Just a week ago, had a drive up gunshot wound patient that that lost a pulse, could not secure the airway via DL (expanding hematoma over the neck with tracheal disruption) that required a surgical airway. The patient survived.
Maybe I'm weak, but I nearly soiled myself watching that unfold.
I think most well trained people respect the airway. And if you aren't nervous, I think it's a problem. I agree though, being nervous to the point that it incapacitates you is obviously detrimental.
But as Weingart refers to the "laryngoscope as a murder weapon", there is something about airway that is particularly nerve racking because it's an intervention you are performing that has the potential to kill the patient.
I stand by my position that med students don't need to be intubating in the ED. EM interns/residents should get first crack at every airway. I've done 100+ airways in residency, and I still want to do more, and would frankly be annoyed if I saw it being given away to a med student. ED airways are different than the OR, more challenging, and less routine. Let med students intubate on anesthesia all day.