How to Prepare for a Virtual Appointment (Checklist)

Before you connect

Gather four things: a short timeline of your symptoms (when they started, what makes them better or worse), a list of your current medications and allergies, your pharmacy name and location, and any relevant numbers you can measure — temperature, blood pressure, or blood sugar if you track them.

Jot down the single most important question you want answered. It keeps the visit focused and ensures you leave with what you came for.

Set up your space

Choose a quiet, private room with good lighting facing you (a window or lamp in front, not behind). For skin or eye concerns, lighting matters even more — natural light shows colour and texture best. Test your internet, and keep your phone charged or plugged in.

During the visit

Describe symptoms plainly and in order. Be honest about everything, including alcohol, cannabis, supplements, and over-the-counter remedies — they affect recommendations. If you are using video, be ready to show the affected area. Repeat back the plan at the end so you are clear on next steps.

Why preparation improves accuracy

Because a clinician cannot physically examine you during a virtual visit, the quality of the information you provide does more of the diagnostic work. A clear, organized history lets your nurse practitioner reach a confident assessment faster and reduces the chance you will need a second appointment. Think of preparation as supplying the clues the clinician would normally gather through hands-on examination.

This is especially true for problems judged largely by description and appearance — urinary symptoms, respiratory illness, skin and eye complaints, and mental-health concerns. The Government of New Brunswick encourages residents to have key details ready before a virtual appointment to make the most of the clinician's time.

Building a useful symptom history

A strong symptom history answers five questions: when did it start, what does it feel like, what makes it better or worse, has it changed over time, and how is it affecting your daily life? For pain, note the location and whether it spreads. For infections, track your temperature if you can. For mental-health concerns, note sleep, appetite, and how long the feelings have lasted.

Bring an accurate medication list — prescription drugs, over-the-counter products, vitamins, supplements, and cannabis — plus any allergies and the reactions they cause. These directly shape what can be safely prescribed. If you monitor blood pressure or blood sugar at home, have recent readings handy.

Setting up technology and your environment

Test your connection beforehand and have a backup plan: if video fails, many visits can continue by phone. Choose a quiet, private room so you can speak freely and the clinician can hear you clearly. Lighting matters more than people expect — for skin, eye, or wound concerns, sit facing a window or lamp, and take a few well-lit photos in advance in case the live image is unclear.

Have a pen and paper or a notes app ready to record the plan, medication names, and any follow-up instructions. If the appointment is for a child or an older adult, having a second person present helps with both technology and recall.

A printable pre-visit checklist

It helps to run through a short checklist before you connect. Confirm the basics: your symptom timeline written down, your temperature or other measurements if relevant, your full medication and allergy list, and your exact pharmacy name and location. Decide your single most important question and write it at the top so it does not get lost. Charge your device or plug it in, test your camera and microphone, and have a glass of water and a notepad within reach.

For specific concerns, add a step. Skin or wound problem? Take two or three well-lit photos in advance — one close-up, one wider. Urinary symptoms? Note when they started and whether you have had similar infections before. Mental-health concern? Jot down how long you have felt this way and how it is affecting sleep, appetite, work, and relationships. The few minutes this takes consistently make the visit shorter and the plan more accurate.

Making the most of the conversation

During the visit, lead with your main concern rather than saving it for the end. Describe symptoms in plain language and in the order they happened, and be candid about everything — including alcohol, cannabis, supplements, and over-the-counter remedies — because these genuinely change what is safe to recommend. If the nurse practitioner asks you to show an area on camera, find your best light and move slowly so the image stays clear.

Before you finish, repeat the plan back in your own words: what to do, what medication (if any) and how to take it, what to watch for, and when to follow up or seek urgent care. Ask where any prescription is being sent and how long it should take. Clarifying these details at the end prevents confusion later and ensures you leave the visit knowing exactly what happens next.

Special preparation for specific situations

Some visits benefit from a little extra groundwork. If the appointment is for a child, have their recent weight on hand for accurate medication dosing, note their temperature and fluid intake, and pick a time when they are calm rather than overtired. A parent or guardian should be present throughout. If it is for an older adult, a family member can help with both the technology and recalling the medication list and history, which is especially valuable when several conditions or prescriptions are involved.

For a mental-health visit, jot down how long you have felt this way, what has changed, and how it is affecting sleep, appetite, work, and relationships — and choose a private space where you can speak freely. For a skin, eye, or wound concern, photograph the area in advance in good natural light, including both a close-up and a wider shot, so the clinician has clear images even if the live video is grainy. For a prescription renewal, have the exact name, dose, and how long you have taken the medication, plus any recent test results. And for any visit where you measure something at home — blood pressure, blood sugar, temperature — bring the recent numbers. This kind of targeted preparation, matched to the reason for your visit, consistently makes the appointment shorter, the assessment more accurate, and the plan easier to follow. It also reduces the chance of needing a second visit simply because a key detail was missing the first time.

Frequently asked questions

References (Canadian sources)

The following Canadian public-health and clinical sources informed this article. They are provided for education and do not replace personalized medical advice.

1. Virtual care — Government of New Brunswick
2. Accessing health care — Government of New Brunswick
3. Tele-Care 811 — Government of New Brunswick