Final answer:
The nurse should cut the suture material nearest to the skin edge on one side and pull from the other side when handling sutures in a wound to minimize the risk of infection.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse should cut the suture material nearest to the skin edge on one side and pull from the other side to handle the sutures in a wound, considering the risk of infection. This is done to cut the sutures away from the knot and nearest to the skin edge, not the knot. Sutures should never be pulled through the visible part of the suture through the underlying tissue, as this can lead to infection.