Designing Interprofessional Education in Mechanical Ventilation: A Study of Learning Needs and Gaps

Mechanical ventilation (MV) management is a complex clinical strategy that requires interdisciplinary collaboration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the status of MV-related learning, educational needs, perceived facilitators, and barriers across multiple healthcare professions in a university hospital. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among medical doctors, nurses, clinical engineers, pharmacists, and physical therapists. The quantitative items evaluated prior experience, understanding of terminology, confidence, motivation, and preferred learning formats. Free-text responses were analysed to identify common and profession-specific learning factors. In total, 119 professionals completed the survey. Most participants had MV-related clinical experience (80.6%) and prior education (84.0%) primarily through on-the-job training and in-person lectures. Clinical experience was positively associated with higher motivation to learn (mean 4.1 vs. 3.2, p < 0.01), while motivation showed a modest decline with increasing years since licensure (p = 0.01). Across all professional groups, interest in MV education was high (mean > 4.0, across 28 items), especially in foundational knowledge, clinical decision-making, and interprofessional collaboration. Preferences for learning formats varied by profession: medical doctors and clinical engineers tended to favour simulation-based learning, whereas pharmacists and physical therapists showed a preference for asynchronous on-demand formats. Content analysis demonstrated five common facilitators: experiential learning opportunities, favourable workplace conditions, access to structured educational resources, intrinsic motivation, and organisational support. Conversely, barriers showed profession-specific patterns; excessive workload was frequently reported by nurses and physical therapists (p = 0.01), while pharmacists cited low motivation more commonly (p = 0.02). Given shared facilitators and distinct profession-specific barriers, MV education should adopt a hybrid instructional model that integrates a common interprofessional core with targeted modules tailored to each disciplines clinical roles and learning preferences. This approach may enhance learner engagement, facilitate the practical application of MV knowledge, and strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration, thereby contributing to pandemic preparedness and improved patient outcomes.