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 is an anticoagulant that prevents the formation of new clots and stops existing clots from enlarging; the body’s fibrinolytic system gradually dissolves the clot. B. Heparin does not dissolve clots, so this statement is incorrect. C. The variation in time is not relevant because heparin does not directly dissolve clots. D. Clot size does not determine heparin’s effect, since its role is prevention, not dissolution.