[Expert Solution]: Your patient is a 25-year-old man who was…

Your patient is a 25-year-old man who was injured while diving into a shallow swimming pool. He is very muscular and stocky. He is supine on a stretcher and sandbags are placed on the sides of his head. The doctor has ordered a cervical spine examination. With the patient in the supine position, you have taken a lateral image of the cervical spine using a horizontal central ray. This radiograph demonstrated five cervical vertebrae, C1 through C5. The radiographer with whom you are working has stated that the only way to demonstrate the last two vertebrae is to pull the patients shoulders down. He quickly puts on a lead apron and gloves and announces that he is just going to yank his shoulders down a bit. You do not feel comfortable with his announcement. What do you do?