Job Demands and Burnout Among Tanzanian Nurses: The Moderating Role of Work–Life Balance

Introduction Nurses operate in high‐pressure environments characterized by heavy workloads, time constraints, and emotional demands, all of which increase the risk of burnout and compromise healthcare quality. While job demands are well‐established predictors of burnout, the potential buffering role of work–life balance remains insufficiently explored, particularly in low‐resource settings such as Tanzania. Methods A cross‐sectional study was conducted between August and October 2024 among 298 nurses drawn from eight randomly selected Regional Referral Hospitals in Tanzania. Participants were selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected using a structured self‐administered questionnaire measuring job demands, burnout, and work–life balance. Statistical analysis was performed using the PROCESS macro (Model 1) to test the moderating effect of work–life balance on the relationship between job demands and burnout, while controlling for demographic variables including age, gender, education level, and work experience. This was complemented by a confirmatory factor analysis to assess the measurement model and common method bias, and by a multilevel (random‐intercept) model with hospital as the grouping factor to account for the nested data structure. Results The findings revealed a significant positive association between job demands and burnout ( B  = 0.2609, p < 0.001), indicating that higher job demands are associated with increased burnout levels. Work–life balance was negatively associated with burnout ( B  = −0.3740, p < 0.001), suggesting its protective role. The interaction term was statistically significant but small ( B  = −0.065, p = 0.002; standardized β  = −0.10; Cohen’s f 2 = 0.03). Job demands predicted burnout at all levels of work–life balance (standardized β  = 0.36 for job demands and β  = 0.50 for work–life balance). The model explained a large proportion of variance in burnout ( R 2 = 0.756, △ R 2 = 0.008, p = 0.002). Clustering diagnostics indicated meaningful nesting of nurses within hospitals (ICC = 0.118; design effect = 5.28), and the interaction remained statistically significant in a multilevel random‐intercept model ( B  = −0.065, p = 0.002). Discussion and Conclusion Consistent with the Job Demands–Resources Model, the findings demonstrate that work–life balance serves as a critical resource that mitigates the adverse effects of job demands on burnout. Enhancing work–life balance through supportive workplace policies may be an effective strategy for reducing burnout and improving nurse well‐being and healthcare delivery.