So you are saying a person trained on the use of a ventilator can only support a little over 2 patients on a ventilator? Are they sitting between the beds and pedaling the machine?
These are $30k machines. I would think, especially in a crisis situation, a single medical professional could probably handle a few dozen people on ventilators if they had too.
As I mentioned in the comment you replied to, the numbers are from the SCCM. You aren't going to find a more authoritative source for accurate information.
> I would think, especially in a crisis situation, a single medical professional could probably handle a few dozen people on ventilators if they had too
If you don't believe the SCCM, California law and the California Respiratory Care Board set the requirement as "a ratio of 1:4 or fewer each shift."
Short of a Cardiopulmonary Bypass Machine (basically a mechanical heart), invasive ventilation is one of the most intensive "intensive care" treatments, requiring constant monitoring and adjustment.
Additionally, the 1 to 4 ratio doesn't match with the 50k number.
Yes the media is telling you there is a shortage, they don't understand that the problem isn't a lack of machines.