Why are they permitted to leave the unit? Most hospitals now are enforcing policies that if you leave the unit that you just went AMA and are discharged.

Anybody that says they "need Xanax" should be considered high risk. We need to remember these are powerful scheduled narcotics and not aspirin were administering to patients, this picture of this note isn't funny at all and it's a sign of a broken system and a nurse that has lost sight of their basic responsibility... I'm ashamed of this honestly and the lack of ethics is frightening to me.

• You violated the patients trust and posted a picture of nurse to patient communication to Reddit, first red flag.

• You find this amusing, second red flag.

• You see nothing wrong with a patient "needing Xanax" who is capable of leaving the facility, third red flag.

• The facility will permit patients to leave the direct care and observations of hospital staff and it's risking the possibility that they distribute the medication, or take other drugs, while not being monitored.

We must remember these patients are ethically, morally, and legally ***OUR* responsibility, if that patient goes into the parking lot and sells that Xanax **YOU'RE responsible for facilitating that drug deal. If that patient goes into the parking lot and has an adverse event YOU'RE responsible for the patient. If your hospital has a policy which permits patient to leave the direct care of staff you need to have a discussion about the legal ramifications YOU are going to be held accountable for.