Anyone work in a low income area?

[RatherBHiking, BSN, RN]

More than half the students in our district fall below the poverty line. However, we do have some areas that are more well off (part of town with dr's, lawyers, bankers, etc) and those schools have a much different feel than the areas where most are on food stamps. I'm currently working in the middle class area mainly. I may be going to one of the poorest areas in the district. I know from my experience that working with some of these families can be challenging to say the least. I know in the lower income families of my current school we battle lice more frequently, bedbugs, problems getting parents to take them to the dr for illnesses, glasses, dentist, etc because they don't have a car or can't afford gas, or sad to say, don't care. Many work minimum wage jobs and can't get off work to pick up their kids, etc. Many are on drugs. I get frustrated because I feel like this problem is so huge and kids are being neglected and social services are so over ran that unless a child is in imminent danger not much is done to help them. My question is, is there anyone that works in a school where the majority is from poverty and do you enjoy working with that population or do you get burned out quickly?

[Farawyn]

No. But my school is a small school and runs the gamut from Super Rich to 15 people living in an apartment, no English, no vaccinations.

Drugs are an issue with both these populations.

I like the poor kids better.