Puerto Rican Culture Religion, culture, beliefs, and ethnic customs can influence how patients understand health concepts, how they take care of their health, and how they make decisions related to their health (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2015). As a nurse, it is important to understand that not every patient shares the same healthcare beliefs. A nurse must be able to perform his or her duties without judgement and care for each patient with respect for their own unique set of beliefs and morals. In this paper, the Puerto Rican culture will be discussed, from family units to religious and cultural beliefs, as well as how Western Medicine fits into their healthcare. Explain the culture. Puerto Rico, an unincorporated island of the United States, have their own set of cultural beliefs. The foundation of the Puerto Rican structure is family. The word “familismo” is a Puerto Rican word that means close family connections, and it emphasizes the concern for the well-being of the family (Maria de Lourdes B. Serpa, Ed.D, 2005). Although I was born in the United States, my family is from Puerto Rico (Kay, 2018). I was raised with many of the same cultural beliefs that were instilled in my parents as they grew up (Kay, 2018). Family and close friends take priority and are extremely important (Kay, 2018). Respect and trust are paramount within the family unit (Kay, 2018). What is the normal family unit like? Family is a staple in the Puerto Rican Culture. For the