(a) It shall be the function and duty of the board to:

(1) Develop, impose, and enforce standards which must be met by individuals in order to receive a license as a nursing home administrator, which standards shall be designed to insure that nursing home administrators will be individuals who are of good character and are otherwise suitable and who, by training or experience in the field of institutional administration, are qualified to serve as nursing home administrators;

(2) Develop and apply appropriate techniques, including examinations and investigations, for determining whether an individual meets such standards;

(3) Issue licenses to individuals determined, after application of such techniques, to meet such standards, and revoke or suspend licenses previously issued by the board in any case where the individual holding any such license is determined substantially to have failed to conform to the requirements of such standards;

(4) Receive, investigate, and take appropriate action with respect to any charge or complaint filed with the board to the effect that any individual licensed as a nursing home administrator has failed to comply with the requirements of such standards;

(5) Establish and carry out procedures designed to insure that individuals licensed as nursing home administrators will, during any period that they serve as such, comply with the requirements of such standards; and

(6) Conduct a continuing study and investigation of nursing homes and administrators of nursing homes within the state with a view to the improvement of the standards imposed for the licensing of such administrators and of procedures and methods for the enforcement of such standards with respect to administrators of nursing homes who have been licensed as such.

(b) The board shall have the authority to:

(1) Make rules and regulations, not inconsistent with law, as may be necessary for the proper performance of its duties, and to take such other actions as may be necessary for the proper performance of its duties, and to take such other actions as may be necessary to enable the state to meet the requirements set forth in Section 1908 of the Social Security Act, federal rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and other pertinent federal authority; and

(2) Establish, provide, or approve various education programs or courses for nursing home administrators, and to prescribe rules and regulations requiring applicants for licenses as nursing home administrators to attend such programs or courses as a prerequisite to their being admitted to the examination or issued a license, and requiring licensed nursing home administrators to attend such programs or courses as a prerequisite to their being issued any license renewal.