phone's mouthpiece and mouths words "OMG IT'S MIGUELINA" to boyfriend aka a pillow wearing a t-shirt*
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LMMFAO!!!!!

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"CAUTION: Delusion ahead." MK
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Submitted by lilywhiteclass on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:59pm.
Submitted by jerseygirl17 on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:19pm.

Poor woman.

I know how hard nurses/hospital staff work. We are under SO much stress. Doesn't make it right to give out personal info, BUT I take huge offense at a couple of assholes whose "job" is basically to be assholes on air every morning* poking at people with real problems.
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I can't disagree, but remember there are plenty of stressed out 9-5 commuters on the roads who find these pranks funny and takes the edge off their collective morning drive or when they sit down at their desks.
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That really doesn't make it OK. I don't believe in bothering anyone while they are working because that could mess with their paycheck. But hospitals and other emergency services should be off-limits. If commuters can't live without hospital pranks, they either need more or less caffeine.

Submitted by jerseygirl17 on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:19pm.

Poor woman.

I know how hard nurses/hospital staff work. We are under SO much stress. Doesn't make it right to give out personal info, BUT I take huge offense at a couple of assholes whose "job" is basically to be assholes on air every morning* poking at people with real problems.
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I can't disagree, but remember there are plenty of stressed out 9-5 commuters on the roads who find these pranks funny. These "jokes" take the edge off their collective morning drive or when they sit down at their desks.

I'm also wondering about the hospital's severe lack of procedures and protocols in regards to incoming calls - for both VIP and regular patients. Well, everyone is a VIP as far as I'm concerned.

Married.... two kids..... a fucking NURSE.....

yeah, it wasn't the "prank", which sucks, but she had much bigger issues. Too bad for the family .... sads.

Incredibly sad! I hate prank calls. =(

My sympathy to her family.

HOWEVER:

These idiot DJ's are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Their prank is not the cause of this poor woman's suicide. Yes, it's tragic. But nobody in their right frame of mind offs themselves because of this.

Additional: The DJ's are straight-up assholes. Stick that in your ratings and suck it.

Oh, and yippee-kai-yeah when you get pinked-slipped.

Submitted by Migraineuse on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:50pm.
Submitted by jerseygirl17 on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:43pm.

It isn't the DJ's fault that she committed suicide, but they are still lowlives for pulling the prank.

Anyone who thinks it's funny to prank on-duty medical staff or first responders is a tool, period.

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Pranks aren't funny. They're acts of aggression. All the people who pull them are low lifes.
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Let's not go crazy, OK? I just meant people working with life or death literally have better things to do than deal with juvenile jokes.

Submitted by CandyPerfumeGirl on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:26pm.

Bill Maher makes fun of everyone, comedians constantly poke fun at people - at any given point someone is humiliated and made fun of in that matter, like i said, there are entire tv shows and programs aimed at pranking people an we all laugh and it is funny. Now if someone is unstable and commits suicide that is on THEM not the prankster. the brits dont have a sense of humor when it comes to the queen. They fucking take this royalty shit seriously - if they could they would transport themselves back to royal times and be willing minions of the royal court. so possible mental instability + strange devotion to the queen + being publicly pranked + possible harassment by co workers and hospital management = suicide.

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I'm not denying that the poor nurse had other problems which led to her suicide. However, I disagree with your comments. Bill Maher tends to make fun of people who are celebrities or intentionally put themselves in the spotlight (politicians, etc). TV programs which prank people have to get them to sign a release form or else they can't air it. This woman was not famous. She was just doing her job -- actually, filling in for a co-worker -- and she made a mistake that the entire world found out about in a matter of hours. I'm not saying that's a justificable reason to kill yourself, but I can understand the shame and mortification she must have felt, likely exacerbated by comments from friends and strangers alike. Like Whamo suggested, she may be from a culture that sees only one resolution to bringing shame on your family. We'll likely find out more in the days to come from thanks to the ever invasive media.

If you are mentally ill you don't think clearly. You are ill and unable to manage, that is why people get locked up. And, that is why mentally ill people are not considered RESPONSIBLE for their own behavior.

I use to think suicide was selfish, but I no longer think that way.

Submitted by jerseygirl17 on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:43pm.

It isn't the DJ's fault that she committed suicide, but they are still lowlives for pulling the prank.

Anyone who thinks it's funny to prank on-duty medical staff or first responders is a tool, period.

________________________________________

Pranks aren't funny. They're acts of aggression. All the people who pull them are low lifes.

*______________________________________*

Submitted by Darknight on Fri, 11/09/2012 - 4:27pm.

THE TRUTH. Making the world a better place.

@Cokeybloke - thanks!

