When caring for a patient from a culture different from your own, you need to be aware of and respect his cultural preferences and beliefs; otherwise, he may consider you insensitive and indifferent, possibly even incompetent. But beware of assuming that all members of any one culture act and behave in the same way; in other words, don't stereotype people.
The best way to avoid stereotyping is to view each patient as an individual and to find out his cultural preferences. Using a culture assessment tool or questionnaire can help you discover these and document them for other members of the health care team.