Crystal Oller, pictured with her sons in Outer Banks, North Carolina, is Akron Children’s newest certified nurse practitioner in the Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology.
CNP Crystal Oller prides herself on following Akron Children’s Promise: To treat every child as she would her own. To her, doing so ensures she is listening, compassionate, thorough and going the extra mile for every child. A mother of a big family herself, it’s a true testament to how she always puts family first — whether her own or Akron Children’s family of patients in the Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology.
As our newest certified nurse practitioner at our Boardman location, Crystal is excited to spend her days diagnosing and treating kids and teens with growth, puberty, diabetes, or other hormonal or endocrine disorders. Utilizing her 13-plus years’ experience in primary care, she also hopes to expand programs, such as Diabetes Camp, to help kids do what they do best: be kids.
What is Crystal most looking forward to in her new role? Making a difference, she says. “I look forward to the first patient that I see in follow-up that is doing better than the first time I saw her!”
Why did you choose to come to Akron Children’s Hospital?
I have worked at Akron Children’s as a registered nurse (RN) for 13 years and I wanted to continue my career here as a nurse practitioner.
Pictured here are Crystal’s sons and nephews, along with her friend’s boys, enjoying the beach in Outer Banks.
Describe your role at Akron Children’s and what you hope to accomplish.
I am a nurse practitioner for the Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology at our Beeghly campus. I hope to do an amazing job taking care of patients, as well as utilizing my experience in primary care to enhance overall collaboration of patient care between primary and specialty settings.
What is your area of expertise and why did you choose it?
My area of expertise is primary care. However, I chose to accept the position in endocrinology because it is a wonderful opportunity to allow me to not only care for patients, but to also expand my role within the department in programs, such as Diabetes Camp. I love to learn and educate. Innovation and education are crucial in any medical profession, but I truly feel that being a part of the endocrinology team will allow me to maximize my own potential and to be the best possible provider to our patients.
Do you have a favorite instructor or mentor?
I honestly do not have a favorite mentor. Through my journey of becoming a nurse practitioner, I had the opportunity to work as an RN in primary care at our Boardman location for about 7 years and in our Emergency Department for about 6 years. I have learned something from every provider that I have worked with, and each has taught me something invaluable.
What impression do you hope to leave with your patients each day?
I hope most of all that my patients feel that I care about them.
Crystal helped raise her two nephews, Scott and Johnny, now 25 and 16, respectively.
How do you deal with the emotional impact of being a provider?
I think this is a great question because as a provider there is a lot of responsibility. Personally, I try to do the best that I can every day by thinking about patients as if they were my own children. By doing this, I assure that I am listening, thorough, compassionate and I’m going the extra mile whenever I need to. At the end of the day, all we can do is do our best.
What are you most looking forward to?
Making a difference! I look forward to the first patient that I see in follow-up that is doing better than the first time I saw her!
What does success mean to you?
To me, success means setting a goal (no matter how big or small) and achieving that goal!
Who makes up your family, including pets and their names?
I have 3 sons: Carter (26), Alex (19) and Evan (14). I also have helped to raise 2 of my sister’s sons, Scott and Johnny. They are 25 and 16, respectively. We have a miniature poodle named Charlie who is 10 years old.
What is your greatest personal accomplishment?
My greatest personal accomplishment is my education. I was a young mother; I had my first son at age 20. I received four college degrees over 23 years, while raising 3 to 5 boys, many of those years as a single parent. Even though I did it the long way and took breaks to be the best mom I could, I never gave up my dream to be a nurse practitioner some day!
Crystal enjoys traveling with family and friends. Here, she ziplines in Costa Rica on a recent trip.
How would you like to be remembered?
I would like to be remembered as kind, compassionate, down to earth and fun.
What’s your favorite quote?
My favorite quote is: “It is what it is.” So many things in this world are out of our control. Things happen, both good and bad. So, I use this quote to ground myself and to try not to stress or worry too much. Each day is a new day and a blessing.
What is your favorite vacation spot and why?
This is a hard one because I love to spend time with family and friends while traveling. Every year, I try to take a vacation to different places with family or friends. Recently, I started going on one vacation alone (without kids) and one with kids. So far, my all-time favorite is Outer Banks, North Carolina, because I have so many memories there. But recently, I went to Costa Rica with friends and it was such an amazing adventure. They have the best ziplining there!
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