Abstract
When Dr. Marcus Welby practiced medicine things were different. A diagnosis was not always simple but a cure was never far out of sight. More importantly the roles of physician, patient, nurse and family were clear. The doctor was in charge. His actions were never questioned. Operating on an infectious disease model of medical care where every illness had a cause, an effect, and a cure, he was revered as the holder of the key to the cure. He held most, if not all of the information. Communication was typically one way. No one ever questioned the information, its source, or its validity. The role of the nurse was to comfort the patient and do what the doctor said. She was a loyal advocate. The doctor’s family knew that they were always going to be second to his patients when it came to his focus and his time.