The work environment for the practice of nursing has long been cited as one of the most demanding across all types of work settings. Nurses provide the vast majority of patient care in hospitals, nursing homes, ambulatory care sites, and other health care settings (AONE, 2000). The first objective of the professional practice environment for nurses is to put the patient first. Nurses and health care organizations must focus on patient safety and care quality and always ask the question, "What is best for our patients?" In recent years a variety of factors have converged to challenge the work environments of contemporary nurses. Rapid advances in biomedical science, improved disease prevention and management, integration of new clinical care technologies, and shifts in care delivery to a broad array of clinical sites have contributed to the rapidly increasing need for well-educated, experienced nurses. Additionally, population demographics are changing as the public ages in growing numbers and becomes increasingly diverse in culture and language. The charge of this AACN task force was to identify those environmental characteristics or "hallmarks" of the practice setting that best support professional nursing practice and allow baccalaureate- and higher degree-prepared nurses to practice to their full potential. These "hallmarks" may inform students and new graduates, nurse educators, executives, and practicing nurses about key characteristics of  health care settings that promote professional nursing practice.