Oklahoma Surgical Technologist Requirements

Overview

Oklahoma does not license or register surgical technologists as a separate profession.^[2][3] Instead, state hospital regulations describe how “surgical technicians” may be used in the operating room under registered‑nurse supervision and make clear that they cannot serve as circulating nurses.^[1]

Oklahoma Administrative Code section 310:667‑25‑1 requires that the operating rooms of each hospital be supervised by an experienced registered nurse and that personnel include at least one registered professional nurse to serve as the circulating nurse in each operating room.^[1] The same rule permits surgical technicians and licensed practical nurses to function as scrub personnel under RN supervision but not as circulating nurses.^[1]

Because there is no stand‑alone surgical technologist practice act or license, education and certification standards are set by employers, accrediting bodies, and national organizations rather than by a state licensure statute.^[2][3][4] Oklahoma programs and hospitals still emphasize accredited surgical technology training and national certification, especially in larger systems and specialty services.^[4][6]

State Classification

Oklahoma is a non‑licensure state for surgical technologists.^[2][3] Titles 59 and 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes do not create a separate surgical technologist license or registry, and there is no state board that issues an ST license card.^[2][3]

State contact and licensure summaries list Oklahoma among the states with “no additional state requirements” for surgical technologists beyond facility‑level standards.^[2][3] At the same time, hospital regulations that mention surgical technicians influence how technologists can be deployed in the operating room, particularly by reserving the circulating‑nurse role for registered nurses.^[1]

Statutory Requirements

Oklahoma’s key state‑level language about surgical technicians appears in the hospital standards rather than in a dedicated occupational licensure chapter.^[1][2] Oklahoma Administrative Code 310:667‑25‑1, “Department of surgery,” requires policies on surgical privileges, staffing, and the use of operating‑room personnel, including surgical technicians.^[1]

Under this rule, operating rooms must be supervised by an experienced registered nurse, and personnel “must include at least one registered professional nurse to serve as the circulating nurse in each operating room.”^[1] The same subsection explains that surgical technicians and licensed practical nurses may serve as scrub personnel under the direct supervision of a registered nurse but may not function as circulating nurses.^[1]

The rule does not impose specific educational or certification requirements on surgical technicians, nor does any current section of the Oklahoma Statutes establish a surgical technologist license or title‑protection law.^[1][2][3] Facilities therefore rely on these supervision rules, along with federal and accreditation standards, to shape their surgical‑technology staffing models.^[1][3]

Employer Standards in Oklahoma

In the absence of a state surgical technologist license, Oklahoma employers set their own minimum qualifications for surgical technologists.^[3][4] Hospitals, surgery centers, and specialty practices commonly require graduation from an accredited surgical technology program and operating‑room experience for full‑time staff roles.^[4][6]

National association guidance, including AST recommendations, encourages facilities in non‑licensure states like Oklahoma to prefer or require graduates of CAAHEP‑ or ABHES‑accredited programs who hold the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST®) credential when possible.^[3][7] Oklahoma program descriptions and job postings echo this approach by highlighting CST® eligibility and national certification as important markers of competence and professionalism in the operating room.^[4][6]

Certification Requirements

Oklahoma law does not require surgical technologists to hold CST®, TS‑C, or any other specific national certification credential.^[2][3] Certification expectations are set by employers, and many hospital job descriptions list CST® or equivalent national certification as required or preferred for surgical technologist positions.^[4][6]

Oklahoma surgical technology programs emphasize accredited education and CST® exam eligibility as core outcomes.^[4] For example, program information from Oklahoma schools notes that graduates are qualified to sit for the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST®) exam offered by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) and prepares them for entry‑level operating‑room roles in hospitals and outpatient centers.^[4][6]

NBSTSA requires candidates for the CST® exam to graduate from a CAAHEP‑ or ABHES‑accredited surgical technology program or an approved military program and to submit a complete application and fees before testing.^[7] These accreditation and eligibility standards help Oklahoma employers and educators align their programs with national expectations for entry‑level surgical technologists.^[4][7]

After initial certification, CST® holders must meet NBSTSA recertification requirements, which typically include earning continuing‑education credits over a defined period or retaking the certification exam.^[7] Oklahoma employers that require or prefer certification often incorporate these recertification obligations into their competency‑maintenance and performance‑review processes for full‑time technologists.^[4][6][7]

