patient protocal for discharge

[lavender girl]

please could i have just afew view on this matter about what you do when a patient sys he has been discharged, but the written paper is not in his hand. the reason i ask this is that i felt very guiilty that i heard that patient had died of a heart attack approx 2-3 weeks later, which made me think there was no set out rules to what to do in this position. in the past and at that time i have seen this situation time and time again where the patient is not taken as included anymore once they have been notified that they are discharged. i will be interested to know your comments on this matter thanks tara