Final answer:
The nurse avoiding an error in data interpretation by comparing and selecting the correct diagnosis based on the gathered data.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse avoiding an error in data interpretation. In this scenario, the nurse reviewed the data gathered regarding the patient's pain symptoms and compared the defining characteristics for acute pain with those for chronic pain. After a careful analysis, the nurse selected acute pain as the correct diagnosis. By comparing and interpreting the data accurately, the nurse avoided an error in making a diagnostic statement.