Registration / Licensure

Oklahoma does not issue a state surgical technologist license or maintain an ST‑specific registry.^[2][3] Surgical technologists do not apply to a separate ST licensing board or receive a state ST license number in order to work in the operating room.^[2][3]

Regulation instead occurs indirectly through hospital licensing and accreditation, which require compliance with Oklahoma Administrative Code 310:667‑25‑1 and related operating‑room standards.^[1][3] Facilities credential surgical technologists internally by reviewing transcripts, national certifications, references, and competency assessments, then granting operating‑room privileges consistent with their policies and the hospital rules.^[1][3][4]

Technologists who also hold other Oklahoma licenses, such as registered nurse or radiography licenses, remain accountable to their respective licensing boards for those professions.^[3] Their surgical technologist duties are governed by hospital policy, supervision requirements, and national practice standards rather than a separate surgical technologist practice act.^[1][3][4]

Renewal Requirements

Because Oklahoma does not license or register surgical technologists, there is no state ST renewal cycle, no ST‑specific renewal fee, and no jurisdiction‑mandated continuing‑education requirement for this occupation.^[2][3] Any license renewal obligations apply only to other licenses a technologist may hold, such as nursing or other allied‑health licenses.^[3]

Ongoing requirements for surgical technologists instead come from employers and national certifying bodies.^[4][7] CST® recertification requires continuing‑education credits or exam retesting, and Oklahoma employers that require certification generally expect technologists to keep these credentials current as a condition of continued employment or eligibility for advanced roles.^[4][6][7]

Background Checks

Oklahoma does not operate a background‑check or fingerprinting process that is specific to surgical technologists, because there is no state ST license or registry.^[2][3] There is no ST‑only criminal‑history check tied to an ST license number in Oklahoma statutes or hospital rules.^[2][3]

Hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers instead apply their own background‑screening procedures to surgical technologists and other perioperative staff.^[3][6] These typically include criminal‑history checks, drug testing, immunization and vaccination verification, and reference checks for full‑time positions, with similar screening for per‑diem or temporary roles consistent with facility policies and accreditation requirements.^[3][6]

Scope of Practice

Oklahoma Administrative Code 310:667‑25‑1 does not provide a detailed task list for surgical technicians but addresses their role in relation to scrub and circulating duties.^[1] The rule allows surgical technicians and licensed practical nurses to serve as scrub personnel under the direct supervision of a registered nurse and requires that a registered professional nurse serve as the circulating nurse in each operating room.^[1]

Within this framework, Oklahoma surgical technologists typically prepare operating rooms, arrange instruments and sterile supplies, assist with patient positioning and draping, maintain the sterile field, pass instruments and supplies, handle specimens, and participate in counts under the supervision of surgeons and circulating nurses.^[1][4][6] They do not independently diagnose, prescribe, or determine treatment plans and must work within delegated responsibilities defined by licensed professionals and hospital policy.^[1][3][4]

Governing Agency

Because Oklahoma does not license surgical technologists, there is no stand‑alone ST licensing board.^[2][3] The Oklahoma State Department of Health enforces hospital standards, including Oklahoma Administrative Code 310:667‑25‑1, and therefore indirectly regulates how surgical technicians may be used in operating rooms.^[1][3]

National certification organizations such as NBSTSA and accreditation bodies such as CAAHEP and ABHES play important roles in defining education and certification standards for surgical technologists who practice in Oklahoma.^[4][7] Oklahoma programs and employers rely on these organizations’ requirements and guidance, along with hospital rules, to shape entry‑level and advanced roles for surgical technologists in the state.^[4][6][7]

Statute Citations

• Okla. Admin. Code 310:667‑25‑1 – Department of surgery: Hospital standard requiring an experienced registered nurse to supervise operating rooms, mandating at least one registered professional nurse to serve as circulating nurse in each operating room, and allowing surgical technicians and licensed practical nurses to function as scrub personnel under RN supervision.^[1] http://okrules.elaws.us/oac/310:667-25-1
• Oklahoma Statutes Titles 59 and 63: Current compilations of the professions and occupations and health‑and‑safety codes show no chapter establishing surgical technologists as a separately licensed occupation, supporting Oklahoma’s classification as a non‑licensure state for surgical technologists.^[2][3]

