For most of yesterday, Sydney’s radio stations were in overdrive over the case of a 2GB journalist who needed medical treatment after “collapsing” on the job. Macquarie’s state political reporter Rachel Stevens “passed out” shortly after arriving at her office in the NSW Parliament at 8:30am yesterday morning.

Stevens, according to radio reports “fell face down unconscious with blood streaming from her nose.” An ambulance was called and paramedics took the view that she needed to go to a major trauma hospital at Randwick, by-passing the Sydney Hospital, right next door to Parliament House.

This led to 2GB’s Alan Jones and Ray Hadley belting up the health system all day, claiming that Sydney Hospital was diverting patients. Shadow Health Minister Barry O’Farrell conveniently jumped on to 2GB to join in the day-long rant about a health system that couldn’t cope.

As the day wore on, Stevens was able to rise from her sick bed to talk on air with 2GB about the indignity of being rushed to a hospital at Randwick instead of being treated at Sydney Hospital. Stevens was also heard making a private telephone call about the big night she had on Tuesday night – “too much to drink. Feeling very dehydrated and passed out at work.”

Ambulance officers quickly diagnosed Stevens with an acute case of PFO – ambulance slang for “pissed and fell over.”

Ah, the life of a journalist!