Most of my coworkers when discharging a patient AMA just get them to sign the form and it's a "there's the door, don't let it hit you on the way out" kind of attitude.
I've always tried to give some semblence of d/c instructions, such as what to look out for, how to care for wounds, what kind of followup they need, when to come back to the ER, etc. similar to other discharges. Sometimes for the indigents I give them a few dressing supplies, etc.
Although my last AMA I gave him the MD's number, only to be told by the MD that when "when a patient goes AMA, I drop them and don't give them my number". I can understand that. Point well taken.
I'm not talking a major d/c like a person leaving normally, but I try to at least not send the patient blindly out on their own either.
