In a normal situation, Yes, Definitely
In an extreme situation, a normal intelligent person can learn how to use a ventilator, it will not take a degree on nursing but just have the basic training and learning to deal with the ventilator.
That's how it looks until you analyse the situation thoroughly.
It's not the application of the respirator itself, it's also patient follow-up. Even a regular nurse can't do that. It takes literally years of experience to know when you need to call the specialised doctor. If you don't have that experience, you'll end up wasting extremely valuable time and probably even killing patients.
The people who need these respirators usually have other ailments, also complicating treatment.
And that's based on an analysis by a medical team, not my opinion. One of them told me "the last thing we need in our hospitals is a bunch of amateurs running around trying to help".
It's popping up everywhere. Our local baker told me he already declined a volunteer, willing to "regulate traffic" (ie people waiting outside the bakery).
I'm having trouble keeping up with mail, cause important mails are getting drowned by well-meaning Corona info mails from everybody and their dog. Links to servers that can't handle the load, or articles not published yet don't add anything positive. That's the same effect. The most disgusting spam came from Hayes consulting, trying to headhunt me, as the Corona crisis might just make me want to change jobs...
It even seems our govt is doing better than all the rest in this case. Just 1 info site, advertised on Google.be. Now if only our journalists were able to read. The errors in the press are appalling.