Steinhauer running for Mckean County coroner
I would like to formally announce my intent to run for Mckean County coroner on the Republican ballot in the May primary.
I am the daughter of Arthur (Barbara) Steinhauer and Jeanne (Neff) Capra and am a fourthgeneration resident of Mckean County. I was raised and educated in Bradford, attending St. Bernard Elementary School and graduating from Bradford Area High School. I went on to attend Temple University, majoring in Biology. I returned to Bradford in 2009 and have worked in local healthcare in Mckean County for the last 14 years.
It was my privilege to serve the Bradford community for 10 years as an Emergency Dept. nurse at Bradford Regional Medical Center, and to further continue that commitment to caring for my community in my current role at UPMC Kane, where I am employed as the Unit Director of Nursing, Cardiopulmonary and Respiratory Therapy, and serve as the Forensic Coordinator.
I received an ASN from Jamestown Community College in 2012, am licensed as a Registered Nurse in both Pennsylvania and New York, and am currently pursuing a Master's Degree in Nursing through Capella University. I currently maintain Board Certification in Emergency Nursing, as well as Adult/adolescent and Pediatric Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner through the International Association of Forensic Nurses. I have completed over 350 hours of continuing education in forensics including courses in death investigation, pediatric death investigation, and aquatic events. I also serve as an Expert SANE Field Instructor for Duquesne University in the Adult/ Adolescent and Pediatric forensic nurse education and training programs.
As an Emergency Nurse, I recognized the resource gap that exists for patients who have been victims of violent crime and sought specialized training as a forensic nurse to bridge those gaps. That training specifically included advanced understanding of anatomy and physiology, obtaining a medical forensic history, traumatic injury identification with special attention to discreet injuries, mechanism of injury, physical evidence collection, forensic photography, and training in courtroom testimony. Since completing my initial training in 2016, I have cared for over 500 medical forensic patients, treating every patient's body as a crime scene with a history that provides context for exam findings and evidence collection to provide holistic medicolegal care.
The multi-disciplinary approach required in medical forensic cases involves collaboration among multiple local agencies. Similarly, death investigations require clear, well-defined channels of communication between the coroner and key agencies, as multi agency cooperation is critical for collaboration, information-sharing and coordinating activities. I currently serve on the Mckean and Elk County Multidisciplinary Investigative Teams and have fostered relationships with key stakeholders in Mckean County that would be essential to success in the coroner's role. Additionally, I am well versed in providing courtroom testimony and have testified as an expert witness in multiple jurisdictions, including Mckean County.
I maintain professional memberships in the Emergency Nurse's Association, International Association of Forensic Nurses, Pennsylvania Chapter of IAFN, and the Academy of Forensic Nursing.
I am a past Cub Scouts Pack 498 pack leader and former Bradford Regional Little League coach. I reside in Bradford with my significant other, Anthony Crowley, and our dog Cooper.
The mission of the county coroner's office is to serve and protect the interest of the community by maintaining the highest standard of professionalism and integrity with regards to death investigations, and to seek the truth on behalf of the families and community members served. I have dedicated myself to the service and care of this community, both in life and in death, which led me to obtain specialized training and expertise in forensics, where the medical and legal needs of the community overlap. That specialized education, training, and experience has uniquely prepared me to serve the people of Mckean County as coroner.
My promise to the community if elected is to ensure thorough, accurate, fiscally responsible, and timely death investigations with prompt response times, as death determinations significantly impact surviving family members, civil and criminal actions, and public safety. In addition, I am committed to providing community education and outreach related to the coroner's office, as well as a trauma informed approach when communicating with grieving families. A focus of primary concern is sustainability with an emphasis on financial stewardship. While some deaths occur due to a criminal event; every death is a medical event and requires medical expertise. According to the International Association of Forensic Nurses, “when a forensically trained physician is not accessible, an experienced and qualified forensic nurse can serve as an ideal alternative” in the death investigation process.
I would greatly appreciate your support in the May primary. Thank you for your consideration.