Abstract
Human grief is a universal experience that scholars and practitioners have been interested in for years. Despite the numerous studies about the phenomenon of grief, many aspects of grief remain vague. Much of the reviewed literature on the phenomena of grief and bereavement is in the psychosocial sciences. Review of the literature addresses the issue of further knowledge development about the grief experience related to nursing science. Published research reports suggest further research with vulnerable populations, families, and persons from different cultures. The purpose of this literature review is to explore the concept of grief in the context of family adaptation. The Roy Adaptation Model is explored as an appropriate framework to guide future nursing research with bereaved families.