A nurse is caring for a client who has thrombophlebitis and is receiving a continuous infusion of heparin. The client asks the nurse how long it will take for the heparin to dissolve the clot. Which of the following responses should the nurse make?

A. Heparin does not actively dissolve existing clots, so timing is not the relevant issue. This statement may be misleading because it implies heparin has thrombolytic effects. B. Heparin does not break down clots regardless of size. Its mechanism is anticoagulation, not thrombolysis. Clot size does not influence heparin’s action in dissolving clots. C. Again, heparin does not dissolve clots. While anticoagulation therapy may be given for several days to prevent clot extension, this statement incorrectly attributes clot dissolution to heparin. D. Heparin works by inhibiting thrombin and other clotting factors, which prevents further clot formation and allows the body’s natural fibrinolytic system to gradually break down existing clots. This is an important teaching point for patients, as it sets realistic expectations about treatment outcomes and emphasizes the need for monitoring and anticoagulation therapy continuation.