Liberal limosine may be my new favorite phrase

She was harassed to the breaking point by the media, the same corporate owned media who insist that enacting any legislation whatsoever to limit their powers to destroy lives would be an intolerable assault on FreedomOfSpeech and land us all in a Siberian prison camp.

*______________________________________*

Submitted by Darknight on Fri, 11/09/2012 - 4:27pm.

THE TRUTH. Making the world a better place.

Submitted by princesspoppy on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:21pm.
Sad. In today's world, it's alarming how someone can go from completely anonymous to world famous in a matter of hours, with no control over the situation. Like the homeless, shoeless guy.

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Yeah, it's rather scary. I don't think I would handle instant fame well if it was for all the wrong reasons. I wouldn't off myself, but I would definitely be in seclusion.

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What would Jesus do for a Klondike Bar?

Submitted by decorative item on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:34pm.
We don't know that the hospital was responsible because we don't know if there is a procedure that should have been automatically engaged. Nor, do we know if the Royal family asked for anything to be put in place.
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that's the thing, you are dealing with the Royals, if there wern't automatic procedures there should have been. You don't get a higher profile person in you care than a Royal so you damn well BETTER have procedures in place and if you've never had a such a high profile patient you should have the sense to put procedures in place and have a special meeting to top it all off. You want to have procedures on every single door in and out of that hospital.
As well the Royal most certainly should expect you'd have precautions in place, that should be a give. The Royals don't ask for special service they expect it.

Regarding the Brazilian elevator YouTube with the ghost girl that went viral, there's a new one out with a coffin and a body that falls out then starts walking towards them. It's so "Candid Camera" but I'm sure there will be calls for international bans now on such tomfoolery.

It isn't the DJ's fault that she committed suicide, but they are still lowlives for pulling the prank.

Anyone who thinks it's funny to prank on-duty medical staff or first responders is a tool, period.

Submitted by snowpiece on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:23pm.

yes, and the inevitable suicide when I release the video of your instant erection on You Tube
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Ms. Snowphatz, that's really not very funny at all not even a little bit, what would happen if YOU committed suicide aka stop eating cake and donuts every 5 min and not take your liberal limousine to work everyday? You wouldn't find that very funny either, so ya know, when are people on this site gonna grow up and stop making jokes about someone who killed themselves I don't know but I really pray everyday that you people really grow up already and act mature because there is a severe lack of that on this site.

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Submitted by stinkbutt on Mon, 03/29/2010 - 5:47pm.
suckandfuck, do us all a favor, and hang yourself. Oh, and your parents should be shot for raising a disgusting pig like yourself.

Submitted by suckandfuck on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:23pm.
Submitted by Ophelias evil twin on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:18pm.

oh yeah I bet you like to watch people drown in lava too, what the actual fuck is wrong with you? I'm throwing up.

LMAO!

Sorry but there is only one person to "blame" and that's the dead woman. I don't care what kind of problems, shame, humiliation, etc she had. If she had small children, her responsibility is to pull it together FOR THEM. Her selfish act has just sentenced two innocent children to a lifetime of trauma. I have a feeling that if this dumb prank hadn't happened it would have been something else. Sorry if I seem insensitive to the mentally ill, but when you're a mom (or dad), you've gotta think of your kids first.

We don't know that the hospital was responsible because we don't know if there is a procedure that should have been automatically engaged. Nor, do we know if the Royal family asked for anything to be put in place.

It was sudden, so this may have just been a case of everyone overlooking the obvious.

I don't think there is anyone to blame, including the sad woman who died.

Submitted by sinjin on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:23pm.

OMG That is awful.

Submitted by Whamo on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:24pm.
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And if it's true that any of the people involved in this received death threats and were harrassed, that's freaking sick too.

•-•-•-•-•-•
"CAUTION: Delusion ahead." MK
░░░░♬♣☺♪◘☼♥♫•ღ♩♦≈❀♠♡░░░░

My initial reaction was serious rage face at the djs, but I calmed down and realized that its not their fault at all. Its very sad that an innocent prank snowballed into something so tragic. I wonder what the nurses background is. Sometimes shame and embarrassment is a really serious thing in certain cultures. Not saying that's it of course but just something to mull over

Submitted by WithinReason... on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:18pm.
Submitted by Whamo on Fri, 12/07/2012 - 1:11pm.
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True. If anything it's the security officer at the hospital who should be mortified and fired for improper training of their staff.
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Absolutely, you have the future queen of England in your care and you have no training at all on how to screen calls...REALLY. I mean because we all know we live in a perfect world and nobody would want to try and talk to the Kate right!? I mean WTF? A call comes in and all you do is pass it right along all hunky dory with absolutely no screening!?

IF and I'll qualify this IF all they did was call and say put me through and the call was put though just like then then damn skippy it's the hospitals fault

Unless I'm missing something The hospital fucked up BIG TIME.