Client takes birth control...My Part?

[holyghost]

Hello…for work I observe mentally ill patients taking their psychiatric meds…it just so happens that one of my clients takes birth control while she takes her other meds. I have done everything I can to make sure I do not become involved with the birth control; I do not want to be an accomplice to this sin. I even went to confession and the priest told me the only thing I can really do is pray for her…
Well today she got mixed up on the days for her birth control…and I ended up pointing it out to her, so that she would not accidently take a wrong dose tomorrow, or double up on doses which might hurt her. Did I sin when I did this?? Do I need to go to confession for this?
I want to make sure I do not act as an accomplice in this matter, especially since I am so against birth control and abortion. Thanks for your advice…

 

[DavidFilmer]

Is your client Catholic? If so, does she know and understand the Church’s teaching in this regard?

 

[holyghost]

See I have no idea…I have not asked her and I only see her for maybe 10 min each day. It’s not the kind of job where I would get involved in a religious/moral discussion with her. In fact if I did I would be crossing boundaries. I am just a med support worker…

 

[WingsOfEagles]

I think you are fine. It’s your job to monitor meds, so I believe you can do that from a neutral medical standpoint. Pointing out her error in doses didn’t really condone her taking it, it just kept her safe from accidentally doing harm to her body by taking double doses. Do you know for sure that she actually takes it to prevent pregnancy? Some women take the pill as “hormones” because they have irregular periods and this is okay under Church teaching.

 

[holyghost]

Yeah, I really do not know for sure what she takes it for…I just assumed it was for preventing pregnancy. Your answer helps me feel better about all this…I just want to do the right thing and make sure I am not going against my Faith (newly baptized here)!

 

[DavidFilmer]

See I have no idea…I have not asked her and I only see her for maybe 10 min each day. It’s not the kind of job where I would get involved in a religious/moral discussion with her. In fact if I did I would be crossing boundaries. I am just a med support worker…

Then advise her in the proper dosage and use of her meds.

There are many medications that can be used for sinful purposes. Narcotics come to mind. I take common rat poison (coumadin) every day - if I take too much, I would die (but I could choose to take too much, and commit suicide - also a sin - FWIW, Beria is thought to have murdered Josef Stalin with coumadin). People taking the poisonous foxglove (digitalis) are in the same situation as me, but with a much smaller margin of error. The list goes on.

If you have no way to know the purpose of the meds or the intent of the client then you have no way to know if any sin is involved. If you are ethically prohibited from asking, then you must simply advise the client with the best medical advice you can offer.

 

[valentino]

Hello…for work I observe mentally ill patients taking their psychiatric meds…it just so happens that one of my clients takes birth control while she takes her other meds. I have done everything I can to make sure I do not become involved with the birth control; I do not want to be an accomplice to this sin. I even went to confession and the priest told me the only thing I can really do is pray for her…
Well today she got mixed up on the days for her birth control…and I ended up pointing it out to her, so that she would not accidently take a wrong dose tomorrow, or double up on doses which might hurt her. Did I sin when I did this?? Do I need to go to confession for this?
I want to make sure I do not act as an accomplice in this matter, especially since I am so against birth control and abortion. Thanks for your advice…

No.First of all she’s got other problems she needs to overcome before she can even discern that birth control is wrong.You did right.Love her first.Until she can love you and trust in you and your judgements she won’t begin to heal.