What is the standard deviation of the WBC count control that has a mean of 6000 / mL?

In hematology, the standard deviation is a statistical measure that indicates the amount of variation or dispersion in a set of data values. For a white blood cell (WBC) count control with a specified mean of 6000 cells/mL, the standard deviation reflects how much individual WBC counts typically deviate from this mean.

A standard deviation of 300 cells/mL signifies that the individual WBC counts would generally fall within the range of 5700 to 6300 cells/mL (mean ± standard deviation). This level of variation is typical based on the normal biological variability observed in WBC counts within healthy individuals.

Understanding the significance of the standard deviation is essential in clinical laboratory practices. It helps in interpreting the reliability of WBC counts, indicating whether a particular patient result falls within the expected biological range.

The other values presented do not align with the expected variability for WBC counts in clinical settings, where a standard deviation that is too high or too low would not accurately represent the physiological variability seen in patient populations. Thus, a standard deviation of 300/mL is the most appropriate answer in this context.