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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Birth Control in Psychiatric Nursing	George	Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Question: A good number of the mentally troubled young women that come to the State Psychiatric Hospital are prescribed birth control pills. As a Catholic and psychiatric nurse, to what extent if at all can I participate in these orders? I clearly refuse to participate in any morning after medication which could be an abortificant. But am I allowed to take the orders and transcribe the medication times of routine birth control orders in the MAR (Medical Administration Record) or to dispense them with mental reservation? As a Catholic nurse, I do much good to try and bring God's presence to these suffering people, yet I also feel like the store clerk who on occasion has to ring up a customer's purchase of condoms or the movie ticket clerk who might have to sell a ticket to a holy movie to one person and a ticket to an offensive movie to another. Any guidance in forming my conscience would be much appreciated.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM+ Dear George: You cannot directly participate in the distribution of contraception. Charting the orders in the MAR is not directly involved in distribution, but you will need to explore your conscience and make a decision. I was in a similar situation in a different workplace. I use to work in a print shop. Planned Parenthood would come in late at night (early morning) and want materials printed for a morning workshop. I took their order, but I refused to print the material. I would accept their payment. But, I would never print the material. The manager threatened to fire me. I told him, "I would rather be fired by you, than by God. I will not work on Planned Parenthood materials. Period. I will call you in at 3am to do the order, but I will not do it." I was not fired, but I was persecuted, denied promotions and pay raises. Nevertheless, I never gave in. By the way, what I did do in the middle of the night is pray over the material that those who read it will be converted. Maybe that story can help you decide. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Birth Control in Psychiatric Nursing

George

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Question:

A good number of the mentally troubled young women that come to the State Psychiatric Hospital are prescribed birth control pills. As a Catholic and psychiatric nurse, to what extent if at all can I participate in these orders? I clearly refuse to participate in any morning after medication which could be an abortificant. But am I allowed to take the orders and transcribe the medication times of routine birth control orders in the MAR (Medical Administration Record) or to dispense them with mental reservation?

As a Catholic nurse, I do much good to try and bring God's presence to these suffering people, yet I also feel like the store clerk who on occasion has to ring up a customer's purchase of condoms or the movie ticket clerk who might have to sell a ticket to a holy movie to one person and a ticket to an offensive movie to another. Any guidance in forming my conscience would be much appreciated.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM+

Dear George:

You cannot directly participate in the distribution of contraception. Charting the orders in the MAR is not directly involved in distribution, but you will need to explore your conscience and make a decision.

I was in a similar situation in a different workplace. I use to work in a print shop. Planned Parenthood would come in late at night (early morning) and want materials printed for a morning workshop. I took their order, but I refused to print the material. I would accept their payment. But, I would never print the material.

The manager threatened to fire me. I told him, "I would rather be fired by you, than by God. I will not work on Planned Parenthood materials. Period. I will call you in at 3am to do the order, but I will not do it."

I was not fired, but I was persecuted, denied promotions and pay raises. Nevertheless, I never gave in.

By the way, what I did do in the middle of the night is pray over the material that those who read it will be converted.

Maybe that story can help you decide.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum