For the smallest patients at Las Palmas Medical Center, life as newborns comes with the beeps and hums of equipment in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Fortunately, it also includes the compassion and meticulous care of twin nurses, Krystal and Kristian Huizar, who were also patients at birth. While the journey to working at the same hospital and unit was not immediate, it came through much advice and support from one sister to another as nursing school and job placement unfolded.
With National Nurses Week celebrated annually from May 6-12, the families of newborns facing the first challenges of life can honor these medical professionals.
“We were born prematurely at 32 weeks, but while we were there, we also got the respiratory syncytial virus that prolonged our stay,” Krytal said. “The story of time in the NICU really stayed with us and I feel giving back to these babies and their families is what we’re meant to do.”
Gratitude in the face of uncertainty
Kristian recalled stories from her mother recounting her gratitude for the nursing staff and doctors. As two of seven siblings, the emotional strain of hoping for a full recovery was profound for the Huizar family.
Empathy is a gift they provide each patient, knowing full well their own family’s fear when the twins were hospitalized.
“Our (experience) helps us connect because we understand the fear of having a baby in the NICU,” Krystal said. “We try to give them reassurance and explain everything that is happening. For us, something might seem routine, but for parents, it’s their whole world and we have to keep that in mind.”
Even among such a large family, the bond between the sisters was always close. The storied connection between twins was alive and well with the pair.
“Growing up as twins was unique for us,” Kristian said. “That just made our bond feel stronger. Since my sister started in the nursing field first, she talked about how the work environment was. Since I had her, I feel like I had a good orientation and have her to support me.”
The six years Krystal has in the field and the three years Kristian has been working have been enough for the sisters to see that the profession comes with its difficult and equally triumphant days. Despite the ebb and flow of the job, the pair reaffirms that it is always rewarding.
The educational and emotional journey
Knowing the twins wanted to pursue a career in the medical field was the first step, and soon they wanted to enter nursing school at the same time. A slight delay was no concern as Krystal was the first to get into a nursing program.
The COVID pandemic threw another wrench into Kristian’s plans, as many of the skills performed in a clinical setting for Krystal were now virtual for her sister.
“Everything was online, even the skills check and that made it so much harder,” Kristian said. “My sister had people and a school around her, so to have her around helping me made it so that it wasn’t overwhelming.”
The Bureau of Health Workforce reports that about 92 million people live in a primary care health professional shortage area as of December 2025. That includes areas of West Texas. The same report notes the U.S. needs over 200,000 new registered nurses annually to replace those retiring or leaving the field and meet rising healthcare needs.
That sets the stage for sage advice from the twins as they make their mark at Las Palmas Medical Center.
“This is a challenging career, but it’s also one of the most rewarding,” Krystal said. “We have hard days that hit us emotionally, but we also have those that remind us why we chose this profession.”
Kristian Jaime is the Top Story Reporter for the El Paso Times and reachable at Kjaime@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso’s Las Palmas Medical Center turns NICU care into a sister act
Reporting by Kristian Jaime, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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