After venipuncture, what immediate actions should you perform regarding the tourniquet and needle?

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After venipuncture, the priority is stopping bleeding safely, preventing injuries, and ensuring the specimen is properly identified. Release the tourniquet promptly, then remove the needle, apply pressure with clean gauze to stop any bleeding, dispose of the sharps in the appropriate container, and label the sample to prevent mix-ups. Releasing the tourniquet right away reduces patient discomfort and avoids unnecessary occlusion of the vein, while removing the needle after release minimizes the risk of bleeding or injury. Recapping the needle is unsafe and unnecessary, and discarding a sample without labeling risks misidentification.