Final answer:
Increased pH and increased bicarbonate levels are characteristic of metabolic alkalosis, which would lead a nurse to suspect this condition. Compensatory mechanisms may increase PCO2 as the body tries to reestablish the correct balance of acids and bases in the blood.
Step-by-step explanation:
Observing which characteristic would lead the nurse to suspect metabolic alkalosis? The correct option is B) Increased pH, increased bicarbonate levels.
Metabolic alkalosis is a condition characterized by a higher-than-normal blood pH and an excess of bicarbonate (HCO3-) in the blood. Initially, the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO₂) may be normal, but if compensatory mechanisms have occurred, it will increase as the body attempts to reestablish the proper ratios of bicarbonate and carbonic acid/CO₂. Therefore, the presence of increased pH and increased bicarbonate levels would suggest to a nurse or healthcare professional that metabolic alkalosis is present.
It is important to remember that lab tests for pH, PCO₂, and HCO3- can identify acidosis and alkalosis, indicating whether the imbalance is respiratory or metabolic and to what extent compensatory mechanisms are working.