This paper seeks to explore general practice nurses' perceptions of interactional factors supporting communication with patients about lifestyle risk.Qualitative descriptive study embedded within a concurrent mixed methods design.Fifteen Australian general practice nurses were interviewed following video recorded chronic disease management consultations between August 2017 and March 2018.The theme of 'Interactional Factors', comprised of the subthemes 'Relational factors' and 'Patient factors'. Relational factors referred to communication techniques and methods supporting temporal continuity with patients about lifestyle risk. Patient factors included consumers' motivation, willingness and readiness to prioritise lifestyle changes. Lack of awareness of the nurses' role was perceived to have an impact on initiation of lifestyle risk conversations.Strategies optimising continuity of nursing care enhance capacity for lifestyle risk reduction conversations with patients. Ongoing training in patient-centred communication and increasing patients' awareness of general practice nurses' roles would also better support these discussions.This research identifies ways the general practice nurses' role in supporting lifestyle risk reduction can be improved. Optimising the general practice nurses' role in lifestyle risk communication can enhance behaviour change and chronic disease management.