I worked with Aklilu on a challenging case where the patient was nearing the end of life, but this proved to be a somewhat jarring revelation to the family who had estimated his health to be far better than the actual prognosis. Hence, conservations with them had to be approached delicately, and they demanded extra attention, compassion, and patience as they struggled to reconcile their understanding of the patient's condition with the grave reality. The situation was complicated further by our COVID-19 visitor restrictions, incomplete appreciation of the risk vs. benefit balance between aspiration and PO nutrition, and understandable although pragmatically conflicting desires on the part of the family. The patient himself was somewhat laissez-faire about his circumstances and did not express any strong preferences, which made establishing and honoring the goals of care difficult.

In any case, Aklilu did a wonderful job working with this patient and his family. He maintained a calm demeanor despite frequent and often stressful interactions with the family. He solved problems effectively and independently, and he exercised excellent judgment at all times. I recall one night in particular when he stayed long past the conclusion of his shift to place an NG feeding tube that had been requested by the family. When he discovered that the correct length tube was out of stock on 2-West, he physically searched the other acute care wards to retrieve a suitable kit. I have worked with Aklilu for many years now; he is a consummate professional whom I respect greatly and trust completely.