Final answer:
The patient experienced the development of a hematoma at the puncture site due to the tourniquet not being removed before removing the needle.
Step-by-step explanation:
In this scenario, the patient experienced the development of a hematoma at the puncture site.
When the phlebotomist failed to remove the tourniquet before removing the needle, it can lead to a hematoma, which is a collection of blood outside the blood vessels. The tourniquet helps to temporarily restrict blood flow, and its removal before the needle is withdrawn prevents blood from pooling and forming a hematoma. If the tourniquet is left on, the blood can continue to accumulate at the puncture site, causing the formation of a hematoma.
To further explain, a hematoma occurs when there is bleeding into the surrounding tissue due to an injury to the blood vessels. In this case, the puncture caused by the needle resulted in bleeding, and because the tourniquet was not removed, it prevented proper blood flow and allowed the blood to accumulate and form a hematoma at the site of puncture.