It is something that should probably be done a few weeks in advance. I understand that not everyone has a chance to prepare before their baby is born, but if they can it is the best case. Its great that some nurses choose to be certified, and it is great for people who don't get the opportunity to have an inspection done elsewhere. At least in my area the fire station and children's services folks that provide inspections will teach the parents how to install and adjust their car seat too. Someone with a newborn will probably have a harder time focusing and retaining what they learn.

It also seems like recalled or defective car seats would become an issue that people would rather know before their baby is born. If they got everything ready and registered their car seat they would be notified when a recall happened. With defective or damaged though the person inspecting it would likely be the first person to notice. It seems stressful for everyone involved if someone was told that their car seat was defective and they needed a different one as they were about to take their baby home from the hospital.