The administration and staff of Portsmouth Regional Hospital are pleased to welcome Krystal Atkinson as the new Chief Nursing Officer. Krystal served as the Interim Chief Nursing Officer earlier this year and the impact she made was felt across the organization and led to an overwhelming desire from staff and leadership alike to recruit her to PRH.

Krystal served as Associate Chief Nursing Officer at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital in Richmond, Virginia. Prior to becoming the ACNO at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital, Krystal spent almost 23 years in a myriad of perioperative nursing positions, most recently serving as the senior leader over the surgical service line and nursing administration at Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center. Krystal holds her Doctorate in Nursing from Old Dominion University and an MSN/BSN from American Sentinel University.

Krystal was inspired by her aunt to enter the nursing profession and has always considered it a privilege to be a part of the healing process and enjoys the ability to give back to others. The passion to give back is not only evidenced in her nurse calling, but her community involvement and desire to help promote the success of those around her.

Family is a very important part of Krystal’s life. Her husband, Rick, and their youngest son Billy, will be joining her in the near future. Krystal and Rick also have a son (Brenden) who is studying engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University and a daughter (Ashley) who is currently enrolled in medical school at Eastern Virginia Medical School. Krystal enjoys reading and writing as well as watching sports with her husband. She looks forward to being a part of this community.