Congratulations, it is an Honor to Feature Brenda Jo “BJ” Scott, MSN, C-FNP Chesapeake Regional Infectious Disease
Working with COVID-19 patients at Chesapeake Regional Medical Center last year, Brenda Jo “BJ” Scott was never afraid. She had felt the same way during the HIV/AIDS crisis decades earlier when providers battled a disease for which they initially knew little about how it behaved or how best to treat it.
Scott, a Nurse Practitioner who has specialized in infectious diseases for more than 25 years, simply wanted to take care of patients who needed her.
“If I felt the fear, I wouldn’t be able to do my job well,” she explains. “I had the right protective equipment, and it was nice to be on the cutting edge of something we’d never dealt with before. I truly think it was my life’s calling to have this job.”
Now partnered with Aarti Desai, MD, in private practice at Chesapeake Regional Infectious Disease, Scott handles many types of infections while continuing to consult on some more severe COVID-19 cases. Common problems include liver, pelvic and brain abscesses; diabetic foot ulcers; pneumonia; and HIV, now very treatable with anti-viral medications.
Scott has been in nursing for 38 years and has long gravitated to challenging patients. In addition to infectious disease, she is experienced in internal medicine, pulmonary critical care, cardiovascular thoracic intensive care, and general surgical intensive care.
With each patient, Scott emphasizes education and compassionate care for both the individual and their family, as they all face life-altering conditions.
“I want my patients to feel comfortable with owning their disease and treatment,” she explains. “I approach them as if it was one of my family members. Sometimes that just means listening and letting them sit there and cry if that’s what they need.”
Often, Scott can resolve infections in several months, although diabetic patients with severe ulcers ultimately may only heal with amputation. As for HIV patients, she gently guides them on managing the virus-like a chronic condition.
“When they first get diagnosed, patients feel like their whole world is over,” she relates. “Once I explain that everything is going to be okay as long as they’re compliant, it’s like you’re dealing with an entirely different person. It’s wonderful to watch.”
Scott, a Virginia Beach native, originally got into nursing at the direction of her mother, who wanted her two daughters to be in a profession where they’d always have a job. Her older sister is a nurse as well. “It was the best decision ever made for me,” Scott says. “I’ve loved every minute of every day.”
Scott went into a three-year nursing program at Norfolk General Hospital after high school and spent 11 years as a Registered Nurse. She then completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing at Old Dominion University and has worked as a NP since 1995. She and Dr. Desai opened their practice last summer.
“I like that it’s something new every day,” she says of her specialty. “The diseases are fascinating and ever-changing, yet often we can get our patients better.” COVID-19 was especially thought-provoking, she adds, as each patient presented a bit differently.
Outside work, Scott is married and has a 22-year-old daughter going into another profession that always has jobs: teaching. She enjoys gardening, running, hiking and doing puzzles, all of which helped keep her mentally strong during COVID-19 surges.
“I was just glad to do my job – and that I still had a job,” she notes. “I would wash my work clothes as soon as I got home, enjoy time with my family and move on to the next day. As I said, this is my calling.”
We are grateful for local Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants who serve our healthcare community! Please let us know if there is an NP or PA you would like to see honored in a future edition. holly@hrphysician.com