01
Permission comes before preparation
Attendance, recording, and the observer's role depend on jurisdiction, the examination order or agreement, and the setting. Counsel should confirm those limits before scheduling the assignment.
The written scope should address who may attend, what may be documented, whether any recording is permitted, and how concerns are handled without disrupting the examination.
02
The record is factual and time-sequenced
The nurse may document participants, instructions, start and stop times, breaks, observable tests or movements, statements within scope, and materials presented.
- Arrival and examination timing
- People present
- Observable activities and instructions
- Questions and responses when permitted
- Breaks, transitions, and early termination
- Other observable events described without causation
03
Observation and opinion are different products
The observation note can later be compared with the examiner's report. A difference deserves careful source review; it does not automatically establish inaccuracy or a legal conclusion.
Expert opinion, admissibility, and litigation strategy remain with appropriately qualified professionals and counsel.