This question is very important for the interviewer, not to learn about the candidate's past mistakes, but to learn if the candidate is able to recognize their mistakes, and how they handle situations in which they make mistakes. Mistakes are common in the clinical environment, and it is important that nurses and other clinical professionals be able to recognize and take responsibility for their errors. The candidate should be honest in answering this question and not be afraid to share information on the mistakes they have made. To successfully answer this question, you should provide an example of a mistake you have made in the past and tell the interviewer how you successfully mitigated the situation. A more successful answer to this question would include details of when you took a mistake you made and spearheaded a policy change or education program to ensure the same mistake was not made by your colleagues.