Time to pick your fantasy teams for ... funding

It seems just about every year at this time, political budget posturing really heats up. This leaves front-line providers wondering things like, “So just how is this budget proposal supposed to help me answer three call lights at once?” And “Why should I care about fiscal 2012 when it’s 2011 and I haven’t had a stable workforce for three years anyway?”

It’s often hard to connect super-big political issues in the nation’s capital with what happens in the hallways and dining halls of your own facility.

Above all else, the key is if you’re trying to make sense of what Congress, regulators and the White House might be doing, you don’t lose sight of your immediate tasks at hand. No matter what might be voted in or enacted, it won’t be enough if your residents aren’t getting good, thoughtful care now.

That might sound basic, but it’s often lost in the hand wringing that comes at this time of year. Managers report that spring fever and other maladies, including budget breakdowns, become much more common. Take care of business on the home front and leave the high-stakes stomach churning to advocates not responsible for tending to your residents day in, day out.

 Your residents and colleagues will be thankful for it. And, ultimately, so will you.