Literature on health professionals describes the problems associated with unresolved or poorly resolved grief. Previous research has indicated that the most important reason why health professionals stay in their jobs is their relationship to patients. This study examined how nursing home personnel resolve their grief following deaths of clients. Nursing homes (N=13) in the central New York area were surveyed. In-depth interviews were conducted with administrative and social services key informants from all homes and with staff from one center representing medicine, nursing, social work, therapy, food services, activities, housekeeping, and pastoral care. Detailed information from 30 interviews were submitted to content analysis, cross-validated by artificial intelligence analysis, using the personal computer software PROLOG. Results indicated that the personal needs of staff for grief resolution go largely unrecognized by management and/or staff themselves, or go unmet. Negative consequences do follow for staff and resident caring relationships. The results emphasized that informal supports had great impact, suggesting that they should be recognized and sustained within effective administrative practice. In particular the artificial analysis presents a pattern which suggests the value of informal support for grief resolution, mitigating even the impact of staff experience with resident death. (ABL)