"That depends on the situation of course. For example, getting arterial blood gases can be part of a routine diagnostic approach or it may be time-sensitive. Things like intubation are always an emergency, and failure to accomplish it in a timely manner not only deprives the patient of its benefits--getting oxygen and preventing aspiration, but also can traumatize the airway with inflammatory swelling or bleeding which can cause morbidity later. For things like this, I owe it to my peer to allow a trial of the procedure, but when I see the patient is in jeopardy because of failure to accomplish such a life-saving procedure, it is incumbent on me to request--politely--that I try; subsequent to this, it is incumbent on me to request--firmly; failing that, I would summon up the chain of command."
