The wound that has a fruity odor upon removal of the dressing may be infected. However, a wound is never assessed for signs of infection until after the old dressing is discarded and the wound is cleansed. Therefore, the nurse first discards the dressing after noting the amount of drainage for documentation. Then, the wound is gently cleansed with tap water. The nurse then assesses for further signs of infection in the wound – persistent smell, inflammation, purulent drainage, etc. After this assessment, it is appropriate to culture the wound.