Oklahoma Surgical Technologist Salary & Job Outlook

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data for May 2023 show that Oklahoma employs about 1,940 surgical technologists (SOC 29‑2055), with employment of roughly 1.17 per 1,000 jobs and a location quotient of 1.61, indicating higher‑than‑average concentration compared with the nation overall.^[6][7] The state’s estimated mean hourly wage for surgical technologists is about $26.17, corresponding to an annual mean wage of approximately $54,430 for full‑time wage and salary workers.^[6][7]

By comparison, national May 2023 data report an annual mean wage of about $60,600 and a median hourly wage near $28.62 for surgical technologists across all states.^[7] Oklahoma’s wages therefore sit somewhat below national averages but can be competitive when adjusted for the state’s lower cost of living, especially for full‑time roles in high‑demand specialties and metro areas.^[6][7]

Within Oklahoma, wages vary by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas and by employer type, with larger hospitals and urban systems often offering higher base pay and differentials than smaller or rural facilities.^[6] BLS state and area estimates show that surgical technologists in higher‑volume markets tend to earn toward the upper portion of the statewide range, while those in rural regions may be closer to the lower or middle ranges for full‑time staff positions.^[6][7]

The Occupational Outlook Handbook projects about 5 percent national employment growth for surgical technologists and related roles from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.^[5] Oklahoma’s relatively high employment per thousand jobs and ongoing program enrollment suggest steady demand for well‑trained surgical technologists, particularly those with accredited education, CST® certification, and experience in busy operating‑room environments.^[4][5][6][7]

Summary

Oklahoma does not license or register surgical technologists but regulates how surgical technicians may be used in hospital operating rooms through Oklahoma Administrative Code 310:667‑25‑1, which reserves circulating‑nurse duties for registered nurses.^[1][2] Aspiring Oklahoma surgical technologists should complete an accredited surgical technology program, pursue national certification such as CST®, and follow employer and national standards for continuing education and competency, since these factors drive hiring, role definition, and wage growth in this non‑licensure state.^[3][4][6][7]

References

• [1] Oklahoma State Department of Health. “OAC 310:667 – Hospital Standards, Subchapter 25. Surgical Services, Section 310:667‑25‑1 Department of surgery” – operating‑room standard specifying RN supervision, required circulating nurse, and use of surgical technicians and licensed practical nurses as scrub personnel only. http://okrules.elaws.us/oac/310:667-25-1^{[web:1116][web:1113]}
• [2] Oklahoma Statutes, Title 59 – Professions and Occupations – current compilations reviewed for surgical‑technology provisions and showing no separate surgical technologist licensure chapter.^[web:1114]
• [3] Oklahoma Statutes, Title 63 – Public Health and Safety – hospital and health‑facility provisions used to confirm that surgical technologists are not licensed as a distinct profession and are governed via facility and team‑based rules instead.^[web:1114]
• [4] Oklahoma surgical technology program descriptions (for example, Central Oklahoma College). “Surgical Technologist Program in Oklahoma” – outline accredited curricula, clinical requirements, and CST® exam eligibility for graduates preparing for entry‑level operating‑room roles. https://centraloc.edu/surgical-technologist-program-in-oklahoma/^[web:1119]
• [5] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Surgical Assistants and Technologists” – Occupational Outlook Handbook profile providing national median pay and projected 2024–2034 growth for surgical technologists and related occupations. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/surgical-assistants-and-technologists.htm^[web:419]
• [6] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates – Oklahoma” – OEWS state table reporting employment, employment per thousand jobs, and mean wages for Surgical Technologists (29‑2055) in Oklahoma. https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes_3800003.htm^[web:1118]
• [7] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Surgical Technologists, SOC 29‑2055, May 2023” – national OEWS table providing the national annual mean wage (about $60,600) and median hourly wage (about $28.62) used as the national baseline for comparing Oklahoma wages and employment concentration. https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes292055.htm^[web:1118]
• [8] NBSTSA. “CST® Eligibility” – official certification‑eligibility criteria requiring graduation from a CAAHEP‑ or ABHES‑accredited surgical technology program or an approved military program before taking the CST® exam, along with recertification guidance. https://www.nbstsa.org/cst-eligibility^[web:1122]