A patient who has never been hospitalized is scheduled for an echocardiogram. To alleviate the patient's anxiety, the nurse should say

Explanation

• Explaining the procedure and providing reassurance that the echocardiogram is painless will help alleviate the patient's anxiety. 

• Incorrect: Telling the patient not to move is accurate, but this does not alleviate his or her anxiety.  The echocardiogram may also take longer than 15 minutes depending on what the provider has ordered to be done (with or without a bubble study) and this answer alone does not provide reassurance of the patient's comfort during the procedure.  It is more important to convey the procedure is non-invasive and painless, as this will help alleviate the patient's anxiety more effectively. 

• Incorrect: "The echocardiogram will tell us what is wrong with your heart" is a frightening explanation, and assumes there is an abnormality that will be discovered. This will add to the patient's anxiety. 

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