Family of nurses doing its part contributing to health care in the RGV

We’ve been taking care of our people here for a long time.

Lauro Hinojosa learned to have a good bedside manner and how to care for someone in need early on in his life thanks to his aunt and his sister.

The Edinburg native found his own path years later but didn’t stray far from home; in fact, he’s continuing a Hinojosa legacy at South Texas Health System in the Rio Grande Valley, where he and his sons, nephew and now daughter are keeping health care all in the family.

The Hinojosas have produced nearly a dozen members of its family to medical work in the region, which isn’t the exception to a nationwide physician and nursing shortage.

But while healthcare demands are high in the Valley and more medical workers are always in need, the Hinojosas are never lacking in compassion.

“We’ve been taking care of our people here for a long time,” Lauro said softly Thursday.

It all started with his aunt, Ninfa Indalencio, who worked as an intensive care unit (ICU) nurse at the McAllen Medical Center. For Lauro, his aunt was his inspiration, the person he looked up to when it came to choosing a fulfilling career.

But she wasn’t the only family member who influenced him. His sister Sandra Hinojosa who although no longer works at STHS began her medical career at the hospital system.

They were the start of what would become a chain of medical professionals in the Hinojosa family.

Now a registered nurse, Lauro began his career with STHS at the children’s hospital in Edinburg in 1999 after graduating from nursing school.

“That’s where I’ve grown with my experience and my knowledge … I’ve been loyal to the company since then,” Lauro said about how the hospital holds a significant place in his life.

Now after working in the same hospital for nearly 25 years, he has had the opportunity to see — one by one — other members of his family follow in his footsteps.

In fact, according to Lauro his two sons and his nephew are currently working at STHS.

“It’s funny we all work the same shifts,” Lauro said, adding that although they have the same schedules they each work in different departments.

His oldest son, 22-year-old Seth Hinojosa, currently works in the telemetry department as a nurse while his youngest son, 19-year-old Lauro Hinojosa III, serves as a certified nurse assistant.

Lauro’s nephew, 24-year-old Javen Hinojosa, who began his medical career as a paramedic, now works as an ER nurse at STHS.

“Talk about a family tree of medical nurses,” Lauro said jokingly.

Although three members of his family are working with him already, there are more Hinojosas on the way.

Lauro explained that his daughter, Kayla Hinojosa, who has her pharmacy technician certification, is hoping for a job at STHS in the fall along with his cousin Rafael Hinojosa, who is currently studying nursing.

“Talk about the whole family being here with South Texas Health System,” Lauro said with a chuckle. “We’re going to have the whole Hinojosa family working here.”

With at least eight of the Hinojosas (there are more but they live outside South Texas) in the medical field it’s safe to say that health care is the family business. But how and why?

“I think we all have compassion,” Lauro said, adding, “we all … want to take care of other people. We try to be understanding with our patients and I think we all have the same personality, where that’s who we are. We want to take care of our clients here.”

It also makes the family dynamic interesting, especially whenever someone is sick.

“Because we’re all working in different departments … it kind of makes us stronger,” Lauro added. “We all learn from each other.”